Albertans are also asking the same question and seem to be still confused and wondering “what is the truth?” According to the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) companies have been making tremendous strides in environmental protection.
Anti-oil-sands lobby groups refute, for example, a “fact sheet” released assert that greater emission of greenhouses per barrel produced.

The problem is that do you believe oil companies or lobby groups? Both sides need to educate the stakeholders and I have been keeping busy working on systems thinking models. Yet, sadly, we are left with little incentives to see improvements in our understanding because of the wealth it can create for investors.
Thanks for your timely and interesting systems thinking perspective.
Coim Janaki Raman