Unconventional Oil (like the Tar Sands) Threaten Environment

Unconventional oil sources ‘threaten environment’

Tuesday, 29 Jul 2008 12:52

The search for unconventional oil could harm the environment, report claims

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Using unconventional fuel sources such as oil sands or oil shale could have “catastrophic” effects on the environment, a report warned today.

The sources have been viewed as an attractive option due to the rising price of oil but the WWF and the Co-operative Financial Services (CFS) say investing in them is both environmentally and economically unsustainable.

Their report claims that if all 1.1 trillion barrels of potentially extractable North American unconventional oils were exploited within the next century, it would result in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels of between 49 and 65 parts per million.

This could result in climate change being accelerated to levels that would threaten a mass species extinction.