Page - September 29, 2009
Greenpeace activists are disrupting Suncor operations today in the heart of the tar sands north of Fort McMurray by stopping two bitumen conveyor belts to highlight the climate crime of tar sands operations.
Greenpeace blockaded two Suncor conveyor belts to expost the climate crime of the tar sands.
The 23 activists from Canada, France, Brazil and Germany entered
the site early this morning. A team went to the open-pit mine and
is stopping the conveyor belts that carry bitumen from the mine
across the river to the upgrader. The activists are joined by
Greenpeace Canada executive director Bruce Cox.
Live streaming video is at www.greenpeace.org/stoptarsands
Today's action comes two weeks after Greenpeace successfully
stopped a mining operation at Shell and just a week after Rajendra
Pachauri, head of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC), the world's leading body on climate science, said that
Canada is failing on climate action, and should consider putting
the tar sands on hold.
"Greenpeace has taken action here today in the heart of climate
destruction to drive the message home to world leaders that we need
urgent climate leadership, and that means stopping the tar sands,"
said Bruce Cox, Greenpeace Canada Executive Director. "We are here
to drive the message home to world governments that we need urgent
climate leadership, and that means stopping the tar sands." -Bruce
Cox, Greenpeace Canada Executive Director from the bridge
blockade.
"Greenhouse gas emissions are just one element of the crimes
happening in the tar sands. Around 11 million litres of toxic
chemicals, including carcinogens and other deadly poisons are
leaking into groundwater and the Athabasca and poisoning entire
communities. Their food is contaminated, their water unsafe to swim
in, let alone drink. This is not what the world expects from
Canada, but it's the grim reality."-Mike Hudema, Greenpeace climate
and energy campaigner.
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