Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on Wednesday rejected aggressive net-zero deadlines and indicated she is prepared to engage with OPEC+ as Alberta’s energy sector eyes international markets.OPEC+ is an expanded group that includes the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), plus other major oil-producing nations outside OPEC, like Russia and Mexico. This coalition coordinates oil production policies to manage global supply and influence prices.Smith made clear that the global net-zero targets for 2030 or 2035 are “impossible,” echoing the head of OPEC’s dismissal of such goals as unrealistic.“I think it’s totally achievable for Canada by 2050,” Smith told the Western Standard, pointing to technologies like carbon capture, utilization and storage that “at today’s technology can capture 70% to 75% of emissions.”“And it will only get better and better,” she added."Our model is solar, wind, with natural gas backup and carbon capture.".She highlighted Alberta’s role in global emissions reduction by exporting cleaner fuels.“We can now go internationally, and we can market directly to companies and to coal plants to switch from coal to natural gas and be able to share credit for that,” said Smith.She also cited opportunities in “exporting ammonia to Japan and Korea” under existing international agreements.On international energy markets, Smith revealed that Alberta is stepping up engagement. “My deputy minister of energy is going to be going to Vienna to be an observer at the OPEC meetings,” she said, signaling a new level of global participation.She noted OPEC’s expectation that oil and gas will still supply “about 80% of the world’s energy” by 2050 — roughly the same as today.“If we want to end energy poverty, we have to bring people up to the same energy standards that we have,” said Smith.Smith in her response declined to answer the Western Standard's question about her position on the 2016 Paris Agreement, a global treaty aimed at keeping global warming well below 2 C. Countries set their own emission reduction targets and update them every five years. Canada, a signatory, has committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 40% to 45% below 2005 levels by 2030 and reaching net-zero by 2050. However, Ottawa under the Trudeau Liberals committed to net-zero electricity generation by 2035.
