Climate Change / Emissions

Oil Shale or Shale Oil?
A Case of Mistaken Identity

By Keith Kohl
Thursday, June 17th, 2010

There are few things in life that anger me more than one of my readers being swindled.

And you should be just as irritated, because it's your hard earned money that's at stake.

Now, you know that shale oil isn't new to us. We've been covering the development of shale deposits for years. And my readers and I know how well that's turned out investors.

When the shale rush began, it was impossible to pick a losing play. Of course, things are much different today. But I digress...

Communities for a Better Environment v. City of Richmond: climate change mitigation measures do not stand muster under CEQA
Alston & Bird LLP
Rebecca Harrington

USA
June 15 2010

Should bigger oil tankers really be in Vancouver?
By Peter Baker,
Special to The Province
June 17, 2010

Vancouver has been a major crude-oil export port for many years. Crude-oil exports last year hit four million metric tonnes, or about 29 million barrels, according to Metro Port Vancouver. Plans are now underway to increase those shipments this year.

So why has there been so little public discussion about this development? Is it wise for Vancouver, the economic engine of the entire province, to be a major crude-oil export port?

In Oil Spill Address, Obama Offers No Answers on Climate Bill
President Avoids Mention of Climate Change or Carbon Cap
By Aaron Wiener 6/16/10 12:00 AM

In his speech to the nation from the Oval Office Tuesday night, President Obama laid out a three-step plan to mitigate the damage from the BP oil spill and compensate affected residents along the Gulf Coast.

Rethinking Alberta's energy sector

Oilsands and emissions are key issues in report from a think-tank funded by BlackBerry billionaire Jim Balsillie

By Deborah Yedlin, Canwest News Service June 16, 2010

There are a number of interesting, if not controversial, assumptions made in a study released last week by the Canadian International Council, the think-tank funded by Research In Motion billionaire Jim Balsillie.

Liberal MP accuses government of stalling release of oilsands report

By Laura Stone, Canwest News Service
June 15, 2010

OTTAWA — A Liberal MP has accused the Conservative government of blocking the release of an environmental report that highlights the negative impact of the oilsands on Canada's freshwater supply, even as meetings to discuss the report are supposed to remain closed to the public.

A lot of people-- especially ENGO's from North America-- are systematically denying the possibility that we can do the organizing and politicking needed to build a movement that can *really* tackle climate change. The arguments are that the "political will" simply is not there. But what is never mentioned about this line of argument is that the needed will to get there, speaking planet wide, not only is "there" it is _already happening_.

Part One: Peak Oil Goes Mainstream

The Archdruid Report (June 09 2010)

Druid perspectives on nature, culture, and the future of industrial society

Longtime readers of this blog will recall that one of its central projects
early on was an attempt to deconstruct the most deeply entrenched set of
myths industrial culture uses to define the future. To borrow a phrase
from Carlos Castaneda, the myth of progress and the myth of apocalypse
were worthy opponents, and I hope the confrontation with them was as
educational, and occasionally entertaining, to my readers as it was to me.

Saskatchewan oilsands development could hurt environment: think-tank
By James Wood, Canwest News Service
June 13, 2010

REGINA — Developing Saskatchewan’s oilsands could harm the environment, a think-tank warns.

A fact sheet released by the Alberta Pembina Institute compares “in situ” extraction used for deep reserves of bitumen — like those found in Saskatchewan — and the surface mining used for shallower deposits.

U.S. emissions laws could backfire, Alberta minister warns

By Archie McLean, Canwest News Service June 14, 2010

EDMONTON — New low-carbon fuel standards proposed in the Northeastern U.S. could actually slow the greening of the oilsands, Alberta Environment Minister Rob Renner warned Monday.

“We need to make sure that whatever we do doesn’t have the unintended consequence (of discouraging further investment) into technology that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” Renner said from Boston, where he was attending an energy forum.