.jpg)
A group of concerned atmospheric scientists have issued a position statement, calling on the provincial government to reverse its decision on extending the life of coal-fired power plants beyond the federal government’s mandated date of December 31, 2029. The provincial government’s stance also counters a draft plan from SaskPower that was developed after public consultations to comply with the CER by switching to solar and wind power generation, developing natural gas-fired power generation, and importing power from other jurisdictions.
Meteorologist Ron Hopkinson spent 35 years with Environment and Climate Change Canada, and had a private consulting firm for 20 years before recently retiring. He is one of the leading voices in the group of scientists.
Hopkinson pointed out that the economic impacts an unstable climate could have in southeast Saskatchewan could far outweigh the ones from the end of coal-fired power generation.
“We're used to a fairly stable climate over the last hundred years or so and if we're going to be wandering significantly away from that, that could have significant consequences for our ability to grow crops and to farm the types of crops that we've been used to doing here on the prairies,” Hopkinson told Discover Weyburn.
The scientist also highlighted another issue climate change could cause: water security.
A number of water sources in Saskatchewan stem from the North and South Saskatchewan Rivers, both of which are reliant on glaciers. The glaciers have been receding in recent years, which is being accelerated by hotter summers and milder winters.
“Water supply could be a big issue in the future,” Hopkinson shared. “That water may not be available for irrigation in the future, so that's another tangible effect that it could have on our province.”
There are other factors which could start to come into play as a result of the use of coal-fired power plants in southeast Saskatchewan, Hopkinson added.
He stated that while there is the immediate concern most people identify with burning coal – the release of excess carbon dioxide into the atmosphere – there is another one many people overlook at times.
“Besides CO2, there are particulates and other pollutants that are emitted from burning coal, so there are some health issues associated with that.”
Health concerns aren’t the only thing being flagged by the scientists. Hopkinson said that as the world starts to look at ways to get away from coal-fired power generation, the changes made to the climate could see insurance companies increase their premiums, or worse.
“It will probably have an impact on insurance,” Hopkinson said. “There may be places that you can't even insure your house anymore because the risk of flooding or the risk of fire is too great, wildfires are too great.”
The scientists who signed on to the statement aren’t calling for the coal-fired power plants to be taken offline at the deadline without being replaced, however. The solution put forward was to increase the use of solar and wind energy, with southeastern Saskatchewan touted as a place where both are in abundance.
“If you're going to spend money to keep these coal-fired power plants going, I think it would be better directed to developing solar power and wind power in the future because the world is going away from coal for generating power,” Hopkinson argued.
The reasoning put forward by the scientists for southern Saskatchewan highlighted specific locations in the region that could be beneficial. They note Estevan here in the southeast is considered to be the sunshine capital of Canada, while Swift Current in the southwest has the second-highest average annual wind speed in Canada.
The statement from the concerned atmospheric scientists emphasized a moral imperative to speak out, emphasizing that the decisions made today could have long-lasting impacts for children and grandchildren.
“We have a moral obligation to do our part in trying to limit the increase in greenhouse gases,” Hopkinson stated. “If we can start reducing our emissions now, we will secure a better future for all of Saskatchewan and for the world.”
Hopkinson added that the scientists are calling for one specific action for the government to take.
“A good first step would be phasing out those coal-fired power plants by the end of 2029 as prescribed by the federal clean energy regulations.”