Canada’s coal-fired emissions regulations criticised

• 12 years ago (2012-09-11)
• Junior Isles

North America 1021

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The Canadian government has announced a new array of carbon emissions regulations for coal-fired generation, set to take effect July 1, 2015. The new regulations will limit coal-fired power plants to no more than 420 tonnes of carbon dioxide per GWh.

Canadian Environment Minister, Peter Kent, has crafted a schedule to slowly phase- in restrictions on highly polluting coal, based on when the plants began operation. His initiative is expected to reduce cumulative emissions from the power generation sector by some 214 million mt over the next 20 years.

However, the new rules have been widely criticised due to their broad transitional exemptions for existing coal-fired power plants, identified as a major weakening of the original proposals.

The redefinition of the useful life of a coal-fired power plant as 50 years after a facility first commences commercial operation has drawn particular criticism.

"Major changes to the draft rules will allow the oldest and dirtiest coal plants in Canada to run for up to half of a century from commissioning without any limits to their climate pollution," environmental research group the Pembina Institute said in a statement. "When these standards do apply, they will be weaker than originally proposed."

Kent has defended the changes as necessary in light of the thousands of consultation responses the government considered during its year-long review.

"I think the suggestion that the regulations have been softened or weakened is a misperception," Kent was quoted as saying. "[The regulations both significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet 2020 targets and at the same time ... make sure we find the balance between responsible regulations and maintaining our still recovering economy."