The federal government is very serious about reducing greenhouse gases to minimize the dangers that can accompany climate change.

We recognize that carbon dioxide emissions must be kept in check for the ongoing health of our children and grandchildren. Prime Minister Stephen Harper made Canada’s position crystal clear in his September 24 address to the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level Event on Climate Change. He said, “Canada is committed to working with the international community and the United Nations to develop the targets and the technologies that will overcome the challenge of climate change.”

The prime minister assured the U.N. that Canada is a dedicated international partner in finding solutions to climate change. The government is particularly interested in finding cleaner and more efficient ways to convert hydrocarbons into energy. Canada’s economy benefits from our position as a significant fossil fuel energy producer, and with this bounty comes the responsibility to clean up after ourselves.
Prime Minister Harper told the U.N. assembly that our country is excited about technologies that include carbon capture and storage. Pilot projects are underway in western Canada to pump carbon dioxide deep underground into rock formations that have been drained of their oil and gas. There could be a bright future in the energy cycle of removing hydrocarbons, tapping its energy and returning the emissions into the earth.

The Government of Canada and the Province of Alberta have established the Carbon Capture and Storage Task Force to develop large-scale practical options for the government and industry. We are also investing in alternative energy sources like wind, biomass, low impact hydro, geothermics, solar photovoltaics, and ocean tides. It is important for the private sector to pick up the torch from the taxpayer to make the alternative energy industry vibrant and profitable. The challenge must be taken up in the marketplace.

Fortunately, commercial clean energy is already happening, and the government is playing a role in the early stages. In early July, the prime minister took the podium in Strongfield, Saskatchewan to announce a substantial boost to produce biofuels. The ecoENERGY for Biofuels program will deliver incentives up to $1.5 billion over nine years to producers of renewable alternatives to gas and diesel fuel. The program comes as good news to suppliers of grain, oilseeds and other feedstocks.

The federal government is approaching climate change by balancing environmental protection with economic growth. We believe it is essential improve the environment without sacrificing the prosperity that makes life worth living. It is a delicate balance that requires responsible long-range planning and respect for the land and the people who occupy it. The government plans to address climate change while we keep the economy moving forward for the sake of future generations.

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