Alberta, Canada makes unprecedented investment in climate change

$2 billion invested in carbon capture and storage; $2 billion in public transit CALGARY, July 8


CALGARY, July 8 /PRNewswire/ - The provincial government of
Alberta, Canada is surging ahead on its climate change action plan with a
$4-billion investment in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.


The province has created a $2-billion fund to advance carbon capture and
storage (CCS) projects while a second $2-billion fund will propel
energy-saving public transit.


"We're tackling both sides of the emissions challenge," said Premier Ed
Stelmach. "We're reducing the impact of industrial emissions with carbon
capture and storage and investing in public transit to reduce the impact from
our tailpipes."


Stelmach said while other jurisdictions talk, his government's Climate
Change Strategy has legislated real targets and real action. "We will continue
to demonstrate leadership on the climate change file, while we continue to be
a major supplier of energy resources that are developed in a sustainable,
environmentally responsible way."


Funds will be allocated to encourage construction of Alberta's first
large-scale CCS projects. With the potential to reduce emissions at facilities
such as coal-fired electricity plants and oil sands extraction sites and
upgraders, the $2-billion fund will support CCS projects that are expected to
reduce emissions by up to five million tonnes annually. That is the equivalent
of taking a million vehicles off the road, or one-third of all vehicles
registered in Alberta.


In addition, the equivalent of thousands more Alberta vehicles will be
taken off streets and highways through $2 billion in public transit
investments. The Green Transit Incentives Program (Green TRIP) will promote
the use of local, regional and inter-city public transit. The program will
support new public transit alternatives throughout the province that will
significantly reduce the number of vehicles on Alberta roads and reduce GHG
emissions.


Alberta's Climate Change Action Plan, which will cut projected GHG
emissions in half by 2050, is based on three key areas: carbon capture and
storage; energy conservation and efficiency; and greening energy production.



More information on this announcement is available at: www.alberta.ca




SOURCE  Alberta Public Affairs Bureau