Have NONE Of These People Ever Heard Of "Cause And Effect"!?

[filkertom]

huskiebear pointed out this news story, by way of the highly spiff Xoverboard:

Rising global temperatures will melt areas of the Arctic this century, making them more accessible for oil and natural gas drilling, a report prepared by the United States and seven other nations said on Monday.

It predicts that over the next 100 years, global warming could increase Arctic annual average temperatures 5 to 9 degrees Fahrenheit over land and by up to 13 degrees over water. Warmer temperatures could raise global sea levels by as much as 3 feet.

Such a change would threaten coastal cities, change growing patterns for vegetation and destroy habitats for some wildlife, but an energy-starved world would have new areas for oil and gas exploration, according to the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment report.

[snip]

Warmer temperatures would make it easier to drill and ship oil from the Arctic, the report said. It did not attempt to quantify the costs of drilling and shipping Arctic oil and gas, or estimate how high energy prices would have to be to justify drilling in the region.

"Offshore oil exploration and production are likely to benefit from less extensive and thinner sea ice, although equipment will have to be designed to withstand increased wave forces and ice movement," the report said.

[snip]

"The thawing of permafrost, on which buildings, pipelines, airfields and coastal installations supporting oil and gas development are located, is very likely to adversely affect these structures and increase the cost of maintaining them," the report said.

So, rather than stop overheating the planet and developing new technologies which won't burn down the only nest we have, let's spend all that money trying to strengthen and expand the stuff that's burning down the nest.

Hell, breathing's for wusses, anyway.

Comments

What???!!!

[dubheach.livejournal.com]

Are they NUTS???!!!

Re: What???!!!

[smallship1.livejournal.com]

"Well, yes, where have you been all night?"

I mean, is anyone really surprised at this?

Re: What???!!!

[dubheach.livejournal.com]

Obviously with my head firmly the sand. I've been keeping up with how much it sucks to be female lately, and I knew they were screwing with the environment to some extent, but this is like playing russian roulette with a loaded gun.

Got aqualungs?

Re: What???!!!

[smallship1.livejournal.com]

Nope. Got lungs, but I suspect not for long.

I suppose one could see it as a triumph of looking on what in some specialised circles might be regarded as the bright side of a bad situation. or maybe they're all big Kevin Costner fans and want to prove that Waterworld was worth all that money as genuine prophecy...

Re: What???!!!

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

God, please, no. None of those cretins had heard of distillation. Most basic frickin' water purification technology in history, and they're on top of an ocean and bartering for water....

Re: What???!!!

[siliconshaman.livejournal.com]

What's more stupid about that film, if the ocean levels raised by that much, the seas would be diluted so much as to be drinkable anyway...

[siliconshaman.livejournal.com]

Okayyy...

either someone is desperate having been ordered to put a positive spin on this, or they really don't have a clue.

[admnaismith.livejournal.com]

Gee...these guys sound just like my HMO.

[figmo.livejournal.com]

Dubya just loves to exercise his drill....

[autumnreign.livejournal.com]

I continue to be shocked at the depth of human stupidity.

[catlin.livejournal.com]

After the last two elections, and all the crooked dealings we dealt with from both sides, it is hard to be shocked by it. I am rather shocked though that three of dubya's people have finally thought Rat, and fled the sinking ship. Not so distraught of course to be rid of Ashcroft, but it isn't like his replacement is any better.