The Government of Yukon is in the process of amending its Oil and Gas Act. It asked the public to submit comments, by Sept. 14, by answering a set of questions it set out or by making a written submission. A written document was put out by the government in October following the close of the “consultation” process. In it the following paragraph was included.
“Several responses were received presented perspectives on the oil and gas industry that were beyond the scope of the public review and of the proposed legislative amendments. These are not included in this summary report.”
We presume that included our submission, which reads as follows:
It is our view that the proposed amendments to Yukon’s oil and gas legislation are not needed. It is an established fact that climate change is happening and that the primary cause is the burning of fossil fuels. Climate change will have far-reaching and unpredictable environmental, social, and economic consequences. Climate change is our biggest threat to humanity.
In view of the above it would be negligent for the Yukon government to continue with an oil and gas extraction program given the need to leave 80 per cent of the known reserves of oil and gas in the ground to avoid a greater than two-degree warming of the planet.
As concerned Yukoners we would encourage the Yukon government to stop all oil and gas development in the Yukon. Close down all current oil and gas activities and then repeal the Oil and Gas Act. The Department of Oil and Gas Resources would no longer be needed and the annual average budget of $3 million could then be directed toward the development of renewable energy.
Rob and Mary Ann Lewis
Whitehorse