Sustainable development as freedom : How Alberta´s energy sector can improve the quality of life for current and future generations

Abstract: Alberta’s energy sector provides a reliable supply of energy and contributes to the economy of Alberta. In addition to these positive aspects, there are concerns about the environmental, economic and social performance of the energy sector. The purpose of this thesis is to critically examine the production side of Alberta’s energy sector and offer constructive ideas about how the sector could be better organised to improve the quality of life for current and future generations of Albertans. It is a decidedly practical thesis that attempts to create a vision for a more sustainable energy sector as opposed to a perfectly sustainable energy sector.

Sustainable development (SD) provides a useful theoretical framework because it links economic, environmental and social considerations into one dynamic concept. Additional theories about modernity, communicative action, participation and justice and their relationship to SD are also discussed.

47 interviews were conducted in order to better understand the perspectives of different interest groups within the energy sector. The fieldwork identified significant common ground, making it possible to use communicative action (specifically, stakeholder dialogues as deliberation). Given this possibility, the thesis makes recommendations about processes and institutional arrangements that could be used to: establish SD principles and SD indicators for the energy sector; and guide the continual improvement of the energy sector towards sustainable development.