Humor me while I vent I know this is "preaching to the choir" but I am really tired of this ESG double standard when it comes to even treatment across ALL sectors , not just O&G . I am all for a cleaner , healthier planet but it seems this goal is lost in a wave of hatred for domestic O&G while mining/construction/power generation get a free pass .
Metal mining for EV battery elements are some of the biggest environmental and humanitarian violators in the world but not one word is ever mentioned about child labour or environmental impact . Mining uses acids left on leach pads or unregulated settling ponds containing toxic contents worse than any oil sand sites . Chile is having real trouble with Lithium mining , rivers and lakes are being drained for brine ponds but that water is never treated or returned to the system . That water evaporates and is gone forever leaving parched dry land the can't sustain farming or ranching anymore . What happens when they run out of water ?
Is an electric car more important than water ?
Where is the outrage .... where is the news coverage .... where are the tree huggers ? The tree huggers are paddling plastic kayaks to protest whatever project they're paid to boycott on that particular day and cbc is right there to video the entire event .
Whether its Uyghurs being exploited in China , child labour in African cobalt mines or Russian oil , western society continues to passively support these corrupt and illegal enterprises while hampering our own energy security . O&G revenues build schools , hospitals , highways , health care and the list goes on . Who wins by forcing a child to work for pennies in a cobalt mine ?
Is an EV more important than childhood ?
Nobody ever speaks of the carbon intensity of making concrete or more agregious , the carbon footprint of climate crusaders . Flying private jets to conferences politicians could do with a zoom call is a joke . COP conferences are nothing more than paid luxury vacations while you are told to drive less or turn down the thermostat .
Look how quickly Europe turned to "dirty" coal after becoming so dependant on Russian gas that even Donald Trump could see how vulnerable they were to Putin's mood swings . The UK (new) PM Liz Truss is the only politician to admit that past policy's have damaged energy security by not having any transition plan . Truss is encouraging O&G production through friendly legislation which north america seems unwilling to do . This obstructive environment here only ensures that production will remain flat at best and any real relief is years and another government away .
We're not talking about tobacco or booze , O&G is security , mobility , comfort , industry , power , food production ......... anyone in their right mind saying O&G is unnecessary or replacable doesn't have both oars in the water .