Issue Briefs

Updated: April 22, 2022

On April 8, 2022, the Government of Alberta released sub-regional caribou recovery plans for the Bitscho Lake and Cold Lake sub-regions. Environmental groups are concerned that the plans lack a commitment to aggressive short-term actions that are necessary due to decades of inaction. There has also been criticism of the government's commitment to collaboration with Indigenous communities on Indigenous-led conservation initiatives.

• ​​​​​​​Media Release Alberta’s new caribou range plans miss the mark on Indigenous-led conservation and fail to effectively protect habitat (CPAWS Northern Alberta)
• Media Release Alberta’s First Caribou Range Plans: A Promising Land-Use System That Needs Stronger ‘Decade 1’ Indigenous Rights and Habitat Actions (Alberta Wilderness Association)
• News Alberta's 1st caribou recovery plans not enough to protect species habitat, conservationists say (CBC News)
• News Alberta releases recovery plans for 2 threatened caribou herds (Global News/Canadian Press)

On March 29, 2022, the federal government released its 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Clean Air, Strong Economy. We’ve gathered some news and analysis of the plan, and reactions from the environmental non-profit sector. Read More

Despite the reinstatement of Alberta’s 1976 Coal Policy in 2021, eight coal mining projects continued to move ahead with exploration. Coal development was not only still an option in Alberta, it was still happening.

Protect our Water - Alberta Beyond Coal was started to fight well-resourced coal companies and their billionaire owners. Through education, outreach and a strategic lawn sign campaign, the Alberta Environmental Network organized a collaborative effort to pause coal development in Alberta.  Read More

COP26 in Glasgow comes to an official close today. A first draft of the COP26 agreement text was released on Wednesday, and was criticized for its lack of ambition and urgency.

• COP26 draft deal calls for stronger carbon cutting targets by end of 2022 (The Globe and Mail)
• Draft climate deal puts global fossil fuel subsidies on notice (National Observer)
• Cop26 draft text annotated: what it says and what it means (The Guardian)
• COP26: what the draft agreement says – and why it’s being criticised (The Conversation)
• Current COP26 draft decision text fails to offer support for vulnerable countries on loss and damage, nor keeps 1.5C in sight (Climate Action Network)

The draft text explicitly refers to "fossil fuels" — which has never appeared in the final text of a COP decision document — calling on countries "to accelerate the phasing-out of coal and subsidies for fossil fuels." This language was watered down in the second draft published today.

• COP26 draft agreement waters down language on coal use and fossil fuel subsidies (The Globe and Mail)
• Second Cop26 draft text: Coal phaseout remains in but some language softened (The Guardian)
• The changes to the Cop26 draft text and what they mean (The Guardian)
• Fossil Subsidies Gain, ‘Deep Regret’ on Climate Finance in Latest COP 26 Draft (The Energy Mix)
• Climate experts demand Canada push for stronger COP26 decision text (Climate Action Network Canada)

While COP26 officially ends today, negotiations on the final text of the agreement are ongoing. Negotiations at previous COPs have often extended until Saturday or Sunday. Read More