Alberta tar sands are estimated to be 240 GtC (gigatons of carbon); see Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2007) Working Group 3 report. That is about seven times greater than the cumulative historical CO2 emissions from oil use by the U.S. (36 GtC). U.S. oil use was 28% of global oil use for the cumulative amounts over the past 200 years. So Alberta tar sands contain about twice the total amount of carbon emitted by global oil use in history.
Yet some people argue that tar sands are not so great that we need to be concerned about their effect on climate. They argue that only about 40 GtC of the tar sands are presently economically extractable. However, if an addiction to tar sands is established, as it would be with big pipelines, you can be confident that the addiction would lead eventually to ways of cooking the oil out of most of the tar sands. Moreover, these numbers do not include the emissions from conventional fossil fuels used to mine and process the tar sands into useable fuel. Nor do they include the other greenhouse gas emissions produced by the mining and processing.
The global stampede to find every possible fossil fuel is not being opposed by governments, no matter how dirty the fuels nor how senseless the energy strategy is from long-term economic and moral perspectives. Instead governments are forcing the public to subsidize the polluters, as discussed inThe Case for Young People and Nature.
Given the stranglehold that the fossil fuel industry has on governments worldwide and their effective campaigns to misinform the public, this may seem to be a small step. But do not underestimate the potential of people dedicated to a righteous cause to initiate a broader public recognition and understanding of where the public's interest lies.
Talk/Film Series that will be located at Friends House. Below is the list of Films in the Series.
GREEN SCREENS – FRIENDS HOUSE - 60 LOWTHER AVE., 2 blocks north of Bloor at Bedford
Viewings sponsored by Toronto Climate Campaign and the Peace and Social Action Committee of Toronto Friends Meeting (Quakers) www.torontoclimatecampaign.org
How to Boil a Frog is a feature-length eco-comedy that mixes rapid-fire humor and hard-hitting facts to show the consequences of “overshoot” - too many people using up too little planet - and what it means for our future. With an up-front Everymanapproach, smart writing, world-class experts, and iconoclastic humor, How to Boil a Frog gives us the scoop on the imminent end of the world as we know it, and five surprising ways to save civilization while laughing along the way. What I like about this movie is the personal approach and the lightheartedness of the host when faced with grim information. It takes us on a journey that ends up in a very hopeful spot. I can see this being used as a starting point for intergenerational discussion, or with a youth group, as the approach is creative, fun, and empowering. We'll show the sixty minute version followed by discussion of what we can do. Liz Rice of Citizens Climate Lobby will be present with info on this campaign. Fi
The Joint Review Panel (Panel) for the Enbridge Northern Gateway Project amended some of the deadlines included in Hearing Order OH-4-2011. The deadline for submitting a letter of comment to the Panel is now 31 August 2012 (formerly 13 March 2012).
La commission d'examen conjoint (commission) pour le projet Enbridge Northern Gateway a modifié certaines dates limite établies dans l’ordonnance d’audience OH-4-2011. La date limite pour soumettre une lettre de commentaires à la commission est maintenant le 31 août 2012 (plutôt que le 13 mars 2012).
To get involved with the Ecocide Campaign in the future, visit our Calendar to see the Toronto Climate Campaign meetings.
Polly Higgins, award-winning author of Eradicating Ecocide, barrister and international environmental lawyer, proposed to the United Nations in April 2010 a law of Ecocide to be classed as an international law alongside Genocide, Crimes Against Humanity, Crimes of Aggression and War Crimes as a 5th Crime Against Peace. Ecocide is defined as the mass "damage, destruction to or loss of ecosystems of a given territory, whether by human agency or by other causes, to such an extent that peaceful enjoyment by the inhabitants of that territory has been severely diminished." http://www.thisisecocide.com/
Polly arrives in Toronto midday Friday February17th. She wishes to meet with faith, environmental, youth, political, business, legal leaders and civil society to discuss how to make Earth law at the Earth Summit. The event Saturday, February 18th is free (donations welcome). She is also available for meetings, and flies to Vancouver the morning of February 20.
