Oil and gas are disastrous technologies that pollute the air, oceans land and are responsible for climate change. If we are to mitigate climate change, then these dirty fuels must stay in the ground instead of being extracted. However, the powerful energy lobby continue to try to tap dirtier and more expensive sources of fuel. They are now drilling in the Arctic and fracking shale oil and gas. Greenpeace is doing its best to fight back and to stand up for our environment, climate and communities.
It’s time to leave oil behind
We need to live in a world without oil. This is because its production causes damage to the environment, wildlife and people. When we use oil for transportation we are fuelling climate change, choking out cities and making people sick because of air pollution. The damage oil extraction causes gets worse as energy companies expand their search to include dirtier, costlier and riskier sources of the fuel such as Canada’s tar sands. The global oil companies are supported by billions of dollars in tax breaks and subsidies whilst polluting and profiting at our expense.
Drilling means spilling
It is no secret that wherever an oil company drills, oil spills and blowouts are simply a fact of life. Spill clean-up rates are terrible and when energy companies drill in the Arctic, the clean-up rate is even worse, producing unacceptable risk to a polar environment that until now has been pristine as well as the people who depend on it. It is no surprise that Greenpeace is strongly opposed to oil exploration in Arctic because of the threat posed to untouched ecosystems as well as the unique polar species supported such as polar bears.
Gas emissions and leaks fuel global warming
Just as is the case with oil, when we burn natural gas, the end result is greenhouse gas emissions which fuels climate change. The gas that escapes is also a big problem this is because natural gas is mainly made of methane which is a greenhouse gas that is just as bad as carbon dioxide. Leaks and releases take place throughout the entire natural gas supply chain. Whilst we cannot be certain how much natural gas is being released into the environment, where it is measured it would seem that leaks turn out to be much higher than government estimates.
What is Greenpeace doing?
Greenpeace is working hard globally to speed up the shift from dirty energy sources such as oil, gas and coal into renewable more climate friendly energy sources. The organisation is trying to advocate for the Arctic and is urging world leaders to put an end to offshore drilling in the Arctic once and for all. Greenpeace is blazing a trail towards a safer and more secure energy future. The agency has produced a number of reports which show how we can meet all our energy needs with 100 per cent renewable energy.
