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MGMT 2605 Working with Data

Fall 2022/2023

Analyze Canada’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions

INSTRUCTIONS

Read the case overview carefully before proceeding to the subsequent task. Each task will describe a practical management problem that can be addressed by answering to the question and by drawing on techniques learned in Labs 1-7 earlier in the term and by applying knowledge related to the learning outcomes of the course. Please submit your response to each of the tasks in the template provided. Each answer should consist of a visualization, as requested, as well as a single paragraph describing your answer to the question as discussed.

CASE OVERVIEW

In 2015, Canada committed to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 30% below the 2005 levels of 729 Mt CO2 equivalent by 2030; a target of 510 Mt. In January 2019, the government of Canada’s own analysis projected that the current policies of the federal government would, in a best-case scenario, lead the country to be only 19 percent below 2005 levels by 2030.1 Many business advocacy organizations, such as the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, actively advocate for climate policies that allow Canada to meet its commitments under the Paris Agreement while supporting the financial progress of the country.2

Many Canadians are concerned about the impact of climate policies, and now that the Covid-19 crisis is moving away from the center of public view, it is likely that climate issues are going to resurge. Fortunately, data can help us inform effective policy decisions. The Government of Canada keeps an Official Greenhouse Gas Inventory and submits the data annually to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.3 Though more comprehensive economic data would be required in order to assess the effectiveness of particular climate policies, this data can be used to analyze the sources of carbon emissions which might be effective targets for policy action.

You have been provided with two CSV files which contain data related to the Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions, as calculated by equivalent of CO2 megatons. To answer the questions below, you will need to prepare the data in a way that it can be analyzed by either Excel or Tableau. Note that the data is structured into categories, some of which are subcomponents of another category. Some of the questions will ask you about the population of each province, which you can find from external sources such as Canada’s open data population table.4 You will also likely need to read the documentation provided on the Government of Canada website (provided in the case footnotes) to make sense of the emissions data.

TASK 1: VISUALIZE CANADA’S EMISSIONS OVER TIME

It is helpful to understand the big picture by analyzing Canada’s current trajectory in GHG changes. Start by visualizing Canada’s overall Mt CO2 eq emissions over time from 1990 to 2020. This will give you a sense of the big picture.

Provide a visualization and write a paragraph that explains whether you think that Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions are growing or shrinking.

TASK 2: IDENTIFY THE SHARE OF EMISSIONS FOR EACH SOURCE

When analyzing the big picture, it is also useful to have information about the share of emissions created by different sources. The economy of 1990s is different from the economy of today, and we should be able to analyze differences in the Canada’s emissions over time.

Provide a visualization of the economic sources of Mt CO2 eq emissions in 1990 and another visualization for 2019, the year before the Covid-19 pandemic. Prepare your visualization and write a paragraph that explains your findings and what the biggest differences in emission sources were.

TASK 3: ANALYZE THE IMPACT OF COVID-19

In 2020, most Canadians were faced with travel restrictions, due in part to Covid-19. The result was a stark reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. However, these restrictions impacted some aspects of the economy more than others.

Compare Canada’s Mt CO2 eq emissions in 2019 to those in 2020. Prepare a visualization and write a paragraph that explains your findings. Which sectors saw the biggest decline? Do you think this was the result of specific policies on the part of the government?

TASK 4: ANALYZE TOTAL EMISSIONS BY PROVINCE

In addition to differences among economic sectors, there are also stark differences in emissions for each province. By understanding differences among provinces, Canadians can better understand actions that might be taken at the local level.

Visualize the total emissions for each province as of 2019. Which provinces or territories have the highest emissions? Compare the populations of the provinces that have the highest emissions and discuss which provinces have the highest emissions overall and which have the highest emissions per resident. What do you think accounts for these differences?

TASK 5: INDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES FOR NOVA SCOTIANS

Nova Scotia is not one of the highest emitting provinces when measured either in raw Mt CO2 eq emissions or emissions per resident. However, if Canada has a national strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Nova Scotians will still have a responsibility to contribute.

Building on your analysis in the previous task, identify areas where Nova Scotians emit more Mt CO2 eq emissions than other provinces or territories. Provide a visualization of your analysis and a paragraph that explains your analysis. Based on this finding, given an example of a possible policy the province could enact.