Oilsands emissions on track to outpace reductions from Pathways project: economist

CALGARY — An environmental economist says the oilsands sector is on track for a “fairly significant” increase in greenhouse gas emissions, even with the Pathways carbon storage project moving forward.

Dave Sawyer, who is with the Canadian Climate Institute think tank, says Pathways would offset just a portion of the emissions a new West Coast pipeline would enable.

The institute has estimated an average of 20 megatonnes a year in new emissions from the oilsands sector with new planned pipeline capacity.

The Pathways Project — being pursued by the five biggest oilsands companies — envisions storing six megatonnes a year underground starting in 2035, with the goal of an additional 10-megatonne reduction by 2045.