Commentaries

The Atlantica Centre for Energy is committed to helping foster sustainable growth related to energy opportunities in Atlantic Canada by proactively engaging with industry, the education and research sectors, government, and the public. The Centre’s commentaries reflect on various energy topics and are part of our mandate to facilitate dialogue while increasing energy literacy in the region.

  • Unanswered Questions of the Energy Transition

The questions we aren’t asking about our clean energy transition

July 19th, 2022|

COMMENTARY: Stephen MacMackin Reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 is an ambitious but important goal; one supported by businesses and residents across Canada. However, in Atlantic Canada, the path to get there must be more

  • Clean Energy

Commentary: The ‘Sticker Shock’ of Our Clean Energy Transition

May 24th, 2022|

JONATHAN ALWARD COMMENTARY The rising cost of living is a top concern for all Atlantic Canadians, and many of us are also worried about climate change. Unfortunately, it will likely be costly to tackle

  • If not now when - there is no plan b

The Clock is Ticking – Commentary

April 26th, 2022|

Commentary Colleen d’Entremont Now that we have finished the first quarter of 2022, and my time at Atlantica wraps up, we find ourselves just that much closer to the deadlines for reducing greenhouse gas

  • Pumping gas in car

Fuel price increases more shocking than solutions

March 22nd, 2022|

BY MICHELLE ROBICHAUD COMMENTARY Recent volatility in fuel prices has stunned most Atlantic Canadians and risen as a top concern for provincial governments across our region. While these extreme fluctuations are shocking, regional solutions are

  • lighthouse

If we work together, our region’s energy future is bright

January 26th, 2022|

STEPHEN MACMACKIN COMMENTARY While the Atlantic provinces remain national leaders in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the path forward to carbon neutrality will require an unprecedented effort from all of us. How our region produces and

  • Atlantic Provinces Map

COMMENTARY: The year ahead and the race to 2030

December 10th, 2021|

STEPHEN MACMACKIN COMMENTARY As we look ahead to 2022 and the environmental benchmark of 2030 looms another year closer, a sense of urgency is taking over deliberations about our energy future here in Atlantic

  • Tree Graphic - Climate Goals

Agile energy regulations needed for climate goals

October 20th, 2021|

Atlantic Canada needs to adopt a cohesive regional approach to building a clean energy future or it risks being hamstrung by outdated government policies and regulations, says a new discussion paper and commentary from

  • Herb Emery

GUEST COMMENTARY: On nuclear, don’t judge future by the past

October 6th, 2021|

A cautionary column by Herb Emery, the Vaughan Chair in Economics at the University of New Brunswick, urges New Brunswickers not to jump to conclusions about the value of nuclear projects in the future

  • Nuclear Power Plant

Guest commentary: Nuclear key to Canada’s energy future

September 17th, 2021|

TOM REID COMMENTARY Last month, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change, released its latest report. The news is frightening and undeniable –

  • David Campbell

Guest commentary: New Brunswick will need sharp elbows over SMRs

July 24th, 2021|

DAVID CAMPBELL COMMENTARY To cash in on the coming nuclear energy boom, New Brunswick will need sharp elbows. There was a long exposé in The Globe and Mail discussing the opportunities and challenges associated with the