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For additional information relating to this article, please contact:

Thomas StorringDirector – Economics and Statistics
Tel: 902-424-2410Email: thomas.storring@novascotia.ca

December 10, 2024
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, 2022

Statistics Canada has published revised figures for emissions of greenhouse gases.  The data are presented in two ways: those consistent with Statistics Canada's physical flow accounts and those consistent with the National Inventory Report on Greenhouse Gas Sources and Sinks (which fulfills reporting obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change or UNFCCC).  These results are not identical.  The analysis below reports emissions per the UNFCCC measures. 

2022

In 2022, Nova Scotia emitted 14,776 kilotonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, which was 2.1% of the national total of 707,767 kilotonnes.  Alberta produced the largest amount of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions at 269,860 kilotonnes (38.3%).  Ontario had the second highest emissions at 156,994 kilotonnes or 22.3% of the national total.

In the last year, Nova Scotia's greenhouse gas emissions increased by 0.4%.  National emissions were up by 1.3% with increases in all provinces except Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan and Alberta.  Manitoba reported the largest growth in greenhouse gas emissions in 2022.

Because Nova Scotia's population grew at a faster pace than emissions, Nova Scotia's greenhouse gas emissions per capita declined by 2.1% in 2022.  Nationally, per capita emissions were down 0.5% despite increases in 6 provinces (led by Manitoba).  Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan and Alberta reported per capita emissions declines in 2022.

Nova Scotia's greenhouse gas emissions amounted to 14.41 tonnes per capita, below the national average of 18.18 tonnes per capita.  Saskatchewan and Alberta had the highest per capita greenhouse gas emissions (by multiples of the next highest per capita emitters).  Québec and Prince Edward Island had the lowest per capita emissions of greenhouse gases in 2022.

Emissions of greenhouse gases are typically associated with energy production and consumption that are significant parts of economic output.  Nova Scotia's greenhouse gas emissions amounted to about 308.6 tonnes per million dollars of real GDP in 2022.  This was just above the national average emissions intensity of 301.2 tonnes per million dollars of real GDP.  Saskatchewan and Alberta had the most emissions-intensive economies among provinces, with over twice the emissions per million dollars of real GDP of the third most emissions-intensive provincial economy (New Brunswick).  The economies of Québec and Ontario had the least emissions per million dollars of real GDP.

Trends

Nova Scotia's greenhouse gas emissions declined by 5,559 kiltonnes from 2009 to 2022.  The sharpest period of declining greenhouse gas emissions in Nova Scotia was from 2011 to 2026.

Over the period 2009 to 2022, Nova Scotia's greenhouse gas emissions fell by 27.3%, the second steepest decline after New Brunswick.  Nationally, greenhouse gas emissions fell by just 1.2% with declines in all provinces except Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia.  

On a per capita basis, Nova Scotia's greenhouse gas emissions have fallen by 33.5% since 2009.  Only New Brunswick reported a steeper per capita emissions drop.  Nationally, per capita emissions were down 14.6% from 2009 to 2022 with declines across all provinces.  

Despite per capita declines, Alberta and Saskatchewan still report consistently higher per capita emissions than any other province.

Likewise, Alberta and Saskatchewan consistently report greater emissions intensity in their economies (measured as emissions per million dollars in real GDP).

Source: Statistics Canada. Table 38-10-0097-01  Physical flow account for greenhouse gas emissionsTable 36-10-0222-01  Gross domestic product, expenditure-based, provincial and territorial, annual (x 1,000,000)Table 17-10-0005-01  Population estimates on July 1, by age and gender



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