Engaging Canadians and Americans
This Oil Sands Dialogue paper sets out in Part I to report on the conversations that took place during the “2010 Oil Sands Dialogues” and in Part II to outline the broad consensus response of the oil sands producers to what was heard in the Dialogues process.
Emissions from Oil Sands Comparable to Other Crude Oils
Two independent reports demonstrate how greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from oil sands derived crude oils are similar to conventional oil production in some areas.
The Canadian Oil Sands
Energy Security vs. Climate Change
Authored by The Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an independent American nonpartisan think tank that seeks to better understand the foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries. CFR has offices in New York and Washington.
“Canadian Oil Sands: Energy Security and Climate Change Concerns Can be Reconciled, Says New CFR Report”
Excerpt from the May 2009 CFR release:
“In the contentious debate about oil sands—a massive but emissions-intensive source of oil— some argue that the United States should discourage the development of oil sands because its operations generate more climate-damaging greenhouse gas emissions than conventional oil production. Others argue that the United States should actively encourage their development because it would strengthen U.S. energy security with a supply of oil from a friendly and stable neighbor.
This report contends that both arguments are exaggerated—but neither is without merit. On the climate side, the report argues that the development of Canadian oil sands are is not the “climate catastrophe” that some claim. While oil sands’ life cycle greenhouse gas emissions—those entailed in production, transport, refining, and ultimate use—are greater than those associated with conventional oil, Levi points out that the total emissions from oil sands production in Canada are equal to less than 0.1 percent of the global total—“a small piece of the [global] emissions picture.”
Source: Michael A. Levi, the David M. Rubenstein senior fellow for energy and the environment at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR).
(www.cfr.org)
Download the report: The Canadian Oil Sands - Energy Security vs. Climate Change
(pdf | www.cfr.org)
Responsible Canadian Energy™ is an association-wide performance reporting program designed to track progress of the CAPP membership,
Environmental and Health Impacts of Canada's Oil Sands Industry