PMQ’s: If you see Norman Baker please tell him to keep tar sands oil out of the EU!
Yesterday morning, following our #shellishell action, a group of four climate rush campaigners decided that as it was Rising Tide’s #occupyoil day of action we would pose an oily question to our politicians as they arrived for PMQ’s.
Tar Sands oil extraction in Canada is the biggest energy project in the world and also one of the most polluting. Tar sands oil produces three to five times as many greenhouse gas emissions as conventional oil extraction; it’s so polluting that leading climate scientist James Hansen believes that runaway climate change will be almost inevitable if tar sands extraction is allowed to continue. The tar sands project has led to mass deforestation, it has polluted ponds which have in turn poisoned local water supplies. As a result of the tar sands project, communities on land where the tar sands project has been imposed are suffering from increased rates of cancers and auto-immune diseases.
President Obama rejected the application for the XL tar sands pipeline on the 8th of January 2012. This is very hopeful news because it has delayed any large-scale export of tar sands oil to Europe for the time being. However, plans to submit a proposal for the pipeline to follow a different route are underway - so the time is now to keep reminding politicians to keep that dirty oil away!
At the moment we use very little tar sands oil in the UK. The Fuel Quality Directive is a crucial piece of EU legislation which aims to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from road transport by 6% by 2020. As tar sands oil is 23% more polluting than conventional crude oil, should the FQD label tar sands oil as being a high emission fuel then this recognition would close off tar sands oil to the EU market. The Canadian Government in currently stalling plans for tar sands oil to be acknowledged as a high emission fuel by insisting that all forms of oil are tested first. In the meantime the Fuel Quality Directive has been sent to member states for consultation. At the moment Norman Baker, the LibDem minister responsible for the UK’s transport fuels policy is pro tar sands instead of encouraging the climate policies we need to prevent avoidable climate change.
As the Canadian Government lobby our politicians it has never been so important to speak up against tar sands oil in the UK and instead call for greater investment in sustainable, long term and renewable energy. There are lots of ways to encourage Norman Baker to back the EU Fuel Quality Directive - you could start by joining us at PMQ’s or by getting involved with the UK Tar Sands Network.
Tags: Activism, Climate Change, climate rush, EU, MP's, Norman Baker, oil, PMQ's, tar sands