Saskatchewan pumps out most GHG emissions per capita: report
Saskatchewan is not getting high marks from the Pembina Institute when it comes to fighting climate change — it has the highest greenhouse gas emissions per capita in Canada.
The institute came out with a report this week titled Race to the Front that ranks the provinces on climate change initiatives and greenhouse gas emissions.
- REPORT: Pembina Institute: Race to the Front
It says Saskatchewan's 67.2 tonnes per person annually makes it Canada's worst emitter per capita.
Greenhouse emissions have grown about eight per cent here since 2005, the report says.
- RELATED: Canada needs a national price on carbon to meet emissions target: report
In a news conference in Ottawa, Erin Flanagan, the main author of the report, had some blunt words for Premier Brad Wall and his government.
"Saskatchewan has not made a commitment to phase out coal-fired power," she said.
"Saskatchewan has also not moved forward on proactive methane regulations for its oil and gas sector. And those are two very important sectors from an emissions profile perspective for that province."
In order to reduce emissions in the near term, Saskatchewan should consider implementing economy-wide
carbon pricing and an accelerated phase-out of coal-fired power, the report says.
- RELATED: 'Now is not the time': Sask. Premier Brad Wall responds to carbon tax rumours
However, Wall has in recent years been a critic of carbon-pricing in some forms, calling it a tax that would hurt the economy.
