Alberta to cut emission while growing the economy

Alberta’s new Emissions Reduction and Energy Development (ERED) Plan charts Alberta’s course for cutting emissions, attracting investment and growing the economy. 

The ERED Plan is Alberta's strategy for achieving the net-zero goal by 2050 while ensuring that residents of Alberta have access to cost-effective, dependable, and secure energy. The plan sends a strong message to the rest of the world that Alberta is the place to invest while reaffirming that sustainably produced oil and gas will continue to be a crucial component of the world's energy balance in the decades to come.

“Our made-in-Alberta plan to reduce emissions while growing the economy is a plan that works for Albertans. This could never be a one-size-fits-all model passed on by the federal government. I’m so proud of the work that has been done to bring this forward. Alberta can, and will, be a part of the solution to safeguard North American and global energy security. We can make real progress on environmental protection without sacrificing Alberta’s and Canada’s economic engine,” explained Danielle Smith, Premier of Alberta.

Reducing emissions shouldn't make things more difficult or expensive. Energy will continue to be dependable, secure, and inexpensive for Albertans due to measures in the ERED Plan like modernizing the power grid, incorporating new technologies, and supporting natural gas-fired generation.

Ralph Klein, a former premier, initiated the process by releasing the initial version of this plan in 1998. Since then, decades of hard work from the men and women who make their living in Alberta’s industries have led to today. The plan Alberta’s government is unveiling salutes the work done by Albertans over decades, culminating in a significant focus over the last four years, and charts the province’s next steps. More work is yet to be done.

According to Sonya Savage, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas, “Alberta’s plan forward to reduce emissions while growing economic activity sets a course of success for our province. The conversation about emissions reduction must include energy security, affordability and reliability. This plan does exactly that.”

The ERED Plan for Alberta outlines the potential for investment and collaboration, including how to better support Alberta's skilled workforce, improve linkages with Indigenous groups and communities, and cooperate with businesses.

Alberta was the first jurisdiction in North America to introduce an industrial carbon price and emissions trading system in 2007.

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