Vettel’s T-shirt and helmet irritate Canadian minister

Sebastian Vettel, who has become increasingly active on climate protection and protesting the actions of industrial powers exacerbating global warming, sparked a sharp backlash in Canadian political circles.

Sonia Savage, energy secretary for Canada’s western province of Alberta, accused an Aston Martin driver of hypocrisy after he appeared in the paddock wearing a T-shirt that clearly stated the country was committing climate crimes.

It is on the territory of the province of Alberta that the world’s largest oil sands developments are located, so not only on the T-shirt, but also on the helmet of the four-time world champion, the call is clearly visible: “Stop the development of oil sands. ” And besides that, there’s another post that apparently hurt Savage the most: “Climate Crime Canada.”

“Over the years I have seen many examples of hypocrisy, but this one is already beyond all boundaries,” she said on social networks. – A driver of the Aston Martin team, which is funded by the Saudi company Aramco, complains about the development of oil sands.

Aramco produces more oil than any other company in the world. It is believed to have emitted more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than anyone else since 1965. Rather than demonizing oil sands extraction, a process that is already on its way to carbon neutrality, you could reduce your own carbon footprint. Do I have to switch from a Formula 1 car to a pedal car?

Vettel’s t-shirt and helmet, which he will be wearing during the Canadian race weekend, is not the first demonstration of his stance on environmental issues. His jersey, which he wore to the Miami Grand Prix paddock, read: “Miami 2060 – First Submarine Grand Prix – Act now or swim later.” It was clear that steadily rising sea levels threatened Miami and the entire Florida coast with flooding.

As for the development of oil sands in the Canadian province of Alberta, before Vettel, celebrities such as Hollywood stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Jane Fonda, as well as the legendary rock musician Neil Young, a native of Canada, took part in protests on the same issue.

After oil fields in Venezuela, Saudi Arabia and Iran, Alberta’s oil sands are the fourth largest in the world in terms of estimated natural hydrocarbon reserves.

Before the weekend in Montreal, Vettel said: “In my opinion, what is happening in Alberta is a crime, because they are cutting forests and destroying the ecology of these places for the sake of oil. The methods used there are causing irreparable damage to the environment.” nature.The amount of greenhouse gases emitted by Canada has increased since the beginning of these developments …

I believe that everyone is entitled to their own opinion. And personally I don’t agree with what’s happening. I assume you are aware that there are many scientific studies on this subject, the gist of which is that the hydrocarbon reserves have been depleted. In our time it is no longer possible to allow such developments to continue, they must come to an end.

I think it is necessary first of all to draw attention to what is happening. I think even in Canada a lot of people don’t know about it, let alone in other parts of the world, so I made this humble gesture.”