Dear Members,
Before we take some time for rest, reflection and family over this holiday season, I wanted to send best wishes from team Enserva and provide updates about how we have been advocating for our members and our sector this month.
For the first time ever, Enserva attended the United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP 28, as a registered delegate. I was fortunate to moderate a panel alongside some of our members and partners January McKee of AMGAS, Karen Ogen of First Nations LNG Alliance and Lisa Mueller of FutEra Power. Our panel was on the following topic: “Bridging the Gap to Net-Zero: ESG, Innovation, and Indigenous Partnerships”.
COP28 kicked off with remarks from President, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber stating plainly that fossil fuels must be part of the solution in bringing down global emissions. Coming forward with real-world solutions is what the energy services, supply, and manufacturing sector does best, and it was within this context that we were privileged to bring stories and messages from our members to the world stage:
- There is a direct linkage between the knowledge, skill sets, and process used in conventional oil and gas production and the development of lower emissions technologies, geothermal being a prime example. Canada and the world can capitalize on the institutional knowledge of the sector by applying it to new innovations and technology, while simultaneously reducing the emissions association with producing a barrel of oil.
- We can use the unparalleled knowledge of the sector to help move the needle on emissions reduction, while we keep creating good jobs and investment opportunities that support the wider Canadian economy.
- Service suppliers are taking their technology and rising to the challenge of meeting the energy sector where they’re going. This is happening across the board in safety standards, emissions reduction, operation optimization, and resource conservation. We are seeing real world, practical applications in the field, which is where the real change is happening.
- The Canadian energy sector is unique in First Nations being equal partners with a seat at the table, helping guide long-term planning. As we move forward with energy production, we need to remember the importance of knowledge sharing, particularly with our Indigenous Partners to provide all the tools and information they need to join in this economic prosperity, creating lasting relationships with mutual respect.
- There is a common-sense argument on Canadian LNG that is being ignored. With Canadian LNG, we can begin to address energy insecurity and energy poverty around the world while helping high-emitting countries get off coal and other emissions-intensive forms of energy. This should be the goal of ESG – a wholistic picture of the positive and negative impacts. In terms of Canadian energy, there is a significant net-positive, and we need to get better at sharing that story.
- Industry has been highly focused on safety and regulatory compliance for years, not to mention huge contributions to communities and social benefit. We need to make sure these pieces are also shown in ESG reporting.
As this year comes to a close, I feel excited by the evolving conversation that we are increasingly influencing thanks to stories of innovation from our members. You will see us continue to grow our voice and member offerings in 2024. We remain focused on unlocking Canadian energy to make the world a better place.
Thank you for your continued support,
Gurpreet
PS. If you would like to watch the recording of our panel, you can do so here.
