Podcast: How To Keep Growing A $14-Billion Energy Industry In A Net Zero Economy
Addressing climate change is among the most important challenges facing the world today. However, many questions remain about how it can be accomplished. How long will it take? Who will pay for the transition? What other energy sources will replace fossil fuels? What about nuclear, hydrogen and tidal energy? Neil Jacobsen from the Atlantica Centre for Energy is on the Huddle “Insights” podcast this week to answer these questions.
Jacobsen will also talk about the economic impact of the energy sector in Atlantic Canada and how we can continue to use energy as an economic development driver in the years ahead. If you want a primer on the energy transition from the perspective of Atlantic Canada, Jacobsen provides an ideal summary.
“I don’t think the general public really understands the economic impact and the reach of the energy sector in this region,” says Jacobsen. “It’s worth around $14-billion in terms of GDP impact. If you look at the share of the total economy, it’s worth six percent in New Brunswick, three percent in Nova Scotia, one percent in Prince Edward Island…and 37 percent in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
You can listen to Mills’ and Campbell’s conversation with Jacobsen in the player above or on your favourite podcast platform.
In their chat with Jacobsen, Campbell and Mills continue a conversation about energy that began last week with Charlene Johnson of the Newfoundland and Labrador Oil & Gas Industries Association (Noia).
Johnson says don’t give up on the oil and gas industry just yet. She says it’s a critical part of global efforts to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and an important economic driver in the Atlantic region going forward.
The “Insights” podcast combines the experiences of an economist, David Campbell, and a social scientist, Don Mills, to explore the challenges and opportunities facing Atlantic Canada, to promote data-driven decision-making among policymakers, and to encourage a wider dialogue and debate leading to greater prosperity for the region.