Exxon CEO: "If you want to live by the precautionary principle, then crawl up in a ball and live in a cave"

"The most important thing for people to understand about shale gas is it's just yet the next big resource opportunity for us," he says. "The world's economy has a voracious appetite for energy, so thank God we can do this."

"If you want to live by the precautionary principle, then crawl up in a ball and live in a cave."

Rex Tillerson, CEO of Exxon Mobil 

Exxon Mobil, America´s most profitable company, now produces as much natural gas as oil, and the share of shale gas is set to grow. The Chairman and CEO of Exxon, Rex Tillerson, a shale gas pioneer himself, knows what he is talking about:


Tillerson brushes aside environmental concerns as manageable and overblown. He regards the shale surge as unambiguously good news for the U.S. and the world, the latest triumph for an industry that periodically invents new ways to find and harness fossil fuels from the earth. "The most important thing for people to understand about shale gas is it's just yet the next big resource opportunity for us," he says. "The world's economy has a voracious appetite for energy, so thank God we can do this."
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Tillerson believes the discourse about shale has been hijacked and distorted. He says that Exxon is transparent about its practices and points out, for instance, that the company was an early proponent of disclosing the chemicals that it uses in fracking. He argues that shale drillers are being held to an unrealistic safety standard. "What's happened is the tables have been turned around now to where we have to prove it's not going to happen," he says. "Well, that is a very dangerous exchange to get into because where it leads you from a regulatory and policy standpoint is to govern by the precautionary principle. And the precautionary principle will absolutely undermine the economy." He adds, "If you want to live by the precautionary principle, then crawl up in a ball and live in a cave."

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Given Tillerson's long experience with fracking, it's perhaps not surprising that he takes criticism of shale drilling a bit personally. To him, the shale boom is a great example of the fundamental effectiveness of his industry -- the kind of achievement that always seems to be unappreciated. "We go through this every time we go to a new area to develop," he says. "It's just part of how society deals with having their energy needs met. What I find interesting about the U.S. relative to other countries is in most every other country where we operate, people really like us. And they're really glad we're there. And governments really like us. And it's not just Exxon Mobil. They admire our industry because of what we can do. They almost are in awe of what we're able to do. And in this country, you can flip it around 180 degrees. I don't understand why that is, but it just is."

Read the entire article here

One must only hope that the political decision makers understand the historic importance of the American led shale gas revolution. It is the best - and maybe only - hope for the US to regain its economic leadership role in the world.

Australia: "The signs of retreat on climate change are everywhere"

The Australian reports about the latest developments Down Under: 

WITH the political pendulum swinging in Australia, the signs of retreat on climate change are everywhere.

New Queensland Premier Campbell Newman says he will abolish seven schemes supporting renewable energy and energy efficiency. As well, he wants to pull $75 million out of a large-scale solar thermal project near Chinchilla, subject to legal advice about contractual obligations. Federal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson says that would require Canberra to reconsider its $464m contribution.

Campbell Newman is also a voice of sanity with regard to the Gillard 
government´s carbon tax: 

The carbon tax is the single biggest rolled gold example of Federal Labor not listening. The problem is this is going to cost families, it's going to cost jobs, it will drive investment offshore.

And in relation to the question on a High Court challenge I say this. If we get legal advice back in the coming days that says there is an opportunity albeit a small one to overturn this then if at least one other state will join us we're in.

We will challenge this if there is a possibility of overturning this bad tax. And I am doing that because I passionately believe it's the wrong thing to do for Australia to adopt this tax in this unilateral way. If everybody is in, and I have said this to the Prime Minister, if everyone across the world charging $10, $20 a tonne, we're in and I would support it. But that's not happening and we are going to send jobs to India and China. 

In praise of Taiwan

Taiwan, the country that western democracies do not dare to recognize for fear of the wrath of Communist China´s authoritarian rulers, again shines in the biannual Biannual Bertelsmann Foundation Transformation Index:

“Taiwan has remained a high performer in terms of democratic consolidation and market institutionalization,” the foundation said March 30.

