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This backgrounder provides an overview of how oilsands production and expansion contributes to greenhouse gas pollution and climate change, focusing on six key issues:

• Average oilsands production is significantly more greenhouse gas-intensive than conventional oil production.
• Oilsands are the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada.
• Alberta’s greenhouse gas regulations do not result in meaningful reductions in emissions from oilsands operations.
• Large-scale carbon capture and storage for oilsands emissions is unlikely due to high capital cost and lack of regulatory driver.
• Oilsands expansion is a significant barrier to Canada meeting its 2020 climate commitment.
• Rising greenhouse gas pollution from the oilsands is at odds with Canada’s international climate change commitments and the global need to make deep reductions to emissions.