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Updates from action at tar sands upgrader expansion site:
5:00am local time - Sunday Oct 4
After occupying the expansion site of a Shell tar sands upgrader for 24 hours all Greenpeace activists have now been removed from the site by police. The final 9 were taken in the early hours of the morning - in total 16 activists from Canada, Brazil, France, Australia and Sweden took part in the occupation.
The different nationalities of the activists who participated reflects the fact that tar sands development - and the consequences for environment and climate - are a global problem, not just a Canadian one. A lot of criticisms have focused on the fact that 'foreigners' or 'outsiders' should keep out of Canadian business and not try to tell Canada how to manage its resources. But the fact is that the tar sands are the largest capital investment project on the planet - and are being fueled by companies, governments and investors all around the world. This makes tar sands development - and the consquences - everyone's concern.
The tar sands are projected to reach emissions of 140 million tonnes a year - more than the current level of Belgium. This is why 16 of our activists occupied the Shell upgrader expansion site for 24 hours - through cold and rain - to send the message that the tar sands must be stopped.
12pm local time
9:30pm local time
Shell security gather below activists as they ready themselves to stay overnight.
7pm local time
It's raining up here and it's cold, but we're all excited to hear that we blocked work on the site! We heard that they had meant to run a test that takes weeks to plan and we shut it down!
6:30 local time
Activists have been occupying the construction site of a Shell tar sands upgrader facility for 12 hours. Shell has made comments to the media that it would like to arrange a meeting with Greenpeace in order to resolve the situation - and there have been some critics accusing Greenpeace of not being willing to meet with Shell. Greenpeace is willing to meet with Shell representatives. In fact, Greenpeace and Shell have been meeting on and off for 15 years - but the climate doesn't have another 15 years to wait for companies like Shell to abandon deadly projects like tar sands development.
6:00pm local time
Up on the smokestack we are settling in to our tent - our friends on the other crane and stack aren't as lucky, but we are trying to keep each other going. Many workers have been really kind to us. One of us had his bag taken on the way in, but people returned his juice and jacket to him.
1:30pm local time
Activists make their own 'Stop the Tar Sands' banners inside the action.
12pm local time
Activists in good spirits now that operations have been halted at construction site for over four hours.
8am local time
Activists have successfully brought operations on the construction site to a halt.
4am local time
Greenpeace activists entered a construction site where a tar sands upgrader is being expanded. 13 activists are successfully blocking three smokestacks inside the expansion site and one of the construction cranes and settling in for long haul despite temperatures hovering around freezing point in early hours.
It's a busy time for #climateaction- at least, on the part of activists. On the part of policy-makers action on climate change is at a deadlock, as demonstrated at the Bangkok UN climate talks. At a time when decision-makers aren't making anything happen - activists are:
Yesterday a coal shipment was blocked in Svalbard in sub zero temperatures by Greenpeace activists. (70,000 tonnes of coal - to be exact.)
Greenpeace ship the Arctic Sunrise joined the activists in Svalbard after completing a three month tour of the Arctic, researching the impacts of climate change in that region. The results of that trip show - more than ever - that we need those willing to take real action to step up and lead on climate change.
Today activists are once again bringing attention to global climate crime - and taking climate action in the tar sands. The tar sands are the largest energy project on the planet, and the largest capital investment project on the planet - meaning that investors and companies from all over the world are involved in fueling this high-energy, emission-heavy source of unconventional oil. Its total emissions will soon surpass those of entire countries - meaning their continued development threatens the effectiveness of the global climate action we need to happen this year at the UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen. That's why we need to Stop the Tar Sands. [Get more facts on the tar sands by reading Greenpeace Canada's latest report: 'Dirty Oil: How the tar sands are fueling the global climate crisis']
Previous Greenpeace actions in the tar sands have stopped open pit mining operations at Shell's Albian mine, shut down a conveyor belt at a Suncor facility, and now we are occupying the third stage in tar sands extraction and processing - an upgrader facility. (Upgraders are one step in the energy intensive process that takes the tar-like bitumen and turns it into dirty oil.)
See latest above, more updates as they come in
Learn more, watch the action unfold live and support our campaign to Stop the Tar Sands. Spread the word - tweet your support, or share our updates on Facebook.
Comments
Hang in there guys and gals. Looks like it takes a lot of stamina to make a media event!
Posted by: Ken Christenson | October 3, 2009 10:18 PM
Hanging there guys.. I'm still following u over twitter under @Romansaceria.. Keep the news update, coz I'm still update my status on FB with your news, so all my friend can know what happen there. U all do a great work! I wish I could be there with u guys!!
Posted by: yoga asattha | October 4, 2009 1:35 AM
Pls. hang in there for us who understand what we are fighting for and for those who don't. We are in the same world after all.
Posted by: mary angelica reginaldo | October 4, 2009 1:40 AM
Yessss.... Very well done!!! In spite of hardship in the face of every form of adversity you are leading the way in highlighting the urgency of this situation. Take good care of yourselves as you play out this intrepid action.
Posted by: Julian Wilcox | October 4, 2009 2:01 AM
Hey everyone,
i just want to let you all know how much I admire you guys. We hear that it's cold and rainy, but your spirits are bright and just! Bless all of you, stay safe, and hoping for the best here in the U.S.
- Christine
Posted by: Christine F | October 4, 2009 2:07 AM
Bravissimi!!
Posted by: Silvia | October 4, 2009 2:07 AM
Hang in there! I'm following you and sending my blessings! U all do a great work. It's good to know that there are people like you fighting for all of us!
Posted by: Sandra | October 4, 2009 2:10 AM
Keep up the great work guys and gurls..and keep putting up new pictures..I love what you guys are doing and I wish that one day I can join you guys. Keep safe and God Bless all of you..
