Mining operations in the Athabasca oil sands. Image shows the Athabasca River about 600m from the tailings pond.
Image Credit: Wikipedia: NASA Earth Observatory photo, 2009
January 07, 2015 - 1:03 PM
A new study says most of Canada's oilsands will have to be left in the ground if the world gets serious about climate change.
The report, published in the journal Nature, says three-quarters of all Canada's oil reserves and 85 per cent of its oilsands can't be burned if the world wants to limit global warming.
The report also concludes that no country's Arctic energy resources can be developed if global temperature increases are to be kept under 2 C.
The report was written by researchers at University College London who calculated how much of their fossil fuel reserves each country will be able to develop.
Report author Christophe McGlade says he hopes the findings will help world leaders in climate talks to be held later this year in Paris.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2015