Insight and inspiration in turbulent times.
Indonesia’s pressures mount / Renewable energy is the key, says Kalam / Indian President seeks ‘Energy Independence’ / Taipei Times: Time to conserve energy / Chavez to Give Latin Countries Priority in Developing Heavy Oil / China Rationing Gasoline And Diesel Fuel / Gasoline stations jammed as fuel crisis deepens / China: Where has all the oil gone? IEA wonders
No gain, much pain – When energy bill comes due, we’re going to pay / Cleanpeace: Energy bill speeds nuclear proliferation, stifles competition and threatens national security / Holes in the Energy Law / In new energy crisis, Bush rewards cronies / Energy bill roils port policy / Energy Vacation [animated cartoon] / Passage of energy bill highlights lack of united Democratic opposition / The Energy Bill’s Gift to Terrorists / Highway bill Legislation loaded with money for special projects / Road Bill Reflects the Power of Pork
Contemporary warfare has traditionally involved underlying conflicts regarding economics and resources. Today these intertwined conflicts also involve international currencies, and thus increased complexity. Current geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran extend beyond the publicly stated concerns regarding Iran’s nuclear intentions, and likely include a proposed Iranian “petroeuro” system for oil trade.
The Pentagon is discovering it’s not immune from the high gas prices that have overwhelmed taxpayers’ checkbooks and dampened summer
travel plans across the U.S.
Defense Dept. planners are now estimating fuel costs may add as much as $4 billion to what was already expected to bc a shortfall of nearly $6 billion in Fiscal 2007 and each year following. This nearly doubles the predicted annual deficit of about $10 billion.
Several recent developments — persistently high gasoline prices, unprecedented warnings from the Secretary of Energy and the major oil companies, China’s brief pursuit of the American Unocal Corporation — suggest that we are just about to enter the Twilight Era of Petroleum, a time of chronic energy shortages and economic stagnation as well as recurring crisis and conflict.
Jim Kunstler is a neo-con in despair. Many who are familiar with Kunstler’s work will find this statement surprising, perhaps even preposterous. But, in my view, it’s a perfectly logical inference, based on Kunstler’s recent work.
“It took us 125 years to use the first trillion barrels of oil,” notes Chevron Corporation’s two full-page ad that began appearing in July in the Wall Street Journal, the Economist, Financial Times and elsewhere. “We’ll use the next trillion in 30,” the ad continues, thus quietly admitting to the Peak Oil that the industry has not previously disclosed.
LA PAZ, Bolivia – For centuries, this country made it easy for prospectors to mine – from the Spaniards who plundered gold to the tin barons of the 19th century to the multinational energy companies that flocked here in the 1990’s to develop Latin America’s second-largest natural gas deposits. B like many energy-producing countries these days, Bolivia has pulled back the welcome mat. With an angry population demanding a larger share of the benefits, and some groups even calling for expropriation, the government recently raised royalties and taxes to among the highest levels in Latin America.
… But private warnings also point to a worsening long-term outlook, with Saudi officials saying that the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries will be unable to meet projected western demand in 10 to 15 years. …
Saudi Arabia pumps 9.5m b/d and has assured consumer countries that it could reach 12.5m b/d in 2009 and probably 15m b/d eventually. But a senior western energy official said: “They said it would be extremely difficult to move above that figure”.
Cuban President Fidel Castro warned Caribbean heads of state about an upcoming energy crisis and environmental problems caused by uncontrolled exploitation of natural resources and the “crazy waste” of oil-derived energy… “The crisis is more serious and deeper than imagined”, [he said].
As fossil fuels deplete, especially oil and natural gas, will we be able to maintain the solidarity and consent that make modern democracies so stable? Or will we each fall back on our competitive natures as we struggle for our share of dwindling resources.
Chavez’s oil initiative for the Caribbean /
Building roads won’t cure Africa’s poverty /
Saudi ambassador to U.S. resigns /
Dim outlook for energy bill /
U.S. to open energy office in China (s-l-o-w-l-y) /
Bidding war brewing over Unocal /
Mexico to reduce taxes on Pemex /
Mexico: the state, oil and silver /
Clearing smoke may trigger global warming rise /
Clues of climate and the Bible’s seven lean years /
Guardian special report on global warming /
One in six countries facing food shortage /
Los Alamos to Kyoto’s rescue /
China – “society of small peace/comfort/health”
