OPEC Secretary-General Haitham al-Ghais praised Alberta’s oil sector as a global leader on Tuesday, while warning that “unrealistic” net-zero targets risk undermining energy security and progress.Speaking at the 2025 Global Energy Show in Calgary, al-Ghais called Alberta a model for technological innovation and a key player in the future of global energy markets. He also emphasized the common ground between Alberta and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), outlining four shared priorities that could form the basis for deeper collaboration.“We greatly admire and respect what the oil industry in Alberta has achieved,” said al-Ghais in his keynote speech. “Not only in terms of production growth but in the realm of technological innovation and global leadership in carbon management techniques.”“This industry — and the fuel and energy you provide — will be needed for decades and many, many years to come.”.While the speech highlighted OPEC’s desire to strengthen its longstanding partnership with Alberta — which dates back to 1989 — it also carried a pointed warning about the dangers of rushing the global energy transition. Al-Ghais criticized the push for net-zero policies, through the globalist agreements like the Paris Accords, that fail to reflect the practical needs of economies and the essential role oil continues to play in powering the world.Al-Ghais emphasized support for Alberta’s position that oil-producing regions should not be treated as obstacles to climate action, but as partners in developing low-emission technologies. The two are not mutually exclusive, he said, adding that the future of energy is “all-inclusive — all technologies, all energies, all peoples.”.He listed four core values that Alberta and OPEC share:A commitment to dialogue, especially across jurisdictions with differing views on energy policyA shared appreciation of the economic benefits of oil production, particularly in job creation and infrastructure developmentAn understanding that petroleum products are deeply embedded in modern life, from transportation and manufacturing to medicine and agricultureA belief in the importance of technology and innovation, including efforts to improve the long-term viability of oil sands and accelerate carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS).Al-Ghais urged the conference's attendees not to shy away from defending their industry, saying the people who work in oil and gas “should feel very proud of what [they] do.”“This industry is what’s fueled and developed this world we live in — all the basic energy things that we take so for granted,” he said.“It’s you, it’s the companies you work for. It’s the people you work with.”In closing, he thanked Premier Danielle Smith and the Alberta government for inviting him.“We try to achieve the same objectives and targets,” he said.“The fuel and energy you provide will be needed for decades and many, many years to come.”
