A hostage-taking, tricky PR wordplay, a new pissy style guide, and some CRINgy delegates
The Colossally Irrational Report - COP28 Albertosaurus Edition
My Scottish/Irish ancestors arrived on the east coast of so-called “Canada” in the late 1700’s or early 1800’s and were part of several waves of genocidal colonization of the Indigenous people who were already here. I like to start every new post by explaining my family’s history and keeping this foremost in my mind (and my writing) at all times. I know I have benefited as a result of colonization, and I find the history deeply troubling. It is what motivates me to understand the true history and advocate for real reconciliation. As a child in the 1970’s, I moved west with my family and am grateful to be writing this newsletter in Moh’kinsstis, and the traditional Treaty 7 territory of the Blackfoot confederacy: Siksika, Kainai, Piikani, as well as the Îyâxe Nakoda and Tsuut’ina nations. This territory is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3 within the historical Northwest Métis homeland. I recognize that the land I now work and live on was stolen from these nations (truth) and I support giving the land back as an act of reconciliation.
COP28 will go down in history as the biggest fossil fuel industry hostage-taking ever, with hundreds of lobbyists converging on the event, and now we know it was because they are legitimately fearful of calls for a phase-out.
Reuters reported on December 5 that draft negotiating text for a final agreement to come out of a summit, plagued by scandals and desperately searching for redemption - includes calling for a phase-out of fossil fuels.
But the presence of at least 2,400 “registered” fossil fuel lobbyists, has resulted in lobbyists outnumbering the 1,609 delegates (in total) representing the 10 countries most at risk of climate change. There are also seven times more fossil fuel lobbyists than official Indigenous representatives at COP28.
The Guardian has seen leaked letters from the Opec oil cartel warning its member countries that a fossil fuel phase-out must not be allowed in the text of any agreements, urging the oil states to “proactively reject any text or formula that targets energy rather than emissions.”
Undoubtedly working with their public relations agencies, the fossil fuel companies have focused their communication efforts on talks of reducing emissions rather than reducing fossil fuels. They also came up with an alternate phrase, “phase-down,” taking every opportunity to introduce it into the lexicon instead of using “phase-out.”
Even Dr. Sultan Al Jaber was dropping the obvious PR key messages into his clarification when defending a remarkable off-the-cuff lie about there not being any scientific basis for a phase-out:
“I have said over and over the phase-down and the phase-out of fossil fuel is inevitable. In fact, it is essential.” (Al Jaber appeared to be in full crisis communication mode at this news conference.)
The COP28 president, who is also the CEO of the United Arab Emirates’ state oil company, Adnoc, may have been employing a technique in PR where words are introduced or substituted so that meaning is mixed or diluted.
This trick will live in infamy after Donald Trump clumsily tried to use it when asked if he would ask the Proud Boys to “stand down” and replied telling the white supremacist group to “stand back and stand by” instead. Trump is not the smartest tool in the shed, as they say.
Former oil & gas lobbyist turned Premier struggles to stay on script
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has been struggling to stay on the fossil fuel industry’s scripted talking points for a while now.
She initially veered off course in late 2022 with unhinged claims about the federal government’s “just transition” plans, forcing the fossil fuel companies to step in and call Smith out. Any plan that could result in federal funding is never a bad thing as far as our fossil overlords are concerned.
Nevertheless, the federal government had to change the name of the plan due to Alberta’s endless whining about it.
In April of 2023, Smith’s Energy Minister Sonya Savage was centre stage releasing an “aspirational” plan for “carbon neutrality” by 2050. Savage admitted they had not done “comprehensive studies to understand the technologies and costs necessary to get there.”
But a big part of the plan is the unproven carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS), which also allows companies to squeeze out much more fossil fuel from the source (hence the “utilization”). And potentially more funding from the government.
"We're super pleased the Alberta government has come out with this plan," said Pathways Alliance president Kendall Dilling, which really tells us all we need to know about this plan.
In August, Smith was a little shaky on the energy vs emissions message mostly around the timelines. She was quoted in Bloomberg News saying, “Alberta will never comply with a Canadian government plan to phase out carbon emissions from power generation by 2035.”
This announcement came in early August on the heels of the province’s total ban on approvals for all new renewable energy projects. You certainly can’t reduce emissions with a ban on renewables!
All-in on unproven CCUS and aspirational thinking
Alberta’s plan is to go “all-in” on CCUS, which needs a lot more time to prove itself and apparently, a lot more money from all levels of government despite the fact that oil and gas companies are raking in obscene profits.
Smith was sticking with - the “aspirational” 2050 timeline - with no interim deadlines (never 2035, no way!!) or any real understanding of how to get there. It doesn’t sound at all like she believes they can get there by 2050 either.
aspiration (noun); 1. a strong desire longing or aim; ambition
2. a goal or objective that is strongly desired
By September, Smith appeared to have some new fossil fuels key messages in response to talk of a “phase-out” and to no one’s surprise, she wasn’t having any of it.
At the World Petroleum Congress held in Calgary, she railed against a speech by Canada’s Natural Resources Minister, Jonathan Wilkinson.
"What he was tone-deaf to is the amount of work that's been done by our industry to align with the carbon-neutral target, and to essentially act as if the industry was winding down, and that is not the case. That's why I had to counter his message. This is not an industry that's winding down. It's an industry that's transitioning away from emissions.”
In an interview with the CBC later, Wilkinson reasonably said, “"At the end of the day, if you believe that climate change is real, if you believe that you have to actually get to a point where you are net-zero by 2050, as a global community, then you have to assume that some of those combustion applications are going away. Premier Smith is very focused on production emissions. But we also have to be focused on the consumption of it through cars, buses, and trains and planes. Those also create emissions. A net-zero world means that you've actually addressed all of those."
