The Council replies: Letters to the editor

Concerns over plan to trade CO2 credits

Lyn Gorman
The Edmonton Journal
June 29, 2007
Re: "Let's make a carbon deal: Alberta will launch Canada's first marketplace where industry can purchase credits to offset emissions," The Journal, June 24, 2007.

I have several concerns with the manner in which this government has initiated its carbon-trading plan, but will address two.

First, Environment Minister Rob Renner spoke to environmental law students at the University of Alberta on April 3, 2007, and stated, "We don't expect to see huge reductions of carbon dioxide emissions, but a reduction of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. We are looking at capturing and storing carbon dioxide, perhaps underground."

This government consistently approves huge carbon dioxide emitting plants including oilsands plants, coal mines, fertilizer plants, and upgraders, with no plan in place to protect our environment.

In Africa in 1986, carbon dioxide emissions from Lake Nyos resulted in the death of 1,700 individuals, thousands of cattle and several more birds and animals. If this government is considering storing this gas underground, has it considered the vast number of uncapped wells in this province?

Second, why is the government hiring a private company to monitor the registry for carbon emissions? The public will have no access to records held by a private company.

What guarantees do we have that, in fact, emissions are being recorded accurately? How do we know what trades are being made?

The citizens of Alberta have a right to know what emissions and chemicals are in our air sheds. Monitoring air quality and emissions in this province must be the responsibility of our public government and not private enterprise.

Lyn Gorman, Council of Canadians, Edmonton