MP rejects ‘outrageous’ tar sands allegation
Transport Minister Norman Baker rejects allegations by environmentalists that he is “doing the dirty work” of the Canadian government and promoting oil industry interests ahead of a crucial EU vote.
Mr Baker’s rebuttal comes after Friends of the Earth and the Cooperative published documents obtained under the freedom of information act, detailing high-level meetings between British government officials, Canadian ministers and oil executives.
They said the meetings show the government is under heavy pressure from oil industry lobbyists and that this lobbying is impacting on government policy, which could delay the legislation.
Tar sands, which are also known as oil sands, are seen as being more environmentally damaging than conventional crude oil extraction due to the high amounts of greenhouse gases production generates. Canada has the world’s biggest tar sands reserves.
Mr Baker should be fighting for UK and global environmental protection. Greenpeace
On Friday, the EU will vote on a proposal called the Fuel Quality Directive to limit the amount of oil obtained from so-called tar sands that can come into the European Union.
Under this proposal, tar sands would be allotted a “greenhouse gas default value” of 107g CO2 equivalent per megajoule (CO2eq/MJ) of fuel, as opposed to the 87.5g CO2eq/MJ average for crude oil. This is because of the greater damage done to the environment.
In a statement, Norman Baker MP said: “The suggestion that we are not taking the treatment of high-emitting oil sands seriously is outrageous.
“I am amazed at the narrow and short-sighted approach the pressure groups are taking on this crucial issue, and am disappointed that they have not cottoned on to the bigger environmental picture and supported the UK’s proposed position here.
“To be clear, we are not delaying action, but are seeking the earliest resolution in the most effective way, which is to address all highly polluting crudes equally, not simply oil sands from one particular country.
“My door is always open to green NGOs, and many have walked through it. I have challenged them to come up with a solution addressing all crude sources equally, and so far I have been met with silence.”
Direct action
Sixteen campaigners from Greenpeace were arrested outside the Ministry of Transport earlier after they blockaded the entrance “to stop officials and ministers lobbying for tar-sands”.
In response to Mr Baker’s comments, Greenpeace’s senior oil campaigner Paul Morrozzo told Channel 4 News: “I’m surprised that Norman Baker doesn’t grasp the huge environmental impact of exploiting tar sands oil and the extraction techniques that make it the dirtiest fuel on the planet.
“Frankly, it is naïve of him to lump tar sands in with other fuels.
“Instead of standing up for the special interests of the Canadian tar sands lobbyists he should be fighting for UK and global environmental protection which can only be achieved by supporting the EU proposal and implementing their recommendation on excessively dirty fuels, of which tar sands is the king of polluters.”