Nina is the director of the fossil fuel program of the Pembina Institute, Canada’s leading energy think tank. She focuses on finding opportunities to reduce the environmental impacts of fossil fuel development while maintaining industry competitiveness. Nina collaborates extensively with industry, government, communities and other non profits.
Nina’s previous experience working for a large oilsands company included project management and project engineering roles, strategic planning and regulatory approval work. She has a deep understanding of oilsands operations after spending five years working in Fort McMurray and three years in the company’s Calgary office. She also spent one year working with a large international development agency in Sub-Saharan Africa, connecting rural farmers to output markets.
Nina has a bachelor of engineering with a minor in management from McGill University, and is a registered professional engineer in Alberta.
Nina is an avid cross-country skier who is attempting to foster a similar love in her husband and two young children. In the summer she can be found pottering in her garden, camping with the family or mountain biking. She is based in Edmonton.
Nina Lothian's Recent Publications
Suncor’s emissions reduction plan is a solid step forward Pledging to reach net-zero by 2050, the oilsands producer signals aggressive cut
BlogOilsands giant Suncor’s emissions reduction plan is a good start, aiming for net-zero by 2050 and a clear pathway to investment in clean energy. But what’s missing is a clear timeline for reduction targets between 2030 and 2050, and a plan to clean up significant liabilities, including tailings ponds in northern Alberta.
Nature-based climate solutions With well-designed protocols, Canada’s natural assets could provide significant carbon offsets
PublicationDirect emissions reductions are the most effective way to safely limit warming, but carbon offsets through nature-based solutions have a role to play — if they are done right. Nature-based offsets can mobilize private capital to reduce emissions effectively in the short term, while we seek feasible solutions for emission sources that are currently difficult to abate.
Emissions improvements at some facilities are encouraging but not reflective of oilsands overall Resource quality and technology variability means findings can’t be extrapolated across the sector
BlogA 2020 report increases understanding of the life cycle GHG emissions associated with three Canadian oilsands crudes. These emerging technologies for oilsands production show some promise to reduce emissions, but the rest of the world is not standing still; significant investments, stable and predictable carbon policies, and some tough decisions are necessary to maintain Canada’s competitiveness in the global oil market.
Recommendations for advancing Alberta’s hydrogen strategy Submission to the Government of Alberta
PublicationOn behalf of the Pembina Institute, Chris Severson-Baker, Nina Lothian and Jan Gorski submitted comments in February, 2021, to the Government of Alberta following a request for feedback that will inform the province’s Natural Gas Vision and Strategy, and hydrogen strategy.
BP’s peak oil prediction – and the future of oil in a net-zero Canada Energy transition needs behaviour changes, rapid deployment of clean technology
BlogBP’s net-zero energy outlook illustrates a possible pathway to limit temperature increase to 1.5°C. For Canada to remain competitive as oil demand continues to decline, industry, governments and civil society need to work together to develop policies that will enable rapid deployment of clean technology and behaviour changes that will make the energy transition a reality.
