Oil companies and conservatives face growing backlash over carbon capture technology
A once-popular climate technology is now facing skepticism from conservative groups, who are attacking its effectiveness and safety.
Geoff Dembicki reports for DeSmog.
In short:
- Canada Proud, a right-wing group, is leading a campaign against carbon capture and storage (CCS), arguing that it poses environmental risks like groundwater contamination and earthquakes.
- The growing opposition includes figures like Jordan Peterson and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who question the cost-effectiveness and property rights issues associated with CCS projects.
- Rural communities in Alberta, traditionally not aligned with environmental activism, are also pushing back against major CCS projects due to concerns about safety and environmental impacts.
Key quote:
"Despite their claims, this is unproven technology with far-reaching implications into the future."
— Amil Shapka, No to CO2 Landowners Group
Why this matters:
A technology once viewed as a conservative-friendly solution to climate change is now caught in the crosshairs of conservative criticism. This shift is indicative of the evolving nature of climate politics in the United States, where traditional alliances are being upended and new coalitions are forming around the future of energy. Read more: Pennsylvania governor signs controversial carbon storage bill into law, paving the way for hydrogen hubs.
