Current oil price volatility is a symptom of the end of cheap oil, writes Nafeez Ahmed, and it's destablising the entire global economy. The answer is a major shift to renewables - but the the International Energy Agency, which should be leading the transition, is in the grip of nuclear and fossil fuel interests. Instead the leadership must come from us, the people!
… market madness is the death spasm of the oil age - renewables now! Nafeez Ahmed | 4th February 2015 News Energy Economics Oil Renewables Politics alberta-oil-sands-cut.jpg Current oil price volatility …
The global economic shake-down of low oil prices continues apace, writes Alexander Reid Ross, causing environmentalists to celebrate the collapse of dirty energy projects. But the oil price collapse is the manifestation of a multi-layered conflict being fought out on the political, military and ideological battlefields of the Middle East - and it may not last much longer.
… Oil prices and the devil's ransom Alexander Reid Ross | 15th January 2015 News Oil Energy Politics War Economics kuwait-oil-fire-cut.jpg The global economic …
The US's drive to become a top global oil and gas exporter by fracking has been blown wide open by a 96% write-down of California's Monterey Shale - meant to hold two thirds of the US's shale oil. How long before the whole enterprise is exposed as a monstrous Ponzi scheme?
… Dylan Murphy Jo Muphy | 19th June 2014 News Oil USA Fracking Politics shale-oil-cut.jpg The US's drive to become a top global oil and gas exporter by fracking has been …
Faced with climate change, economic doldrums and collapsing oil prices, the government has the perfect opportunity to put Britain on the right track, write Simon Bullock & Tony Bosworth - reduce our dependency on fossil fuels, and invest in renewables and efficiency. So what's it actually doing? The exact opposite.
… Fracking, the oil price crash, and the 'greenest government … Economics Politics Corporations Fracking Oil Gas oil-rig-irish-sea-cut.jpg An oil rig in the …
A wide-ranging academic study of civil wars in 69 countries from 1945 to 1999 finds that the likelihood of outside intervention increases when the country at war has large reserves of oil, and a potential intervener needs to secure oil imports on favourable terms to meet domestic demand.
… shows nations really do go to war over oil Petros Sekeris Vincenzo Bove | 4th March 2015 Comment Energy Oil War Science Politics … when the country at war has large reserves of oil, and a potential intervener needs to …
President Trump's recent executive order could open an area of America's most precious landscapes bigger than Yellowstone to oil drilling and coal mining, write Lawrence Carter & Joe Sandler Clarke. The 27 monuments 'under review' harbour huge volumes of oil, gas and coal: just what's needed to fuel Trump's vision of fossil fuel-led development - never mind the cost to scenery, wildlife, historic sites and indigenous cultures.
… order could open 2.7 million acres to oil, gas, coal Lawrence Carter Joe Sandler … | 12th May 2017 News USA Fossil Fuels Oil Gas Coal Climate Change Politics … landscapes bigger than Yellowstone to oil drilling and coal mining, write Lawrence …
Recent falls in oil prices give 'greens' cause to rethink arguments about 'peak oil' and get back to why they are really opposed to fossil fuels, writes Dr Steve Melia. Ultimately, it's not the economic evidence that drives government decisions - it's the politics!
… | 23rd December 2014 Comment Fossil Fuels Oil Transport Politics UK twyford-down-cut.jpg Recent falls in oil prices give 'greens' cause to rethink arguments about 'peak oil' and get back to why they are really …
A month-long blockade of the Rio Tigre deep in the Peruvian Amazon has secured promises of compensation and cleanup for Peru's Kichwa communities who have suffered 40 years of contaminated waters from oil drilling operations in their remote Amazon region. But until the funds materialize, they are holding firm in their resolve.
… for Peru's Kichwa People after 40 years of oil pollution David Hill | 10th February 2015 News Oil Pollution Peru South America Politics … suffered 40 years of contaminated waters from oil drilling operations in their remote Amazon …
The rights of nature and of indigenous communities are enshrined in Ecuador's constitution, writes Kevin Koenig. But down in the Amazon the government is going full speed ahead with oil extraction on indigenous territories whose owners are committed to keeping their forests and waters pollution-free. A mighty battle is brewing that looks certain to come to a head this year.
