https://www.desmogblog.com/2019/11/26/american-petroleum-institute-natural-gas-fracking-ban-un-climate-goals
[links, video in online article]
Oil and Gas Industry Rebukes Fracking Ban Talk as UN Shows Just How Much
Fossil Fuel Plans Are Screwing Climate Limits
By Dana Drugmand • Tuesday, November 26, 2019
The American Petroleum Institute, the nation’s largest oil and gas trade
association, is promoting a new video touting domestic natural gas
production as essential to energy security. The video, titled “America’s
Energy Security: A Generation of Progress At Risk?” comes at a time when
calls for halting new fossil fuel production and infrastructure are
getting louder and coincided with the release of a United Nations report
highlighting the misalignment between global climate goals and
countries’ plans to develop fossil fuels.
API’s video is part of a broader strategic campaign by the oil and gas
industry to quash public support for a national ban on hydraulic
fracturing (fracking) and to promote itself as the “natural gas and oil
industry.” The lobbying group released its video last week to coincide
with the fifth Democratic presidential debate, saying, “some Democratic
presidential candidates are now proposing restrictive energy policies
that would erase a generation of American progress.”
New on the Blog: Every president since Jimmy Carter has talked
about the critical need to increase US oil and natural gas production.
The US energy revolution made that dream come true. So why do some talk
about throwing away all that's been gained? https://t.co/Xy5Xva3IAl
pic.twitter.com/lS8HASgFfT
— American Petroleum Institute (@APIenergy) November 22, 2019
Several leading Democratic presidential contenders have said they would
include a ban on fracking as part of their climate plan.
Elizabeth Warren has pledged to immediately end oil and gas leasing
offshore and on public lands, and also to “ban fracking — everywhere.”
Bernie Sanders includes a ban on fracking in his comprehensive climate
plan, and he repeatedly references via Twitter his commitment to ban
fracking. Kamala Harris said during a televised “Climate Town Hall” in
September that she would seek to ban fracking as well.
On my first day as president, I will sign an executive order that
puts a total moratorium on all new fossil fuel leases for drilling
offshore and on public lands. And I will ban fracking—everywhere.
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) September 6, 2019
Tying Domestic Oil and Gas to Patriotism
The fact that presidential candidates are even talking about a fracking
ban undoubtedly has the petroleum industry concerned, as the new API
video implies. The video features former presidents from both political
parties, from Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan to George W. Bush and
Barack Obama, declaring the importance of ending reliance on foreign oil
and speaking to progress in advancing domestic petroleum production.
The video, which also features patriotic images like the Statute of
Liberty and American flags, concludes with the message: “Support
America’s Energy Security. Oppose a Fracking Ban.”
Patriotic imagery is central to the branding and messaging of another
organization pushing gas industry talking points. That group, The
Empowerment Alliance (TEA), is a new dark money organization devoted to
“securing America’s energy independence” by singularly promoting natural
gas. TEA launched at the end of September and, like API, is gearing up
to push back against proposed climate policies and frameworks like the
Green New Deal and a fracking ban.
The oil and gas industry pushback comes at a time when momentum is
building in the U.S. and abroad towards serious climate action that
includes a just transition away from fossil fuels. In September on the
eve of the massive global climate strikes, over 400 activists sent a
letter to UN Secretary General António Guterres calling for a worldwide
ban on fracking.
The United Kingdom announced a temporary fracking ban in early November,
and on November 14 the European Investment Bank announced that it would
end financing for fossil fuel projects by 2021. In the U.S., California
Governor Gavin Newsom recently took a step towards banning fracking in
the state by announcing a moratorium on steam-injected drilling along
with stricter review and regulations on oil and gas extraction. And last
week, the greater Boston community of Brookline, Massachusetts, passed a
ban on oil and gas systems in new buildings and renovations, following
the lead of California communities that have passed similar measures.
The Gap Between Climate Ambitions and Fossil Fuel Plans
Also last week, on the same day API released its “energy security”
video, the United Nations Environment Program and other research
organizations published a new report that for the first time analyzes
the planned production of fossil fuels in the context of the Paris
Agreement goal to limit warming to 2.7º F (1.5°C) and well below 3.6°F
(2°C) above preindustrial levels. That report found a large “production
gap” between countries’ commitment to limit warming and their plans for
expanding coal, oil, and gas production.
