Target: Eric Stevenson, President and Chair of Environmental Defence Canada
Goal: Support the decline of oil sands investment that contributes to climate change and wide-ranging environmental damage.
A controversial project in Canada that would have caused tremendous pollution to land, air, and water will no longer go forward thanks to intensive public pressure, as shown in this ForceChange petition. Teck Resources Ltd. announced a complete abandonment of its Frontier Project: an initiative that would have opened a massive Alberta oil sands mine capable of emitting over four tons of toxic carbon a year. Teck’s decision is especially notable because the Canadian government was set to vote soon on approval of the project.
Oil sands mines have long concerned indigenous populations and other activists because, in addition to the global warming-contributing carbon emissions, they also wreak direct havoc on the surrounding environment. Entire forests are decimated to make way for the construction, leaving countless wildlife stranded and without a home. Further, the giant wastewater lakes created from the mines pose a clear and present danger to the health of any nearby living being. In a released statement, the company’s CEO acknowledged the far-reaching climate change implications as a driving reason for the shuttering of this divisive project: “the growing debate around this issue has placed Frontier and our company squarely at the nexus of much broader issues that need to be resolved,”
Experts believe the abrupt end to this endeavor could signal an end to the destructive oil sands industry as a whole. Sign this petition to thank some of the diligent fighting forces that helped make this important environmental win possible.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Mr. Stevenson,
You have long fought for the abolition of oil sands mines in Canada. Congratulations on taking one significant step toward this essential goal with the announced abandonment of Teck’s Frontier Project in Alberta. The legacy created by these damaging projects brims with imminent threats to environmental and public health and long-term well-being.
Thank you for joining with advocates around the world in fighting for and finally witnessing the downward slide of such destructive plans. Because of these efforts, Alberta can begin working for a healthier future with cleaner air, land, and water. Please continue the fight and know that equally vigilant individuals around the globe support the achievements.
The environment and its defenders won this battle, and this victory demonstrates that with a united front we can likewise win the war.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Dru Oja Jay
320 Signatures