The Canadian government has long been a strong supporter of Alberta’s economic rise as an oil-rich region, promoting the expansion of the sands and expanding controversial pipelines. The most recent project a $15bn open mine: “Frontier Mine” of 72,000 acres by Teck Resources (a Canadian mining giant) drew outrage from environmentalists, activists and indigenous leaders and NGOs, prompting the #rejectteck campaign.
This past Sunday evening (February 23rd) the company revoked its plans, claiming that its decision was due to “a changing global market”, as oil prices are currently low and tar sand extraction costs are very high. Despite the “economic” deciding factor this is still a big win for the environment—the mine would have released 4 megatons of CO2 into the atmosphere. Could this global shift be a prelude to a better and cleaner future?
The oil sands are the world’s largest industrial project
Jane Fonda and Joaquin Phoenix against Teck