Blockade of Ministry for Tar Sands (DfT)

Yesterday  some of us from the Salisbury group were close by this non violent direct action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5wAKHDG0kg&feature=youtu.be

I was proud to be on hand, as I am particularly concerned about Tar Sands and horrified that mining for tar sands is wrecking the Canadian boreal forest, destroying the homelands of indigenous people, and accelerating dangerous climate change.

The tar sands deposits of heavy oil mixed with clay and sand lie below the surface of the Canadian wilderness. To extract the tar, oil companies destroy the Canadian boreal forest, gouge out hundreds of metres of top soil, and turn the landscape into a gaping black pit. Two tonnes of earth has to be dug up and processed to produce each barrel of bitumen.

Greenpeace blockaded the Department of Transport because our government is trying to scupper EU legislation that will block tar sands oil - the dirtiest, most polluting form of oil there is - from being sold at UK petrol pumps.

See http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/blog/climate/ministry-blocks-anti-tar-sands-law-so-we-block-ministrys-front-door-20111128

The Department for Transport is trying to sabotage legislation that would block tar sands oil from European petrol pumps. They have been lobbied by Canada and companies such as BP and Shell.

See http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/blog/climate/exposed-canadas-secret-tar-sands-lobbying-uk-ministers-20111127

http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/blog/climate/ministry-blocks-anti-tar-sands-law-so-we-block-ministrys-front-door-20111128