Development of the Alberta tar sands poses a serious ethical dilemma for Canadians. How can we create meaningful employment and meet our energy needs while at the same time respecting Indigenous rights and the Earth’s natural limits? The way, and the extent, that the tar sands are developed will affect the lives of all Canadians and greatly influence our economy, our trade and foreign policy priorities, and the legacy we leave to future generations.
KAIROS has engaged on these questions through its 2007-2010 “Re-Energize” campaign and the 2010-2011 “The Land, Our Life” campaign, which focussed on resource extraction, Indigenous rights, and sustainability.
KAIROS has the following policy on the tar sands:
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No further approvals for tar sands projects.
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Support Indigenous communities’ and environmental groups’ longstanding calls for independent studies, funded by the Alberta and federal governments, on the cumulative impacts of the tar sands development, especially on health, water and ecosystems. These studies must involve Indigenous people and be accessible to them and the public.
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The federal government must develop a clean and sustainable energy strategy, based on conservation and the development of renewable energy as well as a funded transition plan for sustainable jobs in a renewable energy sector. The principles of ecological sustainability and Indigenous Rights must be applied to the development of a renewable energy projects.
See resources tagged as tar sands and ecological justice
Banner Photo: Ben Den Engelsen – Unsplash