“Moving away from fossil fuel production…is possible and increasingly
necessary to avoid dangerous climate change,” the report says. In other
words, significant fossil fuel–producing nations like the U.S. must
start curbing production to get in line with global climate commitments,
though earlier this month President Trump made official his intention to
withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Agreement. The UN is now saying that
banning fracking or imposing other fossil fuel supply-side policies is
necessary to confront the climate crisis.
Governments are planning to produce over 2X the amount of fossil
fuels than is compatible with #ParisAgreement goals - says new @UN
Environment report. We need more climate ambition. @UNEP #COP25Madrid
https://t.co/xpZfxbusHP
— UNDP Climate (@UNDPClimate) November 22, 2019
The oil and gas industry, meanwhile, seems intent on convincing the
American public and politicians that banning fracking is a terrible
idea, climate crisis aside. On November 14 API posted a commentary
claiming that a fracking ban would “devastate U.S. energy and the world
economy,” citing another recent article by a Manhattan Institute senior
fellow warning of a global recession should the U.S. ban fracking.
The Manhattan Institute is a recipient of fossil fuel funding and
regularly attacks clean energy and climate policies, attacks which
include making false claims about electric cars and calling the
Democratic presidential candidates’ climate plans “pure fantasy.”
Running the U.S. economy entirely on clean, renewable energy, the
Manhattan Institute claims, is “simply not possible given today’s
technology and basic physics.”
Contrast that with the assertion that it is entirely technologically
possible, as outlined by Stanford researcher Mark Z. Jacobson.
Furthermore, the claim that a fracking ban would cause a global
recession completely ignores warnings that the climate crisis (which
fracking worsens) literally threatens the global economy, according to
sources such as the World Economic Forum.
Echoes From Industry Promoters
Nevertheless, fossil fuel producers and their promoters continue
claiming that restraining oil and gas production is the real economic
threat. The Detroit News ran a recent op-ed under the headline “Banning
fracking would disrupt global economy.” The author of that op-ed,
Hillsdale College economics professor Gary Wolfram, has been affiliated
with notorious climate science–denying organization the Heartland
Institute, which has received funding from Koch Industries and
ExxonMobil. The Empowerment Alliance linked to Wolfram’s piece in the
“News” section of its website.
Republicans in Congress, recipients themselves of oil and gas cash, are
supporting the industry’s opposition to banning fracking. Several
Republicans have introduced resolutions prohibiting a unilateral
moratorium on fracking by a president. Democrats in the House already
blocked one of those resolutions, sponsored by Rep. Rob Bishop of Utah.
Senator Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania introduced a similar resolution in
the Senate. “Natural gas has been a game changer for our country and our
commonwealth,” Toomey said. “It is essential we push back on these ideas
that threaten the prosperity and security of Pennsylvanians and Americans.”
Today in Dauphin County I touted 2 measures designed to preserve
PA's natural gas industry. The 1st underscores that no president can
legally ban fracking on state/private lands. The 2nd aims to curb states
like NY's abuse of federal laws to thwart natural gas development.
pic.twitter.com/50aTrIcUxL
— Senator Pat Toomey (@SenToomey) November 8, 2019
As Sen. Toomey put it, “these ideas” like banning fracking may threaten
the oil and gas industry, but citizens are increasingly viewing reining
in the industry as essential to protecting their health and environment.
The coalition “Pennsylvanians Against Fracking” is advocating for a
fracking moratorium in Toomey’s home state, and last week the state,
following visits from families of rare cancer patients, announced nearly
$4 million in funding for studies on the health impacts of fracking.
In other states, including Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, and South
Carolina, a recent poll commissioned by Greenpeace found that two in
three voters in these early primary states, regardless of political
affiliation, support ending the production of fossil fuels.
API plans to target “key 2020 states” with a digital campaign promoting
its new energy security video, relaying the misleading message that
American oil and gas production is the only path to energy security,
ignoring the fact that 100 percent renewable energy, which over 100 U.S.
cities have already committed to, also creates energy security and
independence.
‘A Wind-down of Gas Production’
But as the UN’s new “Production Gap” report reiterates, unrestrained oil
and gas production is inconsistent with the world’s climate targets.
Current production plans result in 43 percent more oil and 47 percent
more gas in 2040 than would be consistent with a 2°C pathway, according
to the analysis.
And while the oil and gas industry likes to point to the role of natural
gas in reducing carbon emissions (while ignoring increases in
globe-warming methane emissions), the Production Gap report warns that
“the rapid rise in oil and gas production will push total U.S.
extraction-based CO2 emissions 40 percent above 2005 levels by 2025.”
“The time to begin planning for a wind-down of gas production is, as
with other fossil fuels, already upon us,” the report states.
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