Canada: Talk is Cheap, Skeptics Say of Oil Sands Message

Canada’s oil sands producers have a rough road ahead persuading environmentalists and an increasingly concerned public they are serious about protecting the environment while investing billions of dollars in new projects.

The industry’s lobby group and several chief executives launched a new communications campaign this week aimed at countering a full-court press by environmentalists over the impact of oil sands development on air, land, water and local communities.
Environmentalists are skeptical, saying the gesture is empty unless firms take real action to improve operations. They kept up their call on governments for more stringent regulations to limit greenhouse gas emissions and protect forests and rivers.

“The industry is obviously interested in dialogue and we continually present solutions as we raise concerns about oil sands development,” said Simon Dyer, oil sands program director for the Pembina Institute, an environmental think tank. “But we don’t have time for a lengthy dialogue while we are continuing the expansions under business-as-usual technologies.”

Some green groups have called for a complete moratorium on development while others say operations can be cleaned up with enough investment and effort.

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