Climate Change Legal Roadmap

The OSELA is a brief piece of legislation that establishes the GHG emissions limit for oil sands sites, provides exceptions to the emissions limit, and establishes the authority to make regulations under the act. [...] Oil Sands Emissions Limit Act establishes the GHG emissions limit for oil sands sites, provides exceptions to the emissions limit, and establishes the authority to make regulations under the act. [...] This is consistent with OSELA’s regulatory authority provision which indicates that regulations pertaining to the act may be promulgated under the Climate Change and Management Act (as well as the OSELA).14 Commentary on the Oil Sands Emissions Limit The Advisory Panel Report provided recommendations to the Alberta Government for development of its Climate Leadership Plan. [...] Finally, there should be periodic review of the level of the cap that “takes[] into account the values and principles embedded in the Paris Agreement and provincial values enumerated in the preamble to [OSELA]”.25 Oils Sands Advisory Group Some of the above questions about implementation of the oil sands emissions limit have been addressed by the Oil Sands Advisory Group (the “OSAG”)26 which was e [...] The OSAG Report summarizes its recommended approach for implementing the emissions limit as follows:28 a) A series of actions intended to work in concert with the carbon levy and other elements of the ACLP to deliver significant improvements in GHG efficiency in the oil sands, such that the likelihood of the emissions limit being reached is significantly diminished; b) Ensuring that oil sands oper