Premier Scott Moe says heading into the future, the discussion around climate change should focus on reducing emissions, not phasing industries such as oil and gas out.

Moe spoke to reporters via video call from the COP28 Climate Change Conference in Dubai.

“We need to… work with the industries in Canada, either the Canadian government, or sub-national government, or municipal government, in ensuring that we are doing everything we can to have those industries producing the most sustainable products that they can,” Moe states.

He adds that Saskatchewan is producing more sustainable products than virtually anywhere else on earth today. Moe says, like it or not, the world is going to need products such as oil and gas for a period of time, but in the meantime, purchasing the most sustainable versions of these products is what is important.

Despite criticism from many angles when he chose to do so, Moe says the possibility of purchasing a pavilion at the COP28 Climate Change Conference in the future, so that Saskatchewan’s sustainable businesses can be represented is not out of the question.

“Would we look at making that additional $700,000 plus investment again, on behalf of the people that are employed in these industries in Saskatchewan, so we can tell how they are producing the most sustainable products on Earth? We would consider it,” Moe admitted.