LNG Becomes New Battleground in Canadian Environmental Debate

Environmental organizations and anti-oil activists in Canada are shifting their focus from pipelines to liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects. They see LNG as a key driver of future natural gas development, creating demand for decades of additional gas production, drilling, and hydraulic fracturing.

The largest LNG export terminals on the British Columbia coast allow Canadian producers to reach Asian markets, giving them access to global prices and long-term demand. Producers operating in the Montney formation, one of North America's largest natural gas resources, are particularly dependent on LNG export capacity.

Activists view LNG as an interconnected system that includes pipelines, upstream drilling, and the eventual burning of exported gas. They argue that stopping or slowing LNG development can reduce emissions and mitigate climate change by limiting the economic case for additional wells, pipelines, and processing plants.