GREENHOUSE GASES (GHG) EMISSIONS CALCULATOR
The GHG Emissions Calculator is a tool designed to support mineral exploration companies in understanding the impact of federal carbon policies on their operations. It estimates the total direct emissions (in CO₂ eq) produced by an exploration project.
Read case studies illustrating the carbon footprint of northern/remote vs. southern/non-remote exploration and learn more about opportunities to reduce GHG emissions at exploration here.
The federal carbon pricing has two components:
A small emitters scheme for companies that emit up to 10kt CO₂ eq per year, which will be charged in 2024, $80 per tonne CO₂ eq emitted.
An output-based pricing system (OBPS) for industrial facilities emitting over 10 kt of CO₂ eq per year.
Preliminary findings suggest that large-scale exploration drilling programs (such as those in the order of 200,000 meters/year or operations with 10 or more drills) can produce sufficient GHG emissions to trigger the OBPS reporting.
Smaller exploration programs may not exceed the 10kt threshold to trigger OBPS, but they will still be subject to the charge on fossil fuels, either as a direct tax or through an increased fuel price via fuel producers or distributors.
The GHG Emissions Calculator is designed to capture the majority (75 percent+) of GHG emissions produced by a company's exploration stage activities, and includes emissions from:
The GHG Emissions Calculator can also assist companies in understanding the 'cost' of a fossil fuel charge per the federal backstop based on fuel use and GHGs emitted.