Canada's Climate Goals and Oil Production at Odds Amidst Surge of Wildfires

As wildfires exacerbate climate crisis, fossil fuel interests still hold strong in Canadian policymaking despite net-zero commitments: increased oil extraction fuels worsening fire seasons.

Thousands of wildfires in Canada this year have incinerated an area larger than Florida, releasing into the atmosphere more than three times the amount of carbon dioxide produced by the country in a year.
Canada is the world's fourth-largest oil producer and fifth-largest gas producer—fuels that release carbon dioxide which intensifies dry conditions for wildfires to swallow millions of acres.
Producers from Canada's oil sands, home to some of the world's dirtiest oil, have no plans to slow down, contributing significantly to national emissions, despite being at odds with the country's commitment to fight climate change.
Canada brought the second-largest delegation of fossil fuel executives of any country to the U.N. climate conference COP27, indicating the continued influence of fossil fuel interests in the Canadian government.
Scientists at Climate Action Tracker labeled Canada's progress as 'highly insufficient,' emphasizing the need for faster implementation of climate policies to reach targets. Even with carbon capture technology, Canada may still struggle to reach its 2050 target.