… Ecuador's next Amazon oil battle: Indigenous Peoples on the front … Amazon Watch | 4th April 2016 News Ecuador Oil Indigenous Peoples Politics Amazon Forests … the government is going full speed ahead with oil extraction on indigenous territories whose …
Ecuador is facing an unprecedented confrontation between a 'progressive' left-leaning government and a national coalition of indigenous peoples determined to stop vast oil and mining projects taking place on their community land and villages.
… declare 'national mobilization' against oil and mining David Dene | 24th May 2014 News Mining Ecuador Oil Indigenous Peoples Economics Politics … of indigenous peoples determined to stop vast oil and mining projects taking place on their …
Thanks to damage to coastal wetlands by the oil & gas industry, Louisiana is losing two acres to the sea an hour, writes Julie Dermansky. The companies are legally obliged to repair their damage - but they haven't and the cost has reached $50 billion. The answer? A Bill backed by the state governor to make them immune from lawsuits.
… New Orleans: oil & gas evading $50bn coastal restoration … Julie Dermansky | 5th September 2014 News USA Oil Fossil Fuels Oceans Law Politics … Thanks to damage to coastal wetlands by the oil & gas industry, Louisiana is losing two …
After a massive oil find in Syria's Golan Heights, occupied by Israel since 1967, Israel is asking President Obama to recognise its annexation of the territory, writes Jonathan Cook. To consolidate its hold, plans are afoot to quadruple Israeli settler numbers to 100,000.
… to annex Golan Heights after 'billion barrel' oil find Jonathan Cook Middle East Eye | 15th November 2015 News Middle East Energy Oil USA Politics Law wind-farm-golan-cut.jpg After a massive oil find in Syria's Golan Heights, occupied by …
Faced with the double crisis of global warming and the decimation of marine wildlife, what does the Obama administration do? Open up the US's Atlantic and Arctic Ocean seafronts to oil and gas drilling, write Ralph Nader & David Helvarg. But this assault on our climate and cetaceans can be stopped, as a 'Sea Party Rebellion' prepares to fight it all the way in forthcoming Presidential elections.
… Time to 'Get Oil Out!' from sea to shining sea Ralph Nader … 2015 Activism Oceans Cetaceans USA Energy Oil Gas Politics fin-whale-cut.jpg Faced with … US's Atlantic and Arctic Ocean seafronts to oil and gas drilling, write Ralph Nader & …
The indigenous Wampis people of the Peruvian Amazon have demanded the immediate closure of a Petroperú oil pipeline after a series of devastating spills, writes Vanessa Amaral-Rogers. The company has already been found guilty of 'negligence' after previous oil spills contaminated the Wampis land and rivers.
… Peru: Amazon tribe orders oil company out after devastating spills … Amaral-Rogers | 9th March 2016 News Peru Oil Politics Law Indigenous Peoples Amazon Water Pollution oilspillmayoriaga.jpeg The indigenous Wampis …
North America's environment campaigners face a fearsome enemy in the 'Big Club', writes Alexander Reid Ross - the nexus of fossil fuel and infrastructure corporations, government, militarized police, private security contractors, PR agencies, astroturf NGOs and quasi-judicial bodies. But the activists are winning key victories in their battle to halt the industrialization of Cascadia.
… Alexander Reid Ross | 2nd February 2015 News Oil Gas Fossil Fuels Energy Politics War USA … (COIN) that plunges a growing pipeline and oil train network through dissenting … But with militant labor strikes shocking the oil industry and blockades halting oil trains …
Shell claims a third party audit into its plans to drill for Arctic oil and gas has found 'no issues of significance', writes Joe Sandler Clarke. But the audit remains under wraps, and may never be released in full. Now Obama pledges his support for the project - just as it turns out that Shell selected the 'independent' auditor.
