Alberta Climate Change and the Premier Ed Stelmach Government

Alberta Climate Change

Alberta climate change is a big topic for Premier Ed Stelmach and the Alberta Government. With so much at stake in Alberta and the Canadian economy, it is a top priority for the Alberta Government to keep on top of this issue. At risk are the economic benefits to Alberta for the next few decades with the Alberta Oilsands being of such importance to the Alberta economy. Not only will being proactive in making any suggestions for Alberta climate change be vital but the Alberta Government will need to show that they are keeping the large oil companies accountable for their effects on the environment. With the election of President Barack Obama, Premier Stelmach is sending a clear signal that the Alberta Government is concerned and would like to play a key role in any decisions made about climate change. They don’t want to be blindsided like the last time when Prime Minister Jean Chretien made major changes in negotiating a climate change pact without first consulting the other provinces of Canada.

Green house gas emissions and the Alberta Government

Greenhouse gas emissions are a major concern for the world as it pertains to Alberta climate change which has a significant impact on world climate. The Alberta Government has been playing a key role in evaluating green house gas emissions and the effect that the Alberta Oil Sands has had on the environment. The main issue here is that Alberta’s energy sector has produced a large amount of greenhouse gas emissions, an amount that far exceeds their actual size. This effect will have a huge detrimental impact on what the public perceives as global warming, the premature melting of the polar ice caps, and other such effects as a result of green house gas emissions. The Alberta Government and more specifically, Premier Ed Stelmach, wants Prime Minister Harper to voice Alberta’s concerns for having a larger voice in any negotiations relating to Alberta climate change. This is of particular concern now that President Barack Obama is going to be taking a more serious look at the effects of green house gas emissions. Since the Alberta Oil Sands plays such a huge part in Canada’s economy and the world economy, it only makes sense to have the Alberta Government more closely involved in all the negotiations relating to green house gases.

Alberta Oil Sands and the US Economy

What the Alberta Oil Sands represents to the US Economy is a stable source of Oil. Despite President Barack Obama’s insistence on improving the US economy’s reliance on renewable resources, it is indisputable that Alberta Oil and specifically Alberta Oil Sands oil will continue to play a vital role for decades to come. Canada has the closest source of stable and economical Alberta oil for the US economy. Not only will Alberta Oil Sands continue to supply the US economy with an abundant supply of oil but Canada will continue to ensure that they reduce the cost of producing it. With recent improvements in converting Alberta Oil Sands into useable oil, the cost to produce has reached an economical $30 a barrel. It is the hopes of the Alberta oil companies that they can further reduce this figure so that they can remain profitable and provide the world with a source of inexpensive oil. Of course all this has to also be green house gas friendly and make a positive impact on the economies that are affected.

Public views of Environmental impact of Alberta Oil Sands and Alberta Oil Sands Companies

What people think about Alberta Oil Sands

What do you think the public sees when they think of the Alberta Oil Sands? Is it that the Alberta Oil Sands image is one of only monetary gain at the expense of the environment? Or is it even worse and they believe that once the Oil Sands are without oil then the companies will leave a dirty oil legacy and not care about their environmental impact at all. Some people, especially the people who work in the Alberta oil sands, are working hard at dispelling any false beliefs and any wrong public opinions. Of course since the Alberta Oil Sands is so far north and only migratory birds get a birds eye view of the impact, this is a harsh uphill battle for the public relations people who work for these Oil Sand companies. Nevertheless, these Oil Sand firms will spend vast amounts of money documenting their success at reducing their carbon footprint while benefitting not only themselves but the communities and the great country of Canada. This article is about this view of the Alberta Oil Sands and firms that work in the oil sand fields.

What Alberta Oil Sands Companies are doing about their image

Whether we are in a recession or a market boom, Alberta Oil Sands companies are very concerned about what the public views of their operations and their environmental impact. Communities such as Fort McMurray in Northern Alberta are complaining that the big Alberta Oil Sand company is making their environment very dirty. These companies have changed the environment that they live in and will forever leave them with a legacy of dirty oil. This powerful environmental impact will be due to the greed of the Alberta Oil Sands Companies and will not benefit the communities at all. Of course when you talk with the Alberta Oil Sands Companies such as Imperial Oil or Shell you hear a whole different story. The large Alberta Oil Sands Companies’ opinions are that there is a large mistrust in their operations as a result of publics’ high dependence on the industry’s products but poor understanding of what it actually does. More importantly, they say people are viewing their companies from way up from space and only really see lights but not the real detail. In fact, the Alberta Oil Sands company has been doing a lot to counteract the effects of their operations on the environment and they would like to inform the public better of their actions on this front. Hopefully the future of towns such as Fort McMurray will have a positive attitude towards the growth and prosperity of their communities as a direct result of the Alberta Oil Sands companies. This is the image that public relations is working hard and spending a lot of money to achieve. Will it work or will it backfire on them, only time and perhaps the media can tell.

Recent poll of public’s opinion of Environmental Impact of Alberta Oil Sands

A recent poll taken by Alberta Oil Sands companies aimed at finding out public opinion on the environmental impact that the oil sands companies are having and what people really thought about this topic. The poll was a 60 question telephone poll and asked 425 people in Edmonton and an equal number in Toronto. The results of the poll drew similar conclusions including: the Alberta Oil Sands image problems are broader than any one company, that Canadians believe that it’s possible to develop the Alberta Oil Sands while protecting the environment, that they see technology as a large part of the solution, and that they are most concerned about the environmental impact of projects on the fresh water and greenhouse gas emissions.