“There’s no way on Earth” countries like Canada can hit 2030 carbon reduction targets if environmental impact assessments of cleantech projects take four or five years, Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault told The Logic. Guilbeault was reacting to the recent injunction request against construction of Swedish EV battery giant Northvolt’s facility in Quebec. (The Logic)

Talking point: Though the injunction from the environmental group Centre québécois du droit de l’environnement and three citizens ultimately failed, the Northvolt plant still faces considerable opposition from environmentalists who say the government-supported project east of Montreal will damage the local ecosystem. “How do we strike the right balance between doing proper consultations, but doing so in an efficient manner?” Guilbeault said. “We can’t just reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and replace it with thin air. It just won’t happen.”