On Dec. 6, the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) decided Coalspur’s Vista Coal mine expansion in west-central Alberta will not be subject to a federal impact assessment.
“Over the last two years, we've seen zero progress on the thermal coal export ban, and now we're seeing Canada move in the opposite direction by refusing to even assess the impacts of a major expansion of Canada's largest thermal coal mine,” Julia Levin of Environmental Defence told Canada’s National Observer in a phone interview. The federal government promised to end thermal coal exports by 2030, but Coalspur’s mine expansion project would operate for 11 years, until at least 2036.
People love crapping on the reality of resource economics.
Someone is going to provide the coal.
The real solution would be for Canada to be aggressive in its green energy programs (and start accessing resources other than lumber and oil).
Being a leader in green energy production (not just by having nuclear, hydro etc) but actually producing solar, wind, batteries, etc for export.
Using carbon based energy to create low carbon energy sources is the only way we're going to successfully transition away from fossil fuels.
The main problem is that we do 1% green and 99% carbon, and that number never really seems to change.
Our carbon tax is not improving public options to ditch fossil fuels, which should be the whole point of a carbon tax (reduced use by increasing price, and using the tax to create low carbon alternatives).
I doubt we'll ever be serious about a green transition anytime soon.
I used to be that "stoner green peace" kid in high school/20s but when I actually came back into reality, we need to use our natural resources to fuel our economy. we are not going to hit Paris targets, we should stop with that crap, and we should be focusing on generating income for the country and jobs. The latest numbers from stat can came out and the unemployment rate is the highest its been in over 10 years, but that number still isn't even accurate to what people truly believe what it is. While those in their comfy desk jobs drinking Starbucks and ordering uber eats for lunch for being a DEI hire, there are Canadians who have to turn to welfare because they can't even get a fucking job flipping burgers.