Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions from the oil and gas sector will not be ready until late this year or early 2023, the environment minister said on Tuesday, leaving a major hole in an emissions reduction plan due to be released by the government this month.
Oil and gas production is Canada's highest-emitting industry and a main focus of Trudeau's goal of chopping emissions by 40% to 45% by 2030, based on 2005 levels.
Guilbeault is the first Liberal minister to rule out including the oil and gas cap in this spring's plan, although he has previously said work on it may extend beyond 2022. This spring is pivotal for Trudeau's plans to address climate change, with the emissions reduction plan, final regulations to reduce the carbon intensity of fuel and details of financial support for carbon capture facilities all due.
Simon Donner, a climate science professor at the University of British Columbia and a member of a government advisory body, said addressing oil and gas emissions is critical.