Lauding Taiwan as one of Asia’s most vibrant civil societies, the report praised its free and fair elections, sound and reliable civic administration, and respectable human rights performance.

"Taiwan enjoys a very good human rights record according to all relevant international observer groups and there are no reports of unlawful or arbitrary use of state power against the population," the report noted.

Economically, Taiwan steered through the 2008 economic crisis remarkably well “because of resolute and efficient government crisis management and sound cross-strait economic interaction,” according to the report.

Read the entire article here

Taiwan also proves that the autocratic "Asian model", lauded by so many western "experts", is basically flawed: 

The BTI findings also refute the universality of the “Asian model”, according to which autocracies can have overall economic development that is more stable, reliable and robust than in many functioning democratic systems. The index shows this holds only in exceptional cases, such as in China, Singapore and Vietnam, although democracies perform, on average, better in all areas of economic development, social inclusion and political management. 

(Released biannually since 2008, the BTI index measures how developing countries and those in transition steer social change toward democracy and a market-based economy)

Finally an EU "success" story

EU Commissioner Andris Piebalgs is a most welcome guest in the South  Pacific (particularly  when  doling out  aid checks)

This is what the European Union excels in: Issuing empty statements intended to "solve" non-existent problems, preferably in some remote corner of the world. Pacific island states are ideal targets for this activity - they are small enough for EU to project an image of imperial importance, and ideally located to fit into the travel schedules of the Brussels "High Representatives" during the cold winter months: 

Faced with the adverse effects of climate change and rising sea levels on Pacific islands, the EU has issued a Communiqué ''Towards a renewed EU–Pacific development partnership'', addressing climate change and development tailored for efficient and more coordinated cooperation.

Communiqué also argues in favour of a stronger coordination on climate change at the international level. The EU pledged to support the Pacific islands in the wake of the Rio+20 Conference this June where the endangered group will stress the importance of greening the economy.

Co-authors of the document the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton and Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs explained the EU approach to partnership with Pacific islands.

“We want to go beyond our traditional donor-recipient relationship, and develop a more comprehensive partnership which can successfully address issues of global importance such as climate change,'' Ashton said.

Piebalgs added that "Pacific Islands are the first victims of climate change, which hampers their development and threatens peoples' lives”. He stressed that “the EU will continue to express its solidarity with the poor and vulnerable citizens of these small islands”.

Commission will allocate additional €19 million to help Pacific islands to adapt to the challenges of global warming. Current EU development and climate change assistance to Pacific countries increased substantially to some €785 million for the period 2008-2013.

Many Pacific states already started preparations for the worst-case scenario, buying off land and islands from other countries in the region with higher average altitudes, to ensure continuity after their home islands get covered by the rising ocean levels.

Read entire article here

PS

An additional reason for the Europeans Union´s Pacific pseudo-activity is to keep its overstaffed network of Pacific "embassies" busy planning forthcoming visits of the "High Repesentatives". The Excellencies also look great on PR pictures when doling out checks (courtesy of European taxpayers) to natives. 

The confession of a global warming alarmist

 Here is a confession from a wellknown warmist blogger: 


"I know that the climate is changing and it is going to be bad and I blog about it an awful lot. I know I am obsessed about it and have been for over six years now. I know what is coming and yet like everyone else, sometimes I pretend it isn't coming. It's how I cope with the stuff I can't control."

The syndrome, which Doug Craig shares with most other warmists, is called apocalypticism: 

Apocalypticism is the religious belief that there will be an apocalypse, a term which originally referred to a revelation of God's will, but now usually refers to belief that the world will come to an end time very soon, even within one's own lifetime. This belief is usually accompanied by the idea that civilization, as we know it, will soon come to a tumultuous end with some sort of catastrophic global event such as war. Apocalypticism is often conjoined with esoteric knowledge that will likely be revealed in a major confrontation between good and evil forces, destined to change the course of history.

