Summary of Naomi Klein Debunks Ethical Oil at Tar Sands Action
Summary of Naomi Klein's Speech at the Tar Sands Action
In her speech at the Tar Sands Action, Naomi Klein critiques the concept of "ethical oil," particularly in relation to Canadian tar sands oil. She argues that the rebranding efforts to label tar sands oil as ethical are misleading and audacious, comparing it to marketing tactics used by corporations to promote environmentally damaging products as socially responsible. Klein emphasizes that tar sands oil is not ethical; it is significantly more polluting than conventional oil, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and environmental destruction.
Klein highlights the detrimental effects of tar sands extraction on indigenous communities and the broader global population, pointing out that the Canadian government, under Prime Minister Stephen Harper, is prioritizing the interests of the fossil fuel industry over the environmental concerns of Canadians. She expresses frustration with the government's efforts to lobby for tar sands oil internationally while undermining environmental standards.
Klein calls for a united strategy to oppose projects like the Keystone XL pipeline, which she believes must be stopped to prevent further environmental degradation. She challenges the narrative that such projects create jobs, arguing that the same economic system responsible for climate change also led to the global economic crisis. Instead, she advocates for a transition to renewable energy sources that can provide dignified jobs without harming the planet.
She concludes by urging collective action against climate change and for a future that prioritizes sustainability over fossil fuel dependence, framing the ongoing climate crisis as a series of disasters that humanity can no longer afford to ignore.
Presenters/Contributors
Notable Quotes
— 00:44 — « I have never seen anything quite as audacious as the campaign to Rebrand the tar sands as ethical oil. »
— 02:26 — « Ethical oil is not an oxymoron, it's an outrage. It is an insult to the indigenous communities living downstream from the tar sands. »
— 05:27 — « We need a strategy to strangle the tar sands from the outside. »
— 07:29 — « The Keystone XL pipeline will create jobs? Well, so will climate change. It will create jobs cleaning up the rubble. »
— 09:48 — « We know that we can do better, that we do not have to attack our Earth with ever greater violence in order to live happily and fulfilled. »
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News and Commentary