CO2 Capture and Sequestration - An Idea Whose Time Has Come in Alberta

There are some very interesting and critically important developments emerging in this election. Not the least of which is the environmental concerns over greenhouse gases in Alberta’s growing energy based economy.

The recent survey we did (Cambridge Strategies and The Policy Channel) on what are the most important values Albertans are concerned about around responsible and sustainable oil sand development had CO2 capture and wildlife habitat as the two top of mind issues for Albertans. It is an important political issue and a more important environmental issue for Alberta. You can read a report on the survey findings at Policy Channel (http://www.policychannel.com/)

Things are happening. Premier Stelmach referenced carbon capture in many of his MSM year end interviews. Carbon capture and storage was highlighted in the Throne Speech. Ed Stelmach pledged to get this issue moving and start to put the infrastructure in place in conjunction with the large emitters.

Just days before the Throne Speech the Canada/Alberta joint effort task force report on carbon capture and storage. This report advises government and industry on not only how to do this but to do it in a way that places Alberta in the global forefront on this technology and its application. It is going to be expensive but the alternatives of delay or do nothing is totally unacceptable.

Industry is stepping up on the concerns over CO2 emissions too. The industry consortium with major industry players like Enbridge, EnCana and TransCanada Corp are seriously into the issue from both a capture and sequestration perspective. Another Alberta based group ICO2N has just formed and will also look at the pipeline needs of carbon capture and sequestration. City of Edmonton owned Epcor Power LP is a big player in this initiative.

The retrograde consciousness of climate change deniers is long since past its political "best before date."(even though some deniers are still bleating and belching about it.). This is a complex policy area but the technology exists and is being used in other countries. It is even being used in Canada today but only to a moderate degree so far.

Our survey showed that current public perceptions in Alberta are that much more is being done on carbon capture that is the reality today. Perception is reality in politics and just because it is a cliche does not mean it is not true. But perception is not necessarily reality when it comes to assesssing the actual public policy processes, practices and their outcomes...particularly around how much actual CO2 capture and sequestration is really going on in Alberta. Not much - YET!

There is danger for both government and industry if citizen’s perceptions, expectations and, in particular, their aspirations are not being met on high value driver and critical issues like carbon capture and sequestration.

CO2 capture and sequestration is no longer a distant or emerging issue. Our survey shows that it is a current concern of most Albertans and they have a keen sense of its importance and urgency. The key players of industry and government are now engaged. The political will and economic muscle from leaders like Premier Stelmach and TransAlta’s CEO Steve Snyder (who chaired the Fed/Prov task force) has to be encouraged, sustained and enhanced to get this done right - and right away.

Former Prime Minister Kim Campbell famously said to the effect that elections are no time to deal with complex issues. When she said that, back in the day, it may have been true for her times. Today the reality is different due to the inter-related and highly integrated world has complexity everywhere all the time. This Alberta election is just the time to deal with a complex issue like CO2 capture and sequestration.

I am pleased that Premier Stelmach has put it on the political agenda for discussion in this election. Now Albertans have to inform themselves on what is happening around CO2 capture and sequestration and then they can help turn up the political heat on this initiative and turn it into a reality.

If GHG’s and climate change are important to you and you agree CO2 is a crucial part of the solution, one way I see to make it happen is to support Ed Stelmach’s Progressive Conservatives in this election. Ed has a good start but we all know he can do better. So encourage him and insist that he get this job done once his government re-elected.

Enlightened Savage Strikes Again!

The Enlightened Savage strikes again with a thorough analysis of the Throne Speech from his POV. Insightful as always and always worth a read!

Who Says Goodbye After Super Tuesday?

So Super Tuesday is finally here. Some friends and I are going to get together to watch this event - the Super Bowl for Policy Wonks.

McCain comes out with an impressive lead and momentum and the Republican royalty finally behind him. Huckabee is fading fast and repositioning for a VP gig on a McCain ticket but Lieberman has the inside track. Romney is too “rich” for any true red Republican and has tried to buy the nomination. Where Giuliani was too little to late, Romney has been too much (as in money) too soon. Ron Paul is done too but get immortalized as the Libertarian anti-Ralph Nader to his cult following.

Obama and Clinton are neck and neck at the end of the day. Obama has the MO and Clinton and the Democratic royalty behind her. The outcome is unknown here and will be up to and including the convention in August. Too back Edwards pulled out when he did! He could have picked the winner with an endorsement in August is he had hung in.

The Dems have to choose between town competing liberal principles. Do they want a black or a woman for their President? Too bad Oprah wasn’t the running – they could get both.

It's Election Time in Alberta and the Future is the Issue.

I always enjoy the Edmonton Journal’s Paula Simons’ perspective on things. We mostly align but not always. Well her column today is almost a total overlap as how I see the transition between Klein and Stelmach. It is worth a read.

Stelmach is too much of a gentleman to run against Klein. I do recall Klein ran against the Getty record rather successfully back in the day. The “messes” of the past are being addressed by Stelmach and he is putting his own stamp on how his government will operate and his more inclusive and integrated policy focus. Stelmach is a change and shift away from the old days. He is thoughtful, reflective, caring and capable - and a refreshing change as we now focus on the planning and positioning of the province for the future.

This blog will focus mostly on the election with posts from an Albertan with a Progressive and Conservative perspective. I intend to explore and engage on a wide range of issues and events through out the campaign. I am hoping to encourage more citizen engagement and some serious commitment of time and energy so folks can see a reason to return to politics as a positive part of their lives.

