CanadaB次元官网网址檚 oil and gas industry remains in the dark about exactly how much it will be required to reduce its emissions in the coming decade, though a sweeping new plan unveiled by Ottawa on Tuesday hints at the role the sector could be expected to play in achieving this countryB次元官网网址檚 climate goals.

The federal governmentB次元官网网址檚 new emissions-reduction plan, which was tabled in the House of Commons Tuesday, lays out ways the country can reach its target of cutting emissions by 2030 to no more than 60 per cent of 2005 levels.

In it, the government says CanadaB次元官网网址檚 oilpatch can reduce emissions by 31 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030, or 42 per cent below 2019 levels. That would bring total emissions from the sector B次元官网网址� including production, refining and transportation via pipelines B次元官网网址� to 110 million tonnes by 2030, down from 191 million tonnes in 2019.

But those numbers are simply projections, they are not the mandated cap on oil and gas emissions the Liberals promised as part of their fall election platform, said Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.

The government is currently consulting with industry as well as the provinces, Indigenous groups and other interested parties about what that cap will be, whether it will be legislated or regulatory, and what the compliance tools will be.

B次元官网网址淭he numbers you see for different sectors are projections of where, based on our analysis B次元官网网址� different sectors should be in 2030 for us to get to our targets,B次元官网网址� Guilbeault said. B次元官网网址淏ut itB次元官网网址檚 not in any way, for any sectors, a regulated cap or target.B次元官网网址�

Guilbeault said the targets laid out are B次元官网网址渁mbitiousB次元官网网址� and that word was echoed by oil and gas industry groups responding to the governmentB次元官网网址檚 plan, Tuesday.

In a statement, the Oilsands Pathways to Net Zero Alliance B次元官网网址� a group of six major oilsands companies that have together committed to reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and have set an interim goal of reducing oilsands production emissions by 22 million tonnes by 2030 B次元官网网址� said industry needs B次元官网网址渞ealistic and achievableB次元官网网址� goals.

B次元官网网址淲e also need to recognize the time required to build the infrastructure, deploy the necessary technology, secure appropriate regulatory approvals and implement economic incentives to achieve these reductions,B次元官网网址� said Kendall Dilling, interim director of the Pathways to Net Zero group.

B次元官网网址淲hile we recognize the federal governmentB次元官网网址檚 ambition to drive even faster results, the Pathways Alliance has been clear that the interim goals set for our industry must be flexible, realistic and achievable.B次元官网网址�

However, environmental groups say there is room for Canada to set a more ambitious cap for the oil and gas sector. They say the oil and gas sector can achieve the 31 per cent reduction below 2005 levels by using already existing technology.

B次元官网网址淭hose (federal targets) are significant reductions, but theyB次元官网网址檙e not good enough. ThereB次元官网网址檚 actually room to be more ambitious,B次元官网网址� said Simon Dyer, deputy executive director of environmental think-tank the Pembina Institute. B次元官网网址淎nd if we actually want to drive industry to make the investments in carbon capture and storage and methane abatement, there could be a stronger cap.B次元官网网址�

Guilbeault said he understands that some Canadians would like to see the government be even more ambitious, but said itB次元官网网址檚 important to also be B次元官网网址減ragmatic and realistic.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 mean, talk is cheap,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e could have very ambitious targets and not know how we get there. I donB次元官网网址檛 think that would serve Canadians well.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擜manda Stephenson, The Canadian Press