The biggest story of 2011 for me was the national and international attention given to the environmental dangers of Canada's tar sands, and the failure of the Harper government to meet our obligations to combat climate change. Until this year, most criticism of Canada's climate policy was restricted to Canadian and some international environmentalists. But three events of 2011 caused Canada's energy and climate policies to come under intense scrutiny here in Canada and around the world.
The first was the surprisingly passionate and bitter debate in the U.S. over the Keystone pipeline, meant to carry Alberta bitumen -- the dirtiest oil on earth -- over an endangered aquifer to be refined in Texas. A noisy and organized opposition that included environmentalists, Native Americans, ranchers, and even Republican politicians sounded the alarm. They made daily national and international news in the late summer when over 1,200 people got arrested in front of the White House. That inspired a more active movement in Canada. On September 26, over 200 people crossed an arrest barrier in a similar demonstration on Parliament Hill. This too made national and international headlines. On November 6, 12,000 people surrounded the White House to call for a halt to Keystone and solidarity demonstrations were held that day in front of the Canadian High Commission in London and a number of other cities around the world. Soon after, in a very public display of concern, President Obama ordered a halt to the project while an environmental review assesses an alternative route.
The second event was the news that the European Parliament will likely brand Alberta's bitumen as a "high emission crude oil" when it adopts its Fuel Quality Directive, a new agreement to promote the use of cleaner fuels in European transport. Their researchers have reported that emissions from tar sands oil production produces 23 per cent more greenhouse gases and has recommended closing off tar sands oil to Europe's markets. Although Europe uses very little Canadian oil currently, the Harper government hopes that will change if Europe and Canada sign their proposed trade deal called CETA. A possible ban on tar sands oil is a huge trade irritant between Canada and Europe. As well, a negative rating for Canada's tar sands exports could have a ripple effect and curb sales in other countries. Certainly, this move by the European Parliament has shone a European spotlight on the tar sands of Alberta and helped make this story one of international importance.
The third was the role played by Canada at the December climate summit in Durban and the announcement immediately following it that Canada was pulling out of the Kyoto Accord. Environment Minister Peter Kent announced even before going to Durban that Kyoto was a creature of the "past" and set out to destroy it. Once again, for the fifth year running, Canada won Climate Action Network International's Fossil of the Year Award, and this too was reported around the world. But the biggest scorn was saved for Minister Kent's withdrawal from Kyoto on the day after his return to Canada. Headlines around the world blared the news and linked the government's decision to Canada's refusal to curtail the growth of the booming tar sands. Environmental groups were outraged. Christina Figueres, UN climate chief, said the move was "regrettable," and several governments, including China, Japan, and France, voiced strong disapproval. An animated cartoon on national Taiwanese TV reported the story, showing a cartoon Steven Harper figure spitting oil in the face of critics.
So, I submit that Canada's reputation as a responsible country that keeps its word, cares about its neighbours, and walks a moderate path on the world stage took a beating in 2011. Although flawed, Kyoto was the only legally binding climate agreement ever adopted. Harper and Kent saying they would not agree to another deal until all countries agree is like saying "I won't drive safely until my neighbour does, even though I have a more expensive car, the money to keep it tuned, and have been driving unsafely before my neighbour even got his driving licence."
What happened to leadership? What happened to setting goals? What happened to my country?
Let's hope 2012 is better, but I am not holding my breath.
Final Report of the Vigil and Fast at Minister of the Environment Mr. Peter Kent Office
The Toronto Climate Campaign wanted to send out a message to Mr. Kent (Minister of the Environment) that we didn't like the approach that was taken at the United Nations COP Meeting that happened in Durban, South Africa in December 2011 and the Canadian Government's reaction to dropping out of the Kyoto Protocol. In conjuration with that, Toronto Climate Campaign organized a Vigil and Fast, along with wanting to meet Mr. Kent. The latter didn't happen as Mr. Kent had scheduling constraints that didn't allow him to meet anyone from the groups that organized the event.
