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For Immediate Release
Contact:

Franziska Achterberg
Greenpeace EU transport policy adviser: 
franziska.achterberg@greenpeace.org

Greenpeace EU press desk: +32 (0)2 274 1911,
pressdesk.eu@greenpeace.org

Decision to Ban Tar Sands Blown into the Open as Ministers Asked to Step In

A meeting of EU country representatives to decide on an effective ban of climate-wrecking fuels, such as those produced from tar sands, has ended in stalemate, said Greenpeace. The decision to implement the EU's fuel quality directive and its agreed objective of cutting carbon emissions from fuels by 6 percent by 2020 now lies with European environment ministers, who are expected to vote on the matter in June.

BRUSSELS

A meeting of EU country representatives to decide on an effective ban of climate-wrecking fuels, such as those produced from tar sands, has ended in stalemate, said Greenpeace. The decision to implement the EU's fuel quality directive and its agreed objective of cutting carbon emissions from fuels by 6 percent by 2020 now lies with European environment ministers, who are expected to vote on the matter in June.

The issue has been the subject of a furious back-room lobby offensive by the government of Canada, backed by global oil companies, which are set to profit from environmentally destructive tar sands extraction. Canada sits on what is probably the world's third biggest oil reserve, but most of it is locked up in tar sands.

Tar sands oil produces 23 percent more climate emissions than conventional fuels, Stanford University found in a report for the European Commission.

Greenpeace EU transport policy adviser Franziska Achterberg said: "Now that the tar sands issue is finally in the hands of publicly accountable ministers, we will see who's pulling the strings in Europe. The evidence is clear: tar sands are the world's dirtiest fuels. The decision is even clearer: ministers should stand up to the oil industry and ban them from Europe."

Greenpeace is a global, independent campaigning organization that uses peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.

+31 20 718 2000