In many cases psychologists are able to help people, who suffer from the doomsday syndrome. The problem with this particular warmist is, that he himself is a psychologist! 

PS

Craig also offers a description of the warmists´ way of reasoning: 

Climate change deniers truly seem to believe if they hold fast to their opinions about reality it makes their perceptions real. And they cherry-pick all the tiny shreds of data that fit their convictions while they ignore the tons of evidence that contradict them. 

The description is fine, except that the third word should  be replaced by the word alarmists. 

Democracy live and kicking in Maldives: Nasheed´s party looses

While stunt master Nasheed is enjoying  Hollywood  hospitability in the US, democracy  is working  well  in his home country

“What I would like to do initially is have democracy back in the Maldives”

Mohamed Nasheed, former president of the Maldives (New York, March 29, 2012)




While the international master of global warming stunts has been enjoying first class hospitability during the promotional tour of the global warming documentary propaganda film "The Island President", democracy is working well in his home country: 

President Mohamed Waheed of the Maldives, accused of seizing power in a military-backed coup, successfully faced down his first popularity test Saturday with his favourites winning two by-elections.

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Government-backed Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) candidate Ahmed Shareef won Thimarafushi constituency with 1,755 votes while former president Mohamed Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) got only 1,327.

In Kaashidhoo, the Jumhoory Party candidate who was supported by Waheed won with 1,107 votes while the MDP candidate managed only 784.

The election was for two seats in the 77-member People's Majlis.

More than 85 percent of the 6,000 electorate turned out to vote, official results showed. The voting was peaceful, elections commission spokesman Mohamed Tholal said.

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Former president Nasheed, who stepped down in February, has claimed that he was forced to resign following a military coup which was backed by his then deputy, Waheed, who went on to succeed him.

Waheed has denied allegations that he was involved in any coup and has ordered a government investigation into Nasheed's controversial exit from office.

Colombo-based diplomats, who are also accredited to Male, said Saturday's vote was a crucial test for Waheed who has promised early presidential elections to end a political crisis after Nasheed's resignation.

In New York Nasheed also complained that the current government has not yet addressed climate change:

Nasheed expressed concern that without a strong platform on the issue the Maldives would disappear from international awareness.

This is probably the only correct global warming statement  "the island president" has ever made. Indeed, without Nasheed´s global warming stunts the Maldives will, quite rightly, finally disappear from "international (climate change) awareness" - and continue to be a popular tourist destination. 

(image wikipedia)

Military activity - not global warming - causing Himalayan glacier to melt

Satellite image of the Siachen glacier  (wikipedia)

Another global warming myth debunked:


The Siachen glacier in Himalaya is not melting because of global warming. The rise in temperature is directly proportionate to the heavy military presence in the area, according to Arshad Abbasi, an authority on glaciers and a consultant with the Sustainable Development and Policy Institute.

The rise in temperature is directly proportionate to the excessive military presence in the area, he said.

The latest images of the glacier show “visible cracks in its midst and the number of glacial lakes formed beneath it,” he added. Abbasi also rejected the impression that global warming was causing the Siachen glacier to melt.

The adjoining Baltoro Glacier is not only stable, but has also gained mass compared to its volume in 1904, he said.

He cited a NASA report titled ‘Advancing Glaciers and Positive Mass Anomaly in the Karakoram Himalaya’ which states that more than 65% of glaciers in the Karakoram are growing.

“Therefore, it is a myth that Siachen is melting because of global warming; it is a case of direct human interference,” Abbasi said.

He said it is time that the global community works with Pakistani and Indian leaders to save Himalayan glaciers by solving the long-standing Siachen dispute.

Meanwhile, adviser to the federal government on climate Qamar Zaman Chaudhry said heavy military presence of India and Pakistan has definitely had an impact on the glacier surge in Siachen.

Read the entire article here