Briefing

Briefing: Keep tar sands out of Europe

March 17, 2011

MEP briefing on Tar Sands and the role of the European Parliament

Independent studies have found that the GHG emissions from extraction to refinery of synthetic crude oil derived from tar sands feedstock is on average three times higher than those of the US average for conventional crude.

The significant expansion of tar sands exploitation is not compatible with the International Energy Agency ‘450ppm stabilisation scenario’ for the future development of global energy markets. A tripling of tar sands production over the next 20 years would only fit with its business as usual ‘reference scenario’, which would lead to 1000ppm of atmospheric CO2 and 6 degrees of warming, the effects of which to quote the IEA would “almost certainly lead to massive climatic change and irreparable damage to the planet”.

The briefing lays out our recommendations.

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