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International Environmental Network Responds to Obama/Harper Meeting
Media Releases News Articles Featured | dirtyoilsands.org | September 16, 2009
- Greenpeace began and continues to blockade of Shell’s tar sands mine in Alberta.
- Rainforest Action Network hung a 70-foot banner in front of Niagara Falls.
- A new DVD highly critical of the tar sands was released.
- The world’s leading climate scientist published an op-ed in the Toronto Star.
- Banner ads exposing PM Harper’s intentions appeared in dozens of on-line publications.
- President Obama received thousands of letters from citizens concerned about Canada’s tar sands.
- Tar sands became a major election issue in Norway.
- A new report brought home the fact that Tar Sands expansion emits more carbon than some European nations.
After the visit, members of the Dirty Oil Sands Network reacted to the visit and the statement released by the two heads of state.
Canada
Mike Hudema of Greenpeace Canada said:
“We haven’t seen nearly enough concrete commitments from the Harper-Obama meeting that they will move quickly to help the world avert catastrophic climate change.”
“Greenpeace has been occupying a mining site in the heart of the tar sands – the frontiers of climate destruction – for the last 24 hours to focus attention on the urgent need for action on climate change. It is clear that world leaders still need to get the message. We will continue to expose the horror of the tar sands until they face the urgent facts and wean themselves off the brutal addiction to fossil fuel which threatens us all with catastrophic climate change.”
“The message going into critical UN climate negotiations in Copenhagen this December is that climate leaders don’t buy tar sands. Greenpeace will continue to bear witness to the total devastation that is the tar sands.”
Gillian McEachern of Forest Ethics said:
“After today’s meeting, it is increasingly apparent that Prime Minister Harper is avoiding revealing his plans for the tar sands. But, there is only so long he can talk about energy in energy ‘dialogues’ without addressing tar sands.”
“The Clean Energy Dialogue Action Plan, released today, is a diversion tactic from the real issue: Canada has no plan to tackle global warming or reduce the environmental impacts of the tar sands.”
“Tar sands continue to be the elephant in the room in US-Canada discussions on energy. It’s a growing global concern, not to mention a major issue for Canadian voters. Harper’s silence in the face of mounting international controversy – the Norwegian election, protests in the UK and at home – speaks volumes. When it comes to the climate crisis, Harper has no plan.”
United States
Susan Casey-Lefkowitz, senior attorney for Natural Resources Defense Council said:
“Today’s Obama-Harper statement was disappointing with the world watching and asking for real action in curbing greenhouse gas emissions.
“The Clean Energy Dialogue is in no way a substitute for addressing the growing problem of oil from Canada’s tar sands. The United States clearly does not intend for tar sands – even with carbon capture and sequestration in place – to be seen as a clean energy.”
Liz Barret-Brown, senior attorney for Natural Resources Defense Council said:
“Our leaders appear to be hedging their bets at just the time that we need leadership on climate change. Let’s be clear, the U.S. does not need to rely on high carbon fuels, like the tar sands.”
“Instead of devouring Canada’s Boreal forest and spewing greenhouse gas emissions into the air, we can accelerate the fuel efficiency of our cars and shift to plug-in hybrids and make this destructive source of oil a thing of the past.”
Brant Olson, director of Rainforest Action Network’s tar sands campaign said:
“Climate change, one of the biggest security threats of our time, is something Canada and the United States must confront together.”
“There can be no meaningful clean energy plan between the two countries while Prime Minister Harper continues to expand tar sands oil development, the leading cause of climate change in Canada. We hope that President Obama sees past Prime Minister Harper’s efforts to lock up the U.S. market for tar sands oil, and makes good on his commitments to clean energy and green jobs.”
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