On Mother Earth Day, Sunday April 22, 2012, the Occupy Vancouver Environmental Justice Group and the Council of Canadians Vancouver-Burnaby Chapter held a forum called Climate Crimes OR Real Solutions? Fracking, Tar Sands, Pipelines, Tankers

Ben Parfitt and Tria Donaldson discussed how fracking (hydraulic fracturing) for natural gas is connected to the Tar Sands, and why both should be considered climate crimes. Eric Doherty then outlined the system change needed to get off Tar Sands oil; the systemic solutions the 1% and Big Oil and Gas don’t want us to talk about.

Ben Parfitt is the resource policy analyst with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives — BC Office. He is the author of the Climate Justice Project report Fracking Up Our Water, Hydro Power and Climate: BC’s reckless pursuit of shale gas.

Tria Donaldson is a youth Indigenous activist with a strong focus on climate justice. She has been involved with the goBeyond project, the Sierra Youth Coalition, and the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition.

Eric Doherty is a transportation planner and environmental consultant. He co-authored the Climate Justice Project report Transportation Transformation: Building Complete Communities and a Zero-Emission Transportation System.

Organized by the Council of Canadians Vancouver-Burnaby Chapter and the Occupy Vancouver Environmental Justice Group

System Change Not Climate Change!

Camera: Denise Default