The Oilsands Environmental Coalition (OSEC) will present evidence before a regulatory review panel today of Imperial Oil's failure to address the global warming implications of its proposed Kearl Oilsands Mine. OSEC is recommending that the review panel deny Imperial Oil's request to approve the project on the grounds that it is not in the best interest of Albertans and Canadians on environmental, economic and social grounds.
"Imperial Oil has failed to develop a plan outlining how they would reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution from the Kearl Oilsands Mine project," noted Marlo Raynolds, Executive Director of the Pembina Institute and an expert witness for OSEC. "This is very troubling considering that this project would emit about 30% more GHG pollution per barrel of oil compared to a similar project - the Shell Jackpine Mine.[1] Imperial Oil is failing to take responsibility for the global warming impacts of the Kearl project."
Oilsands operations are the fastest growing source of new GHG pollution in Canada, and new oilsands projects could account for up to half of Canada's projected growth in "business-as-usual" emissions between 2003 and 2010. Global warming has become an issue of significant concern to Canadians. A recent poll found that 92 per cent of Canadians believe that global warming will pose serious challenges for Canada, with 58% saying these challenges are very serious.[2]
"Imperial Oil has ignored opportunities to use existing technologies to aggressively reduce the GHG pollution from this proposed project, such as carbon capture and storage. Our analysis found oilsands companies could be carbon neutral by 2020, with no net GHG pollution, for only a few dollars per barrel of oil," says Raynolds, "Imperial Oil has no plan for reducing GHG pollution from the Kearl project. It is not in the interest of Albertans and Canadians to approve an oilsands project that takes such a reckless approach to global warming."
OSEC comprises the Pembina Institute, the Toxics Watch Society of Alberta and the Fort McMurray Environmental Association.
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For more information:
Dr. Marlo Raynolds, Executive Director
The Pembina Institute
Cell: 403-607-9427
Click here for an excerpt of OSEC's written submission to the Joint Panel.