Urgent need for action on climate change, Suncor Energy CEO says

Despite not having all the answers on climate change, there is a pressing need to take action, Steve Williams, president and CEO of Suncor Energy, said in his keynote address at a panel discussion about the future of Alberta’s climate policy in Calgary on Friday.

In the panel discussion, In This Together: Carbon Pricing and Alberta’s Family Business, Williams stressed that “doing nothing isn’t an option we should choose.”

“We may not have all the answers but let’s not be afraid to start,” Williams said in a blog posted on the website of Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission in Montreal, which presented the panel discussion along with Suncor Energy. “A global, international, or national framework may not be in place yet, but just as other public policies have taken hold across this continent – think seat belt legislation – so too can we take further action in support of the environment.”

In order to tackle the greenhouse gas challenge, Williams said, “we need to look at mechanisms that address both supply and demand elements of the equation. And, we need to make sure that we continue to invest in and share technology that can help us reduce our carbon footprint,” he said, noting that scientists have indicated that the atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide need to be limited “as soon as possible.”

Related: Canada sets ambitious new target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030

Action should start at the provincial level, Williams said, noting that Alberta was the first jurisdiction in Canada to act on climate change through the Specified Gas Emitters’ Regulation. Various provincial governments, including Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec have carbon pricing mechanisms, or are contemplating them, Williams reported. “It’s important, though, not to underestimate the power of coordination between jurisdictions,” he added. “In the end, it is what will be required to ensure that we make meaningful progress on a larger scale.”

Related: Premiers commit to programs on climate change, GHG emissions

Last month, the premiers in attendance for the Quebec Summit on Climate Change – all except those of Alberta and Prince Edward Island, who were unable to attend due to elections -committed to programs and measures to adapt to climate change and reduce GHG emissions, among other items. These actions included:

• Promoting actions that support intergovernmental and cross-sector linkages in addressing climate change and that are inclusive of all sectors of the economy;

• Strengthening pan-Canadian climate change cooperation;

• Better coordinating GHG emissions reporting systems among jurisdictions; and

• Implementing policies to reduce GHG emissions, which may include improving climate change literacy, increasing energy efficiency and conservation, or the use of clean and renewable energy.

From a federal standpoint, discussions continue regarding greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Last week, the Government of Canada committed to reducing GHG emissions by 30% below 2005 levels by 2030.