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Canada Blocking Global Climate Progress to Protect Dirty Oil Sands Environmental Groups Launch Video
Media Releases Featured | Dirty Oil Sands Network | December 01, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
Lisa McCrummen, Dirty Oil Sands Network, (206) 321-9461 lisa@dirtyoilsands.org
Mike Hudema, Greenpeace Canada (780) 504-5601 mhudema@greenpeace.org
Nell Greenberg, RAN (415) 659-0557 nell@ran.org
(Edmonton, Alberta) Today, Rainforest Action Network, Greenpeace Canada and an international network of environmental groups launched a provocative and powerful new music video mashup, called “Tar Sands Blow,” targeting Canada’s dirty oil sands and focusing on Canada’s role in blocking an international climate treaty.
The video which contains graphic images of the tar sands, urges young people to immediately act to make their voices heard before the international climate meeting in Copenhagen, Dec 7-18. The video is being distributed over the internet by groups and individuals all over the world.
Groups around Canada have called for climate justice actions in a least nine cities during the period Nov 30- Dec 12. Already, a series of peaceful sit-in at MP’s offices have been staged by groups of people in three Canadian cities (Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto)with the promises of more to follow.
Eriel-Tchekwie Deranger, an indigenous youth climate activist hopes that this video will help connect the youth voice with politicians, “I just returned from a UK speaking tour about the dirty, dangerous environmental, climate and Indigenous and human rights impacts of the Tar Sands. It’s clear that people across the world and leaders in the International community are beginning to understand that Canada has actively been blocking international progress to develop collective emission target agreements.”
Deranger points out: “There’s one main reason they are unwilling to join the rest of the world to meet these targets: the Tar Sands.
Despite the growing climate crisis, the Harper Government is doing everything in its power to sabotage global problem-solving efforts,” said Mike Hudema Climate and Energy campaigner with Greenpeace, Canada. “By endangering and blocking progress on an international climate agreement and prioritizing the tar sands over the health of people on this planet Harper is further jeopardizing the lives of millions that will die or become displaced due to the climate crisis. This government’s behaviour is unacceptable, we need governmental leadership for climate justice now.”
The Canadian government announced recently it was leading its biggest campaign to expand the Tar Sands, Canada’s fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions and responsible for making it one of the world’s top 10 polluters. Canada has refused to take any international climate action in climate negotiations and has been repeatedly accused of bullying others.
The latest International Energy Agency report showed that by the end of the century the planet is on target to be 6 degrees hotter. The result would be a disaster.
About Tar Sands Blow Video: www.thetarsandsblow.org
Created by Agit-Pop and set to the music of DJ ChampionThe Tar Sands Blow is a powerful music video mashup, mixing images of the tar sands, animated sequences and a call to action.
About Canada’s Dirty Oil Sands: http://www.dirtyoilsands.org Canada is the United States’ number one source of foreign oil, and over half of that is oil sands. The production of tar sands oil, as it is also known, emits three times more greenhouse gas as conventional oil. Tar sands also consume and contaminate vast amounts of fresh water and destroy two tonnes of earth for every barrel of oil produced. Canada intends to expand this industry from 1.3 million barrels per day to as much as 6 million barrels per day by 2030. Most of this will enter the US via a sprawling spider web of thousands of miles of pipeline, 33 new and retrofitted refineries and tanker traffic. More information about Canada’s dirty oil including photos, B-roll video and other materials are available on www.dirtyoilsands.org. The site provides a one-stop place for policy makers, citizens and media to learn more about why there’s no room for expansion of Canada’s dirty oil sands in the global battle to stop climate change.
Tagged with: canada, climate policy, tar sands blow
