Danske Bank has expressed its opposition to the contentious
project while Norway's largest bank, DnBNOR, is holding meetings
today to discuss whether continued involvement in the Alberta tar
sands is a sound investment.
In addition, prominent Statoil stakeholders, Folksam, a Swedish
insurance company and KPA, a Swedish pension fund, have already
sent in their votes in favour of a motion by Greenpeace that
Statoil withdraw its investments from the tar sands, after the
companies learned about the realities of tar sand development over
the past few weeks.
Greenpeace is making the tar sands a key issue in Norway, Sweden
and Denmark in the lead-up to Statoil's AGM on May 19th. As a minor
stakeholder, Greenpeace has brought forward the motion for the AGM
that Statoil withdraw its investments from the tar sands.
The Alberta tar sands has dominated headlines and television
news since a Greenpeace Canada delegation arrived in Oslo Monday.
Two of the delegates, Andrew Nikiforuk and Dr. John O'Connor, have
raised concerns about the environmental, social and financial risks
of tar sands investments that are reverberating through the Nordic
business community. A two-page story on the delegates ran today in
Norway's largest business newspaper, as well as a full-page profile
on Nikiforuk.
"Hearing Canadians telling their own story about the reality of
the tar sands is making all the difference," said Martin Norman,
Greenpeace Nordic energy campaigner. "Already politicians and
investors are telling us they are upset they have been so
misled."
Statoil's purchase of tar sands rights in Canada in 2007 created
headlines in Norway critical of the company and internal unrest in
the company. Statoil has lately tried to create an impression that
the company has chosen In Situ extraction because it is an
environmentally friendly form of extraction, and that carbon
capture and storage (CCS) will solve the emission problems related
to tar sands. But the Greenpeace delegation is explaining that In
Situ has a much large environmental footprint than open pit mining,
and that CCS is simply not viable in the tar sands.
Media interest in Dr. O'Connor and Nikiforuk continues to be
strong in Oslo. They spoke at a news conference today before
national and international media and later met with the Norwegian
deputy minister of petroleum and energy, as well as with opposition
party Christian Democrats. This evening, Melina Laboucan-Massimo a
third delegate, will join O'Connor and Nikiforuk to speak to media,
government and industry at a film screening. Statoil CEO Helge Lund
has been invited.
Read Jessica
Wilson's blogs from Scandinavia.
For more information, please contact:
Jessica Wilson, Media & Public Relations Officer (in
Scandinavia), +47 942 66876
Mike Hudema, Tar Sands Campaigner, (in Alberta) 780-504-5601