Well-known climate scientist James Hansen’s view gets trotted out again and again but he is probably right when he says that fully exploiting the Canadian tars sands will mean “game over” for the climate. There is just too much carbon that would be burnt in both the mining and use of tar sands oil.
Environmentalist Bill McKibben has kicked in with yet another commentary discussing the dilemma over the Keystone XL pipeline and why the government of President Barack Obama should in all good conscience block the pipeline.
Check out his commentary on the Democrats and the following piece – Is the Keystone XL Pipeline the “Stonewall” of the Climate Movement? And If So, Is That Terrible News?.
What is clear is that the Keystone XL pipeline has little to do with American energy independence and much more to do with fossil fuel company profits. If President Obama does sign in favor of the pipeline, it will be a reminder that multinational companies lord it over the U.S. government and both America and Canada pay more heed to foreign countries and companies, such as China, than they do to the dangers of climate change, the environment and the health of the people. Even if you discard the belief that exploitation of the tar sands will lead to serious climate change, it is hard to ignore the horrific environmental pollution and health problems in Alberta or that pipelines leak, again leading to serious environmental and health problems. Just ask residents in Mayflower, Arkansas, where ExxonMobil is cleaning up a recent oil spill.
The signs do not look good. At a recent fundraiser, Obama appeared to be hedging his bets, suggesting he was caught in a tricky dilemma.
What is clear, however, is that Obama has a penchant for symbolism and looking good, judging by the books he wrote even before he became president. And as McKibben asks, does he want his legacy to be tarred by a wrong decision? Or will he do the right thing and go on to write another book proclaiming he was the American president who turned the tide on his country’s approach to climate change?
The clock is ticking.
