Last Sunday, the world witnessed the largest rally against climate change in U.S. history. In a powerful demonstration against the irresponsibility of government leaders and their friends in the fossil fuel industry, over 40,000 concerned citizens gathered on the National Mall to demand President Barack Obama use his executive power to once and for all deny TransCanada, a Canadian energy company, permission to construct the controversial Keystone XL pipeline.
If built, Keystone XL would transport crude oil from the tar sands of Alberta, Canada to Steele City, Neb., from where the oil would be redirected to refineries across the country. Environmentalists are rightly concerned about this project, which would facilitate the extraction of some of the dirtiest oil on Earth. It is estimated that up to 240 gigatons of carbon are locked in the tar sands of Alberta, half of what scientists estimate we can burn if we are to stay below an already destructive 2 degree Celsius increase.
There are also immediate risks associated with Keystone XL. Tar sands crude contains massive amounts of heavy metals and cancer-causing toxins, and the extraction process is extremely energy-intensive. The per-barrel greenhouse gas emissions associated with the extraction and refinement of oil from tar sands are estimated to be 3.2 to 4.5 times higher than the conventional crude oil currently produced in Canada or the U.S.
TransCanada’s Keystone 1 pipeline, which runs from Alberta to Illinois, experienced 12 spills in its first year of operation. Additionally, contaminants from tar sands mines regularly flow into water streams, directly affecting already marginalized First Nations communities and surrounding wildlife.
Potential spills from Keystone XL would further pollute waterways and destroy farmland along the entire 1,700-mile route within the U.S. The numerous dangers associated with this project raise the question of how much our government is willing to sacrifice at the expense of the health and well-being of the people it is supposed to represent.
Given that we are already experiencing some of the highest temperatures on record, it will take more than stopping the construction of Keystone XL to avert or mitigate climate change. However, acting to stop this project is a necessary first step in building climate consciousness and mobilizing citizens to take control of their future.
With last Sunday’s demonstration, Obama is being held accountable for the environmental promises made during his State of the Union address earlier this month. Facing pressure from tens of thousands of activists, the president will have to say no to Big Oil lest he put at risk not only his credibility and legacy as a progressive leader, but more importantly the future of the planet. The people have spoken—hopefully we can count on the president to join them by putting people before profits.