Posted by: Atriano Augustus Fatiaki. | October 4, 2009 2:12 AM
Hi all, hope you are all feeling well and in good spirit, best of wishes from all the surport here in ireland, keep up the good work, ps i wish i could be there. keep on going going going, peace and love to all xxx
Posted by: Stephen oll | October 4, 2009 2:41 AM
You are doing amazing, courageous work my friends. Many, many are with you. Sending you lots of moral support from the west coast. With pride and gratitude to you all, my colleagues. - Eduardo
Posted by: Eduardo Sousa | October 4, 2009 2:50 AM
Hello fellow earthlings,
I truly admire what you are doing. Thank you!
Thanks for being the hard core that no-one can just ignore.
My utter respect and love,
Janine XxX
Posted by: Janine | October 4, 2009 3:12 AM
amazing work you all are doing! stay strong and stay safe. you are making a difference!
Posted by: brandy | October 4, 2009 3:34 AM
Nobody said it was going to be easy doing the right thing..
Best of luck to you all
Posted by: Anonymous | October 4, 2009 3:51 AM
Truly lovely, thank-you for doing what I cant, my son thanks you, and of course our mother. Stay strong, and know that many thoughts are with you.
Posted by: Kristen | October 4, 2009 4:17 AM
Thank you, brave activists!
Posted by: Angela | October 4, 2009 4:22 AM
Hi there!!
You are wonderful people and I admire you!
What you are doing is courageous and useful to all of us.
Hang in there, and stay safe!
Thank you!!
Posted by: Pagona Parasyri | October 4, 2009 6:00 AM
I am a middle class woman approaching 50 who was brought up to totally disapprove of direct action. All I can say is - keep it up guys, I think you are amazing!
Posted by: Gill Brown | October 4, 2009 8:59 AM
The international politics on Climate Change definitely has a lack of emotional tention. Greenpeace creates this and brings movement into the debate. Thank you, dear activists, and hold on!!!
Posted by: Martin | October 4, 2009 11:07 AM
You guys are amazing! Thank you all...
Posted by: Leonardo La Malfa | October 4, 2009 11:42 AM
semoga bumi kita dapat selamat dan manusia dapat hilangkan ke egoisannya..
I love Earth..
Posted by: gasyudha satria putra | October 4, 2009 1:28 PM
Great work climate activists, good to see that your out there making a big change! keep up the good work.
Posted by: Indie | October 4, 2009 2:02 PM
Sooo, question here.
I am all good with the raising of awareness to global warming. If that is the case,
But since when does greenpeace support terrorist organizations, as well as assume terrorist roles in protest?
I mean canada is a politically stable - friendly nation. So by the protestors taking this stance - arent they just going to force the usa to purchase more oil from politically unstable countries ? Perhaps former terrorist nations ?
An we all know that greenpeace doesnt go to unstable nations - like iraq russia or china.
So really at the end of the day what did you accomplish ?
Posted by: Bitumen Barney | October 4, 2009 2:55 PM
@Bitumen Barney
Greenpeace's actions are based on the principals of non-violent direct action - and our most recent action at Shell's expansion facility followed these principals as well. Taking direct action is necessary in 'stable' and 'unstable' countries alike - history has shown us that direct action can bring about progress and change. Also, we have worked in all three of the countries you mentioned - - Iraq, Russia and China - and have offices in the last two.
Our aim is not to force the US to buy oil from politically unstable countries. Our aim is to expose tar sands development for what it is - a global climate crime that our world leaders cannot continue to allow and to show that there are green solutions.
Posted by: Laura@GPI | October 4, 2009 6:43 PM
you r making no fu...ing diffrenece...your work will do nothinG! there was there is and there will be Oil Sands and all kind of polution.
If you guys are so against polution and all that stuff.. why do you use Planes to fly in...cars to move... stoves frige..etc.. ? live without it if you are realy against it.!
Posted by: Igor | October 4, 2009 8:09 PM
anyone who stands behind or is involved with this better be living totally green lives. if you so much as use a vehicle or pollute in any way, you're a #@*%ing hipocrite! You dont have a right to complain against anything here. This board should be empty without many comments at all. The very thing that you're protesting against, most of you are using anyways. Just like the vehicles used for the protestors to get where they are now. Boats, planes, trucks, etc. I doubt anyone here that is protesting or supporting this, lives a total enviro-friendly life. I could break into your homes and hold you hostage much like the way to protestors act, and pick out everything that you own that isnt enviro-friendly. I bet you all have one or more pieces of material or something that pollutes in some way that doesnt go with the eco friendly program that you all are fighting so hard for. grow up you bunch of hipocrites. media stunts just make you look like a bunch of immature adolescents that have no respect for the law or anyone as a person or a business.
Posted by: oil baron | October 5, 2009 7:00 PM
Green peace uses actions as a way to enlighten the general public on the issues and to show the companies etc that they and thousands of other people do not agree with what they are doing. You would be correct in assuming that everybody is not perfect I thought that was a givin even us greenies make mistakes the difference between you and I my friend is that I do my best to make positive changes I do not expect you to get rid of your fridge but I do encourage you to use a green power company that is the type of change I mean.
I wouldn't call green peace hypocrytes I'd say they are part of the solution not part of the problem.
There is alot of respect for people and businesses the thiing is the businesses green peace actions against have no respect for you me or the planet that we need to survive.
Peace homes.
Posted by: Jo | October 11, 2009 1:49 AM
grt job guys... just hang on.!!!
Posted by: arpan ray | November 21, 2009 1:37 PM
Good work bringin light to this issue. As a Canadian I think it's shameful that we let ourselves cause such damage for greed. As for teling foreign nationals to mind their busines; it is their business! They are citizens of this work as well.
Posted by: Debbie | November 22, 2009 5:48 AM