The key phrase in the above quote is that opening sentence: “if you believe that climate change is real, if you believe that you have to actually get to a point where you are net-zero by 2050…” We can’t assume Smith believes either of these things based on her words and actions.
Fast forward to COP28 and a bit of finger pointing
So, it was no surprise to find out that 35 lobbyists with ties to the fossil fuel industry were given access badges to COP28 by the Government of Canada. Following a report by Environmental Defence, the federal government issued a clarification that all these lobbyists were included in Alberta’s delegate list, which they pointed out they had “no control over.”
Right.
Representatives from Cenovus Energy, Imperial Oil and Suncor doubled up their number of seats at the table by appearing alongside another five members of the Pathways Alliance, a coalition which already represents all of the above companies. All were flying into Dubai under the Canadian banner.
Also travelling with the Canadian government delegation were groups like Energy for a Secure Future, which heavily promotes LNG as a solution (it’s not), and others from private companies promoting blue hydrogen (also not a solution).
The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers was also there, making us look “really good,” along with 28 members of the “Clean Resource Innovation Network” (CRINge) whose website states their goal is “advancing oil and gas industry innovation from an idea to a commercially viable product,” despite their highfalutin name.
Makes you so proud to be Canadian, doesn’t it? (barfing emoji)
Unable to read the room, Smith issues pissy statements all week
While the rest of the world was begging for something useful to come out of COP28 last week, Smith proved herself once again unable to “read the room” by issuing another one of her office’s pissy media statements at the first sign of Canadian leadership.
This time, the statement came quickly in response to Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault’s new draft plan to cut methane emissions from the country’s oil and gas sector by at least 75 per cent.
She might do well to remember methane’s global warming impact is potentially 80 times worse than that of carbon dioxide (CO2).
Timed perfectly on a Monday morning from the site of the climate talks in Dubai, Guilbeault’s methane reduction announcement was mostly welcome news after the first few days of underwhelming progress dampened the gathering.
In a “joint statement,” which usually means two levels of government but in this case was simply the premier and her environment minister, the duo accused the federal government of trying to “win international headlines” and bolster Guilbeault’s “post-office career.” (who knew he was planning to retire and deliver mail?)
Obviously, they were a tad jealous of the brilliant timing of the announcement and the attention it received, especially in comparison to the sour reception Smith was getting.
ECO, a non-governmental organization attending the conference, penned a blistering blog post about her:
“Smith is here to puncture holes in Article 6, vying to collect carbon credits for expansion of Liquified Natural Gas and expand its international markets. When discussing COP28 in a press conference on Tuesday, Smith equated the phase-out of fossil fuels to the phase-out of energy production, period. It seems as though this fossil has forgotten about renewable energy production entirely.”
Referring to the recent shameful approval of Suncor’s McLelland Lake oilsands mine expansion into a previously protected wetland, the group says, “while Alberta approves massive new subsidies for CCUS, they permit the destruction of carbon-dense peatlands, which already naturally hold at least triple the storage potential of CCUS.”
“Like all leaders who represent fossil-captured governments, Smith is here at COP28 to sacrifice a climate-safe future, sling political mud and enrich her oil buddies. ECO thinks it’s time industry-captured politicians like Smith stayed home.”
To top of Smith’s winning week, the Climate Action Network named Alberta the “Fossil of the Day” at COP28:
"Alberta, we don't want you to end up like your namesake, the long-extinct Albertosaurus. Listen to what people in your own province want — a plan to transition from dependency on volatile fossil fuels to the opportunities of clean energy, in a way that protects workers — or you'll get left behind."
After the announcement of Canada’s new emissions reduction guidelines, there was a second joint statement from Smith and Schulz that sounded even more deranged. They called Guilbeault an “eco-extremist,” accusing the federal government of “punitive measures thrown upon our citizens and businesses to intentionally damage their livelihoods.”
“Over the coming months, our cabinet and caucus will develop a constitutional shield in response to this and other recent attacks on our province by what is fast becoming one of the most damaging federal administrations in Canadian history.”
The so-called “constitutional shield” is Alberta’s ridiculous sham, the “Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act,” which requires another whole blog post at some point, but not today.
While reading these media statements, one can’t help but imagine the writing style guide for Smith's communications staff. I picture it reads something like this:
to ensure your intended message is received, use as many adverbs as possible for added emphasis
whenever referring to the federal government, use a tone of derision and dismay
your audience doesn't fact-check so provide them with as many supporting half-truths and misrepresentations as required to make your point
add insults and personal attacks as necessary to appeal to reactionary tendencies
for further guidance, contact David Parker (Take Back Alberta) or view his X feed for examples.
You say “phase-out,” I say “phase-down,” let’s call the whole thing off
In Smith’s fossil-fuel-addled mind, and in the words of her official statements, there is repeated denial of any kind of a fossil fuel phase-out (or even a phase-down).
“Alberta will continue implementing our Emissions Reduction and Energy Development Plan to achieve a carbon-neutral economy by 2050…all while continuing the development of Alberta’s world-class natural energy resources for Canada and the world.”
But the science is clear on this point – neither CCUS nor hydrogen will save us. There must be a fossil fuel phase-out to meet the world’s net zero goals by 2050. Not just a phase-down either, a phase-out. The earth’s climate does not bend to any PR agency's attempts to muddy the language.
Smith’s continued apoplectic defence of fossil fuels will be a lingering embarrassment for Alberta (and Canada) for years to come.
