A province-wide Alberta wetland policy should ensure that wetlands are protected proactively. This backgrounder documents how this can be done.

In 2011 the Pembina Institute released Solving the Puzzle — our report outlining 19 policy solutions for responsible oilsands development. Here we evaluate progress to 2013 on implementing the solutions presented in that report.

Alberta’s Specified Gas Emitters Regulation (SGER) is due for renewal in 2014, and the Government of Alberta is currently considering revisions to the regulation. A stronger SGER would help Alberta reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and enhance social license to operate for sectors, such as the oilsands, that face continued scrutiny of environmental performance.

This briefing note outlines the Pembina Institute's perspective on how Alberta needs to strengthen its greenhouse gas regulations.

Carbon pricing is increasingly being implemented around the world as policymakers seek to drive innovation and cut greenhouse gas emissions at lowest cost. In this report, we explore the details of these systems in Alberta, British Columbia, California, Australia, Norway, and the European Union. 

This report examines some common claims about the environmental performance of oilsands producers and the environmental impacts of oilsands production.

This backgrounder features new analysis showing that producing enough bitumen to fill the Keystone XL pipeline would lead to a significant increase in greenhouse gas emissions, and inhibit Canada’s ability to meet its climate targets.

This backgrounder provides an overview of how oilsands production and expansion contributes to greenhouse gas pollution and climate change.

A joint federal and provincial review panel will conduct hearings this fall into a proposal to expand Shell Canada’s Jackpine oilsands mine. The Pembina Institute is opposing the project as a member of the Oil Sands Environmental Coalition (OSEC), which includes the Alberta Wilderness Association and the Fort McMurray Environmental Association, and is represented by Ecojustice.

The Pembina Institute's concerns about the proposed Jackpine mine expansion include impacts to wildlife, wetlands and forests, air quality, acid deposition, water use and climate change.

Pembina Institute assesses how the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan delivers on key issues of concern relating to water, air and land impacts. We’ve evaluated the final LARP against the solutions presented in our Solving the Puzzle report (released in 2011) noting three categories: Substantial Progress, Work in Progress, Lack of Progress.

This report looks at the extent to which oilsands production and exports are affecting Canada’s economy, and explores the longer-term economic implications of increased reliance on oilsands expansion to support economic growth and generate public revenue.

The very clear distinctions between the GHG intensities of 'natural bitumen' (from oilsands) and most conventional crudes supports the EU fuel-quality directive proposal to assign a higher emissions value to natural bitumen.

There are several barriers that make exporting Canadian oilsands to overseas markets (and most notably Asian markets) a challenging prospect in the near future.

This briefing note discusses the most likely options to transport oilsands beyond the American Midwest, where the export market is currently saturated with oilsands exports and new Bakken shale oil production. These options include additional pipelines to the West (Enbridge Northern Gateway and Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain) and to the East (Enbridge Trailbreaker), as well as rail transport.

This backgrounder explains the details of a proposed European Union fuel-quality directive and outlines the potential implications for Canada’s oilsands sector and overall efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation fuels.

This report highlights the environmental risks associated with the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline, which would carry more than half a million barrels of raw oilsands crude oil (known as bitumen) daily across important salmon-bearing rivers, coastal rainforests, and sensitive marine waters in British Columbia.

Filling the proposed KXL pipeline with oilsands will result in nearly a 50 per cent increase in oilsands production. Until environmental management of the oilsands is improved, KXL will cause significant environmental harm due to increased oilsands production.

These briefing materials provide a summary on the impact of oilsands development on land, species at risk, First Nations, water and tailings and greenhouse gases.

The Final Environmental Impact Statement for the pipeline issued by the U.S. Department of State overlooked key information and context on greenhouse gas emission management in Canada. In fact, a close inspection of Canada's climate record illustrates key weaknesses at the federal level as well as in Alberta.

This fact sheet and briefing note aim to supplement the dialogue by providing key information on oilsands emissions growth, future oilsands intensity improvements, and the climate policies in effect in Canada at the provincial and federal levels.

The Oilsands Performance Metrics Summary Report summarizes input on audiences and design principles from 60 thought leaders who attended the Oilsands Metrics Thought Leader Forum on May 3, 2011 in Calgary, Alberta.

Canada's oilsands contain the world's largest remaining deposit of oil that is still open to investment by western oil companies. As such, the oilsands are crucial to the long-term financial future of many of the world's leading oil companies. Yet the economics of oilsands extraction, even at today's relatively high prices, are fairly marginal, and a lack of disclosure by companies may be making the financial picture look better than it actually is.

Pembina Institute's feedback on the draft Lower Athabasca Integrated Regional Plan.

Solving the puzzle: environmental responsibility in oilsands development outlines 19 specific solutions available to help the Alberta government adequately address the environmental impacts of oilsands operations.