… | 27th May 2015 News USA Corporations Energy Oil Regulation Politics santa-barbara-oil-spill-cut.jpg Shell claims a third party … audit into its plans to drill for Arctic oil and gas has found 'no issues of …
The rainforest habitat of chimpanzees and other great apes is being destroyed by the expansion of palm oil projects in central Africa, according to new evidence from Greenpeace.
… Palm oil wiping out Africa's great ape rainforests … is being destroyed by the expansion of palm oil projects in central Africa, according to … the Chinese-owned Hevea Sud rubber and palm oil concession. The land was granted to the …
What was NATO's violent intervention in Libya really all about? Now we know, writes Ellen Brown, thanks to Hillary Clinton's recently published emails. It was to prevent the creation of an independent hard currency in Africa that would free the continent from economic bondage under the dollar, the IMF and the French African franc, shaking off the last heavy chains of colonial exploitation.
… Why Qaddafi had to go: African gold, oil and the challenge to monetary imperialism … with its own water, its own food, its own oil, its own money, and its own state-owned … 1. A desire to gain a greater share of Libya oil production, 2. Increase French influence …
Matt Adam Williams explains why yesterday's European Parliament vote will likely have environmentally negative impacts on the other side of the world.....
… across southeast Asia from conversion to oil palm, a crop that's used to produce … continue to pretend that biofuels like palm oil are less polluting than petrol or diesel. Palm oil is one of the worst offenders, grown in …
It's the fossil fuel industry's latest stroke of genius - a coal substitute that's cheaper, dirtier and more toxic than coal itself, writes Ben Whitford. The waste product of refining heavy oil from Canada's tar sands, petcoke is stored in open mountains around Chicago's 'Slag Valley', sending plumes of sticky black dust over poor neighborhoods every time the wind blows.
… News Fossil Fuel Cities Waste Pollution USA Oil Corporations Politics photo-anthony … Whitford. The waste product of refining heavy oil from Canada's tar sands, petcoke is stored … waste product left over from refining heavy oil into lighter, more sought-after fuel …
UK politicians and officials are studiously ignoring the growing evidence that fracking is an economic and environmental disaster, writes Paul Mobbs. As the circle of 'acceptable' view spins ever smaller, industry PR is dominating a phoney debate that's increasingly remote from reality, public opinion and core democratic principles.
… 2015 News Fracking UK Politics Energy Finance Oil Gas … of cards was being shaken by the fall in oil prices. Now Baker-Hughes, the US drilling … to the high decline rate of unconventional oil and gas wells, production will begin to …
There's a plan afoot in Yemen, writes Martha Mundy, but no one is telling you about it. It's a plan so big that a country of 20 million people has to be starved and bombed into total submission, yet the world is indifferent. Yes, its oil. Lots of oil, and gas too, and lakes of fossil water, all lurking beneath the desert sands of the Arabian peninsula. How do we know? Because they told us.
… flames, and the world is silent. Could it be oil? Martha Mundy | 25th September 2015 News … yet the world is indifferent. Yes, its oil. Lots of oil, and gas too, and lakes of fossil water, …
As Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy takes a strong lead in Burma's elections, Nafeez Ahmed warns that the military will remain the real power in the land. And as UK, EU, US, Chinese and Gulf state energy corporations compete to exploit Burma's hydrocarbons, don't expect them to denounce the ongoing genocide of the Rohingya, and anyone else in the way of their oil and gas infrastructure.
… Rohingya sacrificed in global scramble for oil and gas Nafeez Ahmed | 13th November 2015 News Burma Energy Oil Gas Indigenous Peoples Human Rights … Rohingya, and anyone else in the way of their oil and gas infrastructure. Burma's Muslim …
President-elect Trump's widely anticipated appointment of Exxon's CEO Rex Tillerson as new US Secretary of State is creating a government of, by, and for the oil and gas industry, writes Steve Horn.
… DeSmogBlog | 12th December 2016 News Politics Oil Gas Energy Climate Change USA … is creating a government of, by, and for the oil and gas industry, writes Steve Horn. … of his work as the head of one of the largest oil companies, he had contacts with our …