Statement – National Energy Strategy should invest in renewables, not new pipelines

17 July 2015 – Edmonton – In response to today’s announcement by provincial premiers of a National Energy Strategy, Mike Hudema of Greenpeace Canada’s Climate and Energy team said:

“It’s absurd that while Alberta is dealing with one of the largest spills in Canadian history that Canada’s premiers would ty to help pave the way for more tarsands pipelines. Not only would new pipelines bring spill risks to communities and watersheds across Canada, they would lock this country into a carbon polluting future for decades to come.

“Despite some interesting language on climate and renewable energy, this strategy fails to prioritize sustainable forms of energy, has no binding targets and won’t bring us to the low carbon economy climate science demands.

“We hope as the strategy moves forward the premiers will create policies that live up to their green rhetoric. We need a plan with ambitious, science-based targets, and one that says no to new fossil fuel infrastructure and yes to clean energy, sustainable transportation and good, green jobs for people from coast to coast to coast.”

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For more information:

Peter Louwe, Greenpeace Communications Officer: 778-228-5404

NT3