Our views on climate change

While climate change science remains complex, evidence makes it clear that rising greenhouse gas emissions pose risks to society and ecosystems. These risks justify the development and implementation of responsible actions by governments, companies and individuals.

Energy context

Climate change strategies also need to consider that the world will continue to have an increasing need for energy to support a growing population and world economy. Global energy demand is projected to increase by almost 35 percent from 2005 to 2030. Developing countries will account for most of this increase as their economies grow rapidly and their standard of living rises. Despite advances in alternative energy sources, hydrocarbons – oil, natural gas and coal – will continue to play a significant part in meeting these energy needs and contributing to prosperity. Changing this basic energy picture will take time and require innovative energy technologies.

Our approach

Canada’s climate change strategies must address our unique circumstances as a key energy provider in the global context. Imperial believes that Canada can achieve the dual goals of economic growth and meaningful environmental progress for the prosperity and benefit of all Canadians. For Imperial, this includes developing new supplies; increasing efficiency; advancing energy technologies; and supporting effective affordable national and international policies. In the short-term, we are focused on identifying and deploying more efficient and lower-emitting products, processes and technologies. Longer-term efforts to address climate risks require research and development to create new technologies with significantly lower emissions.  Our efforts aim not only to reduce emissions from our operations, but also to promote greater energy efficiency, and thus lower emissions, by energy end-users.

Imperial believes that the most effective policies to control emissions of greenhouse gases are those based on a few key principles:

• ensure that any cost of carbon is uniform and predictable across the economy
• let market prices drive the selection of solutions
• promote global participation
• minimize complexity to reduce administrative costs
• maximize transparency to companies and consumers
• adjust for future developments in climate science and the economic impacts of climate policies

Performance at a glance

In 2009, our direct GHG emissions from our operations were 10.3 million tonnes. This is a reduction of about 0.8 million tonnes from 2008 or the equivalent of removing about 200,000 cars from our roads.