CARBON: Canadian tar sands

Question 1

what are the social costs and benefits of the development of Canadian tar sands?

Answer 1

costs

• pollution causing cancer and auto-immune diseases
• gambling, crime and substance abuse have risen
• housing crisis as hundreds of workers have been shipped in
• disruption to traditional ways of life

benefits

• employment (151,000 jobs created by 2013)
• boost to economy (1999-2013 US$201bn invested in developing tar sands, expected to increase to US$4tn 2015-2035)
• Oil Sands Community Alliance has been set up to help local people
• increase energy security, tar sands produce 40% of Canada’s oil output

Question 2

what are the implications for the carbon cycle of the development of Canadian tar sands?

Answer 2

Large demand for energy makes the estimated contribution to global warming 3x higher than conventional oil.

In 2013, 8.5% of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions came from tar sands. This is expected to increase to 14% by 2030.

Question 3

what are the consequences for the resilience of fragile environments of the development of Canadian tar sands?

Answer 3

the process leaves scars in the landscape- which are refilled with sand once the oil has been extracted

surface mining impacts local wildlife and requires the clearance of large areas of taiga

leakages affect local ponds and water supplies