The Impact of Tar Sands on US-Canada Climate and Energy Policies (recording enclosed)

Contact:
Keith Schneider, US Climate Action Network, 231-920-0745
Hannah McKinnon, Climate Action Network Canada, 613-241-4413 or 613-276-7791 (cell)
Michael Oko, Natural Resources Defense Council, 202-513-6245 or 202-904-5245 (cell)

Telephone Press Briefing:
The Impact of Tar Sands on US-Canada Climate and Energy Policies

What:

In advance of President Obama and Prime Minister Harper's meeting at the White House on Sept. 16, U.S. and Canadian climate, energy and security experts will lay out the major cross-border climate and energy issues that are likely to be discussed. This meeting comes as both countries are working on domestic legislation and international negotiations around climate and energy.

Canada's climate policies have been widely criticized, in part for their attempts to protect the high-carbon tar sands oil industry. And, in the U.S., oil industry interests in tar sands are potentially undermining the clean energy agenda of the administration. The panelists will discuss these issues, along with the broader climate, energy and national security context.

Download a joint letter to President Obama from USCAN and CAN-Canada on Prime Minister Harper's Sept. 16, 2009 visit to Washington, DC.

Who:

• Susan Casey-Lefkowitz, Canada Program Director, Natural Resources Defense Council
• Rick Smith, Executive Director, Environmental Defence Canada
• Jonathan Powers, COO, Truman National Security Project
• Angela Anderson, Program Director, US Climate Action Network

Recording:

Download the MP3 Recording (45 mins)

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Read a joint CAN-Canada/USCAN letter to President Obama on Prime Minister Harper's visit, sent Sepember 9, 2009.

For more information on tar sands, please see: www.dirtyoilsands.org.

Climate Action Network Canada and the United States Climate Action Network represent more than 100 leading organizations in the United States and Canada that are working together to prevent catastrophic climate change and promote sustainable and equitable solutions. More information on Climate Action Network Canada is available at: www.climateactionnetwork.ca. More information on US Climate Action Network is available at: www.usclimatenetwork.org

The Natural Resources Defense Council is a national, nonprofit organization of scientists, lawyers and environmental specialists dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. Founded in 1970, NRDC has 1.2 million members and online activists, served from offices in New York, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Beijing. More information on NRDC is available at its Web site: www.nrdc.org.