There were about 20 people who started to fast from Wednesday Morning on December 21st, to Thursday Morning on December 22nd, 2011. They were fasting in the wake of Mr. Peter Kent (Minister of the Environment) and his government's position to say they are going to pull out of the Kyoto Protocol in Canada (First Country in the world to say that). The people fasting were from Across Canada and even 1 people from San Diego, California who fasted for 5 people in response to what the Canadian Government did.
In the afternoon of December 21st, we had around 30 to 40 people come with us and walk in the heavy rain from Steels and Yonge to Mr. Peter Kent's Office in Thornill, Ontario. This walk was 30 minutes and was very nice as we were able to talk to many people who came out from different groups and ages, we had many seniors, to young people who wanted to delivery a message to the Canadian government. During our walk, we noticed that we were getting a police escort to Mr. Kent's office, and this didn't even think was possible. Once we arrived at the office, we say that there were 6 police offices just waiting there for us to show up, and they said we had to wait either in the parking lot or sidewalk. When we started to look around, and ask the police if some of us could go inside the office, they said “No one from the office is around, they closed down early.” We went out to the sidewalk and the grass in-front as to let the people in the cars know what we were protesting.
During the time we were there, there were a number of speeches given and people enjoyed being out there and delivery a strong message to Mr. Kent. People lit candles for the vigil and just started to sing and have a great time. At one point the head of the police came up to us, and started to ask why we were there, and wanted to know if we had anything to give to Mr. Kent. We had a 2 letters that people wanted to give Mr. Kent and 1 of them got delivered to his office. The other letter will be devliered to the office in the days ahead.
In the end, everyone enjoyed what was organized and want to plan for more of these to happen over the course of 2012.
On Wednesday morning, six young Canadians walked out of Environment Minister Peter Kent’s plenary address to the United Nations climate negotiations. The six Canadian youth stood silently and turned their back on Kent for several minutes, before being escorted out by UN security.
We, the undersigned from across Canada and the world, support these youth for their bold refusal to let the Canadian government negotiate away their future.
On this issue, Canada is becoming a global pariah, standing alone as the only country to ratify the Kyoto Protocol and then refuse to honour it.
However, the Canadian government has not just been inactive. It has relentlessly pursued short term profits from the production of the dirtiest oil on the planet; the tar sands. It now protects the interests of corporations over the health and livelihoods of people. In the past year alone, the government lobbied for the Keystone XL Pipeline and sought to weaken fuel standards in Europe. The expansion of the tar sands spells “game over for the climate,” however, the Canadian Government has publicly stated that its priority was coming to the negotiations to defend the tar sands. Not only that, but the government has been accused threatening to withdraw aid money to coerce poor countries into arguing against a second Kyoto period.
For these reasons and more, we stand with these youth and their walkout of Canada’s address to the High Level plenary of the United Nations climate negotiations. We support their actions and so too demand that the Canadian government starts putting the interests of people before polluters. For too long our leaders have lobbied on behalf of the fossil fuel industry rather than protecting the future of its people.
The Climate Reality Project is looking at the problems, and solutions to bring them to the mainstream and engage the public to discover the truth, and take action. Founded by Al Gore, and is guided by one simple truth: The climate crisis is real, and we know how to solve it. If this is true, we can solve the problem, we just need to give more of the public the tools to get to work.
Here is a presentation from Victoria given by Peter Schiefke (co-founded Youth Action Montreal).
From A Friend of Toronto Climate Campaign who went down to the Tar Sands Action in Washington D.C., USA and now going to Ottawa, Canada to Say No to The Tar Sands.
Dear family and friends,
Now that I have used up my 15 minutes of fame - from being arrested in Washington - it is time to get some more. I am planning to visit our nation's capital in a couple of weeks to protest our government's promotion of the Tar Sands and the Keystone pipeline.
