An ecological economics analysis of Quebec Sustainable Mobility Plan

As part of the transition plan to low-carbon economy, the province of Quebec (QC) has become one of the 20+ regions and cities worldwide to announce a plan to electrify transportation which centers around setting up a ’complete electric battery ecosystem’ by 2050. While this plan poses a new phase of land appropriation and environmental degradation, through extensive mining and the provision of material and energy intensive grids, Quebec purports to distinguish the plan from the critiques based on renewable endowments such as hydroelectricity. My project, therefore, seeks to analyze the underlying narratives and the feasibility of the proposed strategies for a quick transition to a low-carbon economy based on hydroelectric capacity as well as a massive surge in the supply of critical and strategic minerals. To tackle my questions and objectives, I use multiple qualitative and quantitative methodologies. In the quantitative part of the analysis, which concerns my MITACS Global application, I check the metabolic changes that would result from the objectives underlined by the sustainable mobility. It is expected that metabolic analyses would shed light on the current biophysical metabolism of QC sectors under study (hydroelectricity, mining and battery manufacturing sectors).

Faculty Supervisor:

Peter Brown

Student:

Partner:

Central European University

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Sustainability & the Environment; Green/Alternative Energy; Transportation (excluding aerospace)

University:

McGill University

Program: