Presidential Candidates Seen Ignoring Consequences of Global Oil Depletion

October 31, 2004

Results of month-long survey of EV World readers

(PRWEB) November 1, 2004 — During months of often bitter campaigning, the U.S. presidential candidates have focused on many issues, but one that has gotten little if any attention is the problem of oil depletion, often referred to as “peak oil”; the point at which global demand for petroleum exceeds our ability to extract it. While the precise timing of peak oil is still a matter of conjecture and occasionally contentious debate, few experts question that it will occur sometime during the first half of this century. The consequences of this event economically and politically will be profound and potentially highly disruptive.

So, during the month of October, EV World asked its readers, “Do you believe the U.S. presidential candidates are giving sufficient attention to the problem of peak oil and how they will address it in the next four years”?

Our readers responded overwhelmingly in the negative. Of the 1,470 who participated in the poll, 1280 replied “No”. That’s 87%. Only 148 (10%) answered, “Yes” and 42 ( 3%) indicated that they didn’t know. This clearly suggests that among EV World readers, there is a strong perception that not only is peak oil a significant future event but also that neither presidential candidate is giving it sufficient public attention.

While the results of EV World (www.evworld.com) surveys are not considered scientific and reflect the personal views of readers who are interested in electric-drive and other alternative fuel vehicle technologies, they do suggest that among this group, the major presidential candidates are perceived to be ignoring the peak oil phenomenon and its consequences.

ABOUT EV WORLD
Published weekly online since 1998, EV World features original content on a wide range of topics related to advanced, alternative fuel technologies from the latest in battery, hybrid-electric and fuel cell vehicles to renewable energy progress and policy. The publication has interviewed such notables as General Wesley Clark, former CIA director James Woolsey and “The Hype About Hydrogen” author Joseph Romm. Interviews are available in text and MP3 audio format. EV refers to “electric vehicle.”

While premium content is available to subscribers only, much of the site, including daily news updates and archived interviews and feature stories, are available free to all readers. EV World conducts reader polls each month, with this month’s question being, “If it were available in your community, would you be interested in owning or leasing a MDI Air Car, which is powered by compressed air”?


Tags: Energy Policy, Fossil Fuels, Oil