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No Carbon Clarity: More of the Same in Today's U.S.- Canada Energy Statement
Joint Obama-Harper Statement Gives Little New Direction on Tar Sands and Need for Strong Climate Leadership

WASHINGTON, DC (September 16, 2009) -- President Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Harper discussed climate and energy issues in a White House meeting today. As events in the run up to this meeting have shown, Canadian tar sands continue to undermine U.S., Canadian, and international efforts to curb global warming pollution and shift to clean energy, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

Following is a statement from Susan Casey-Lefkowitz, Director of the Canada Program for the Natural Resources Defense Council:

“In the context of international negotiations, the issue of Canadian tar sands continues to be a stumbling block.  Today’s joint-statement is not a substitute for addressing the growing problem of this destructive fuel source.”

“This meeting confirms that rather than expanding tar sands fuel, we need to shift to renewable sources like, wind and solar, and move to low carbon fuels.  We need both countries to put in place a firm carbon cap that covers all fossil fuel sources to speed the move to cleaner energy sources.”

More commentary from NRDC experts can be found at http://switchboard.nrdc.org/dirtyfuels.php


The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 1.3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Livingston, Montana, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.


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