No Tar Sands Development is Compatible With a Safe Climate & Indigenous Rights: Advocates to Canadian Government at COP27
Tori Cress
Indigenous leaders speak against Pathways Alliance industry event hosted by Canada at COP, as allies walk out of event
Sharm El-Sheik, Egypt - At COP27 today, Indigenous advocates, climate activists and allies made a strong statement against the influence of the oil and gas industry at the climate negotiations, by holding a demonstration outside a panel hosted by the Pathways Alliance, a tar sands industry group. Separately and prior to the demonstration, allies walked out during the session. The event was hosted at the Canada Pavilion, an official government space set up during COP27. The Pathways Alliance event was intended to promote the false solution of carbon capture and storage— despite the technology’s decades-long track record of underperformance and failure. Even if the technology did work, carbon capture would do nothing about the environmental harm caused to Indigenous nations at the frontlines of oil and gas extraction.
Canada's tar sands are some of the highest emissions intensity oil in the world. They have amassed over 1 trillion litres of toxic tailings waste, with a clean-up cost of over $45 billion and rising. Tar sands development and forest fires have disrupted more than 7,700 square kilometres of boreal forest. The pollution and habitat disruption from extraction harmed the health, culture and way of life of nearby Indigenous communities.
This demonstration comes after a formal request asking the government of Canada to cancel the event, signed by organizations from Canada and around the world.