Today from the New York Times, we have yet another argument for the Keystone XL pipeline that makes no sense:
The long-awaited environmental impact statement on the [Keystone] project concludes that approval or denial of the pipeline, which would carry 830,000 barrels of oil a day from Alberta to the Gulf Coast, is unlikely to prompt oil companies to change the rate of their extraction of carbon-heavy tar sands oil, a State Department official said. Either way, the tar sands oil, which produces significantly more planet-warming carbon pollution than standard methods of drilling, is coming out of the ground, the report says.
The article goes on to say that Obama will likely approve the pipeline because it meets his stated standard of having no impact on carbon emissions. Not that the extracted oil is not environmentally harmful. No, of course it is, but the harmful oil will be extacted anyway, so we might as well get a cut.
Really? This passes for logic these days? This is the same as saying we should stay in Afganistan and keep killing Afghans because, after all, if we don't kill them someone else will.
Arguments don't get any more ridiculous than that. The only way carbon emissions are controlled is if someone, anyone, shows leadership in the matter. That means one of the major economic powers in the world has to say no to oil, even at personal financial cost, to demonstrate a commitment. More than likely that nation will have to be the United States.
Look at it this way. As the world's largest economy, and the largest gross emitter of carbon, the U.S. lends an easy excuse to any nation that wants to do something about climate change. What is the point, Japan or Germany or China or India or Italy might ask, in spending money to reduce emissions if the U.S. continues to pollute?
Good question. One with no answer.
This is an easy one. The Keystone pipeline would only provide for a fraction of America's energy needs. Most of the money to be made will go to Canada, who is selling the oil in the first place. There isn't a lot of sacrifice here. But saying no to Big Oil would mean much.