On the fifth anniversary of the Iraq war, a new report from Oil Change International, entitled A Climate of War (pdf) quantifies both the greenhouse gas emissions of the Iraq War and the opportunity costs involved in fighting war rather than climate change. Here are some facts on the war and warming: Projected total US … Read More
Month: March 2008
Court Backs Chávez in Row with Exxon
President Hugo Chávez has scored a significant victory over Exxon Mobil when a British court lifted a $12bn freeze on Venezuelan assets and sided with his administration against the oil giant. The ruling backed Venezuela’s government in a row with the US multinational over an oil field in the Orinoco, a decision which could embolden … Read More
Can Canadians Square a Green Circle?
Despite gloomy media reports and warnings about a recession, the environment remains the No. 1 priority of Canadians ahead of both jobs and the economy, according to a new survey. When asked “what is the most important problem facing Canada today,” 20 per cent of respondents said the environment, followed by 14 per cent who … Read More
Oil Shale: “Many aspects of our lives would be jeopardized”
Oil shale development in the Western US moves a little closer. The Bureau of Land Management released a draft plan last December to mine the oil locked in rocks on federal land Colorado, Utah and Wyoming and gave the public 90 days to comment. Although government officials in western Colorado and eight water companies asking … Read More
Shell’s Oil Sands Squeezed by Rising Costs
Shell’s Canadian oil sands business is suffering a profitability squeeze because of the soaring cost of energy needed to extract bitumen from sand. The oil company’s annual report reveals that operating expenses at the Athabasca Oil Sands Project in Alberta have soared by almost 50 per cent in the two years since 2005, while output … Read More
UK Government Loses Credibility on Climate
The British government is in “danger of losing credibility on climate change” because more than half of all its departments are failing to reduce their carbon emissions enough to reach levels that the nation as a whole is expected to meet. Apart from the Ministry of Defence, which only reduced its emissions because of a … Read More
Ship’s Captain Charged Over Bay Area Spill
The pilot of a ship that spilt 58,000 gallons of oil into San Francisco Bay killing some 2000 birds in November 2007 has been charged with criminal negligence. John Cota, who was also charged with breaking environmental laws, faces 18 months in jail and up to $100,000 in fines if convicted.
Glaciers Melting at Fastest Rate for 5,000 Years
The world’s glaciers are melting faster than at any time since records began, threatening catastrophe for hundreds of millions of people and their eco-systems. The details are revealed in the latest report from the World Glacier Monitoring Service and will add to growing alarm about the rise in sea levels and increased instances of flooding, … Read More
Give Us More Oil Pleads Cheney
His boss may have tried it and failed but now its Dick Cheney, the US vice-president’s turn. He is expected to urge Saudi Arabia to increase oil production during his tour of the Middle East that begins today. Mr Bush spent two evenings with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia during his January trip. But his … Read More
Shell Slashes Reserves Estimates (Again!)
Shell has ongoing problems with its oil reserves, with the oil giant once again having to slash its reserve figures from last year by more than half. This takes about 1.3 billion barrels of oil off its books, equivalent to about a year’s production. The company is expected to take at least 200 million barrels … Read More