oil drilling
Tribal plan aims to phase out Everglades oil drilling
The Miccosukee Tribe has put forth a plan to halt oil drilling in the Everglades' Big Cypress National Preserve, which they hold sacred.
In short:
- Miccosukee Tribe and WildLandscapes International aim to end oil drilling in Big Cypress by negotiating mineral rights with the Collier family, who owns most of the mineral rights in the preserve.
- The proposed deal may halt expansion plans by a Texas company and includes a multi-phase approach to relinquish rights to federal government in about 465,000 acres.
- Despite minimal oil production, environmental concerns persist over drilling impacts on the Everglades ecosystem and water sources.
Key quote:
“We have a lot of ceremonial grounds that have been in Big Cypress National Preserve, burial grounds, places where we gather our traditional medicine. So just seeing that sort of damage in a place that really matters to us a lot, it’s sad to see it.”
— Talbert Cypress, chairman of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida.
Why this matters:
The Everglades, a vital ecosystem and water source, face threats from climate change and urban development.Further oil exploration might imperil both environmental sustainability and the cultural heritage of the Miccosukee Tribe.
Listen: Amid the hustle and bustle of an otherwise popular and populated part of the U.S. Southern peninsula, the Everglades sits as a peaceful wetland haven for tropical plants and animals.
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Image by drpepperscott230 from Pixabay
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Ecuadorians reject oil drilling in the Amazon, ending operations in protected area
The Associated Press reports that Ecuadorians voted against drilling for oil in a protected area of the Amazon, an important decision that will require the state oil company to end its operations in a region that’s home to two uncontacted tribes and is a hotspot of biodiversity.
In a nutshell:
Home to the Tagaeri and Taromenani tribes, Yasuni National Park was designated a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1989, spanning over 1 million hectares and boasting an impressive variety of wildlife. Despite President Guillermo Lasso's endorsement of oil exploration, over 60% of Ecuadorians have rejected drilling in Block 43 within Yasuni, posing a challenge to his administration. This outcome forces Petroecuador to dismantle its operations in the near future. The referendum coincided with the presidential election amid the backdrop of political unrest following the assassination of anti-corruption candidate Fernando Villavicencio and growing instability in Ecuador linked to organized crime and drug trafficking.
Key quote:
“Ecuadorians have come together for this cause to provide a life opportunity for our Indigenous brothers and sisters and also to show the entire world, amidst these challenging times of climate change, that we stand in support of the rainforest,” Nemo Guiquita, a leader of the Waorani tribe, told the AP -- noting, however, that many other areas outside of Block 43 remain unprotected.
The big picture:
As Inside Climate News reported recently, a growing movement of civil society groups and Indigenous activists is applying pressure to phase out fossil fuel extraction in the Amazon, which has led to hundreds of spills and proven devastating to environmental and human health. When leaders of the eight Amazon nations met in Brazil earlier this month for a summit on deforestation, campaigners made their presence known, demanding that Indigenous rights to be respected and an end to drilling.
Exposure to pollutants and chemicals associated with oil extraction -- including arsenic, mercury and cadmium -- can lead to respiratory issues, skin disorders and other health complications among isolated communities such as the Tagaeri and Taromenani tribes. Furthermore, the disruption of their traditional way of life, access to clean water sources, and medicinal plants jeopardizes overall physical and mental health as Indigenous people grapple with the enduring impacts of industrial encroachment on their territories.
Review the full article from the Associated Press.
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Image by blackend464 from Pixabay
A growing movement looks to end oil drilling in the Amazon
When leaders of eight Amazon nations gathered recently in Brazil for a summit on deforestation, they also played host to a growing movement by civil society groups to phase out oil and gas development within the world’s largest tropical rainforest. Reported by Nicholas Kusnetz for Inside Climate News.
In a nutshell:
As oil companies and governments aim to counter declining production, they've sought to expand drilling in the region, with existing or planned development covering vast swaths of undisturbed forest. Indigenous groups and activists are leveraging recent events, such as Colombian President Petro's call to phase out Amazon oil development and Brazil's environmental agency blocking offshore drilling, to oppose this expansion. The focus of the movement is on Indigenous rights and the Amazon's crucial role in the global climate, which has prompted calls for a "fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty" to halt production in the region. The outcome of Ecuador's upcoming referendum on halting oil field development within a national park will play a pivotal role in this movement, as activists and Indigenous leaders work to protect the Amazon and shift toward a bioeconomy for sustainable development.
Key quote:
The big picture:
Indigenous communities residing in the Amazon face an array of health consequences due to the combined effects of oil and gas development and rampant deforestation. Toxic emissions from oil drilling and the destruction of vast forested areas contribute to respiratory illnesses, skin disorders, and infections among the Indigenous population, while contamination of water sources jeopardizes their access to clean drinking water, leading to waterborne diseases that further endanger their well-being.
Read the article at Inside Climate News.
If put under the kind of environmental stress increasingly seen on our planet, large ecosystems —such as the Amazon rainforest or the Caribbean coral reefs—could collapse in just a few decades, reports Brian Bienkowski.
Image by Keri Jackson from Pixabay
Here’s the truth about Sunak’s plans for the North Sea: he will sell out the planet to the dirtiest bidders
Despite grave new warnings about the depth of the climate crisis, plutocrats are fighting to keep their profits – and Rishi Sunak is with them, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot
In a nutshell:
As environmental scientists and activists fight for the survival of the planet, the fossil fuel and other polluting industries are fiercely battling for their economic interests. Political leaders, like Rishi Sunak in the UK and Donald Trump in the US are making decisions that prioritize short-term economic gains over the urgent need to address climate breakdown. The consequences of these choices could lead to disastrous effects, from the collapse of crucial ocean currents to severe disruptions in global weather patterns and food production. The pollution paradox, where damaging companies wield significant political influence, perpetuates this dangerous course of action, putting the future of humanity at risk.
Key quote:
"The most damaging companies have the greatest incentive to invest money in politics (by making donations to political parties, funding lobbyists and junktanks, hiring troll farms and microtargeters and all the other overt or covert techniques). So politics, in our money-driven system, comes to be dominated by the most damaging companies" writes George Monbiot.
The big picture:
Burning fossil fuels releases harmful pollutants and greenhouse gases, contributing to air pollution, respiratory illnesses, and climate change. The resulting smog and fine particulate matter can lead to heart and lung diseases, while the escalating climate crisis threatens to exacerbate extreme weather events and disrupt ecosystems, impacting food security and public health on a global scale.
Read Monbiot's full commentary at The Guardian.
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Photo by WORKSITE Ltd. on Unsplash
British government signals support for oil and gas industry
With a general election expected next year, the government said it would issue new licenses for energy exploration in the North Sea.
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