I've found our oil. Don't need to worry anymore...
Hello TODers,
Speaking of back to the future...
abc.net.au
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The world's biggest meeting of Antarctic scientists has heard trees could be growing on the continent within a century.
More than 850 delegates are in Hobart this week for the combined meetings of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research and the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs.
US Professor Robert Dunbar, from Stanford University, says it is likely that carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are set to double in the next century or two.
The last time levels were that high was about 20 million years ago.
Professor Dunbar says Antarctica could return to how it looked then.
"There were trees, there were bushes, there were fields of grass," he said.
"In fact, the evidence of pollen fossils is that much of Antarctica was vegetated and these were plants that were able to adapt to periods of darkness.
"But the key is that it wasn't cold enough to freeze water."
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...And Antarctica could be the new frontier:
abc.net.au
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Oil expert says industry might use Antarctica
An international oil industry expert who says global oil supply has reached its production peak has warned places like Antarctica may not be safe from oil exploration.
Dr Ali Samsam Bakhtiari has given evidence to a Senate committee about his calculations that crude oil demand will out-strip supply within five or six years.
He says one polar region in the Antarctic is already close to being exploited.
"I hope that the oil industry will not go into Antarctica but when the price will be $200 or $300 per barrel, then anything can happen," he said.
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My question is how did they geologically investigate this prospect? Did some of our subs covertly map offshore areas with high power sonar? Or did the oil companies investigate gravimetric data from environmental research satellites--would that be highly ironic? My guess is this first area is offshore, but there are a few land areas devoid of snow and ice--unless the oil cos. have figured how to drill on a moving glacier.
Bob Shaw in Phx,Az Are Humans Smarter than Yeast?
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Nick Rouse on Wednesday July 12, 2006 at 5:52 AM EST
The 1991 Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, also known as the Madrid Protocol, entered into force in 1998 and serves as a mechanism for ensuring the protection of the Antarctic environment. The Madrid Protocol goes further than the original treaty as it designates Antarctica as a natural reserve devoted to peace and science and places a moratorium on mining and drilling for oil for a minimum of 50 years. The Protocol sets forth basic principles and detailed, mandatory rules which apply to all human activities in Antarctica.
Is this another international treaty that will be bent or Ignored by America and probably others? |
