Capping Potential Blowouts

This policy brief from the International Institute for Sustainable Development evaluates Canada's proposed greenhouse gas emissions cap for the oil and gas sector, arguing that while the cap is necessary, certain 'compliance flexibilities' could weaken its effectiveness.

• The Canadian government's proposed emissions cap for the oil and gas sector is necessary because emissions from this sector are rising and account for nearly one-third of Canada's total emissions, which threatens the country's ability to meet its climate commitments.
• The proposed cap includes a 25 Mt cushion of 'compliance flexibilities' that the brief argues may allow firms to increase emissions without achieving real reductions, thereby weakening the target rather than facilitating its achievement.
• The brief specifically identifies the Decarbonization Fund and the use of internationally transferred mitigation outcomes (ITMOs) under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement as ill-advised mechanisms that would weaken the cap. It further suggests that domestic offsets should only be used if they are proven to be additional and permanent.
• Research indicates that the combined public financial support from the governments of Canada and British Columbia for liquefied natural gas projects is projected to reach CAD 3.93 billion by 2030.

APA

Cosbey,, A. (2024). Capping Potential Blowouts. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/publications/brief/capping-potential-blowouts-canada

Chicago

Cosbey,, Aaron. Capping Potential Blowouts. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2024. https://www.iisd.org/publications/brief/capping-potential-blowouts-canada.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Cosbey, |first1=Aaron |title=Capping Potential Blowouts |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=28 October 2024 |url=https://www.iisd.org/publications/brief/capping-potential-blowouts-canada |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cosbey2024capping, author = {Cosbey,, Aaron}, title = {{Capping Potential Blowouts}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2024}, month = oct, url = {https://www.iisd.org/publications/brief/capping-potential-blowouts-canada}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }