Sometimes reality is stranger than satire. Enter “electric fracking.” Last week’s announcement of $680 million for new hydro lines to fracked gas sites in northeastern BC joins a long line of cynical greenwash attempts. See: “clean coal.”

Even if companies electrify their operations, all the gas they currently burn for power will still be burnt overseas. We’re just offloading the pollution from our exports to other countries. Climate action is being used as an excuse for fossil fuel companies to increase their profits at public expense. 

This push for B.C. to have the world’s “cleanest” gas is predicated on the idea of replacing coal power in Asia. While the life cycle carbon savings of gas over coal are marginal at best, it’s clear gas would actually be displacing more affordable renewables in taking over.

Lifetime costs of wind and solar energy are now below those of gas plants. That’s good news because fossil fuels cannot achieve the reductions a safe climate now requires. Even if we replaced all the world’s coal generating capacity with gas, the power sector would still be burning five times too much carbon to keep global warming to safe levels.

It is beyond frustrating to see self-proclaimed champions of climate change doing everything within their power to keep oil and gas alive. These industries would disappear if not for the billions of dollars worth of tax breaks and subsidies used to prolong the damage they’re doing to our global climate. 

This election, we need candidates who are ready to take on the immense power of the oil and gas sector. Until then, governments of all stripes will proceed with climate plans written by and for the very industry causing this crisis. 
 

Published by Climate Campaigner Peter McCartney.