My focus is to try and get a better government that is progressive and conservative and to help readers/citizens/voters understand how that vital and effective combination of principles can be the best way to go forward as a province. I expect contrarian and complementary comments but I also expect civility as the basis for the conversations too.

I am also working professionally on some issues for clients and will be careful to advise when a comment or a post is about a client’s activities and objectives too.

Elections are about choices and changes. They are about getting on with determining the destination and directions for the new Alberta. Apathy is boring and not an option if you value your democratic freedoms. So this time – in this election - get engaged Alberta – it is our future that is at stake.

Damn Good Throne Speech Ed Stelmach!

As an Albertan Progressive Conservative, I have to say, I am very pleased with the Throne Speech. I have some disappointments and will note them later in this post but by and large it is a very progressive agenda and vision. Congratulations Premier Stelmach.

Premier Stelmach has accomplished more in the past year than was accomplished in the past 7 years put together. Big ticket items like the open process that engaged Albertans as owners in the Royalty Review decision, and kick starting 11,000 affordable housing units, address municipal infrastructure needs with a long view that provides certainty and sustainability communities to planning and deliver. The Premier’s personal efforts to finally resolve the unfunded pension liability for our teachers is commendable. Then he moved to finally provide safer and healthier work and public places with the tobacco control legislation. These are all substantive and an impressive list of Stelmach accomplishments but it is not an exhaustive list by any stretch.

The progressive, integrated and long view nature of the Throne Speech is reassuring that the Stelmach government will be a significant change from the single minded debt and deficit days of yore. There is an expressed recognition that the prosperity from our phenomenal growth has not trickled down to benefit all Albertans. Despite low unemployment and high wages generally, many Albertans are under serious pressures. They need lots of help from child care and out-of-school, to better health care access and education to housing and work – life balance challenges due to demands caused by labour shortages.

There are systemic challenges that are being addressed from aboriginal economic development and employment opportunities so they can “take their rightful place in our society.” The severe shortages of skilled workers in the disability sector who care for our most vulnerable citizens has reached crisis levels. There is a promise of further investments for these contracted agencies that perform these duties on behalf of our government. What is needed is money directed specifically at providing competitive wages and new programs that enable contracted agencies to attract and retain qualifier workers is going to be addressed. I am working with the sector to these ends and am pleased to see this pledge in the Throne Speech.

Long range planning commitments in capital infrastructure, health, education,
housing, and transportation, skills shortages and even demographic planning for an aging population are high on the Stelmach change agenda. Nowhere is this new attitude and perspective more obvious than the commitment to the elimination of health care premiums. These moves are all welcome and needed.

The environment is also being addressed. The speech notes “We place a high value on…pristine open spaces” but there is no parks, conservation or wildlife habitat protection policy commitment in the Throne Speech. There needs to be more attention paid to this vulnerable aspect of life and living things in Alberta. As we anticipate accelerated growth economic activity increases oil and gas, mining, agriculture, forestry and tourism activity. We already have a crisis of fragmentation of our wilderness landscape and there are serious pressures on water sheds that also puts a strain on our wild life. This is especially difficult for migrating animals like grizzly bears and caribou.

Granted there is attention being directed at cumulative effects of development but I would have hoped for a more specific set of directions and destinations focused on conservation, a new and comprehensive parks policy and habitat protection. PersonallyI think it is time to put Conservation back into the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party consciousness.

We know from our Oil Sands Study, which you can read on Policy Channel (www.policychannel.com), that Albertans want their oil sands developed in ways that protects habitat, captures CO2, deals with water usage and focuses on reclamation. This change in focus is not away from royalties, technology, and pace of growth concerns but in addition to those previous focal points. The specific reference for government and industry to work together to capture and store CO2 is a positive move. It will be expensive but for Alberta, a place of 3.4 million souls who benefit the most from the oil sands, this idea should be embraced as our specific ecological challenge as a province.

Another huge change under Stelmach from the Klein regime is around concern and action dealing with surface and groundwater, climate change and greenhouse gases. There was an attitude under Klein, that at one time, even denied the science around climate change. The attitude presumed that economic growth at any pace and any cost, was acceptable, even if it resulted in land, air and water degradation. Not any more. While Stelmach is more incremental than some of us would like on his “Greening our Growth,” at least these big ecological issues and concerns are front and centre on his political agenda.

Much of the past year has seen Stelmach playing catch up to ensure Alberta keeps up to the physical infrastructure pressures caused by our growth. This Throne Speech marks a change in focus where Ed Stelmach can finally get on to his own vision and hos own policy agenda for Alberta. Ed Stelmach can now be Ed Stelmach. With this Throne Speech we get to see the real Ed Stelmach and learn to appreciate what he is all about.

So get ready Alberta. There is an election on. We all have some serious listening to do and some serious questions to ask of all the candidates and all the party leaders. Then we have a decision to make about what kind of Alberta we want and who we think will be best to help us get there. Alberta is relatively assured of our progress with all the blessings we enjoy. What we Albertans need to do now is to elect some socially progressive and fiscally conservative politician like Ed Stelmach to help get us to our preferred future.

Sorry for the long post but it was a damned impressive Throne Speech with lots to talk about. As a citizen, you might be well advised to read the news release, backgrounder and the entire speech yourself, so here is the link.