Since the industrial revolution and the discovery of the energy use of Fossil fuels, the world has begun to emit a series of greenhouse gases that is causing a global climate change. These fossil fuels are made up of oil, natural gas, and coal. They are resources that are depleted and the capacity for regeneration is not on a human scale. Therefore, the fear that exists in the instability of oil prices is causing constant pressure on governments that constantly seek exploitation of oil reserves in other places like the Arctic.
In this article we are going to carry out an in-depth analysis of the importance of the exploitation of oil reserves and its negative effects on the environment.
Oil prices
Due to the increasing difficulty of extracting oil from reserves, its price is increasing. When it is proposed to extract the oil reserves of the Arctic, a curious paradox arises. Precisely, the Arctic oil reserves can be exploited when there is enough thaw to allow it. However, the exploitation of this oil will also aggravate the effects of global warming that has caused the thaw that allows these reserves to be exploited.
As you can see, it is somewhat paradoxical. Global warming is mostly caused by these greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. This means that the heat that is retained is greater and that it is causing an increase in temperature. In addition, the only problem with these gases derived from the burning of oil is not only atmospheric but also health.
On the other hand, we have riots in the Middle East cause high geopolitical instability. This is how the Libyan crisis began where the price of oil increased 15% to reach $ 120. Of course, all this caused a number of aftershocks that could be called this earthquake, which is the instability in prices with more price increases in Western ambitions. In this price rise, the largest oil reserves in the world are made where we potentially find ourselves.
This is the premise that makes the Arctic could become the next key point in the exploitation of oil reserves. According to experts, the Arctic is probably the only place on the planet where there are untapped oil reserves.
Oil reserves in the Arctic
Because the Arctic is still virgin, there is a great focus on it. It is estimated that there is great wealth of natural resources and that the Middle East is keeping an eye on it. Greenland is an autonomous government that is part of Denmark. It is one of the main countries that is interested in the exploitation of oil reserves. However, Canada, the US, Russia and Norway are not going to be left behind in the battle for these resources.
Experts who have been exploring the oil in the Arctic for 3 decades have found more than 200.000 million barrels of oil. According to studies in this regard, it is estimated that there are still another 114.000 billion barrels more that have not been discovered. On the other hand, we also find 56 trillion cubic meters of natural gas to be exploited. All these juicy energy resources are in the mouths of many countries hungry for energy and power.
The question is clear, what comes next? They will exploit the Arctic reserves destroying ecosystems and leading to the depletion of these resources. Once the oil runs out, what will happen? We will be in a world with greater problems of pollution and global warming, with less biodiversity and with more diseases. The only thing they think about is getting rich from the life they have and they don't think about future generations.
Environmental consequences
If the estimates of what has been done in the studies are true, we find that these oil reserves would be equivalent to one fifth of all the oil that has not yet been discovered in the world. This only calls forth the Arctic paradox: resources that were inaccessible by ice have been made easier by climate change brought on by the very oil they are trying to extract. Not only will the melting of the Arctic increase the effects of climate change by changing the albedo of the Earth, Rather, the extraction of these oil reserves will make the situation worse.
It should not be forgotten that the Arctic is one of the treasures that the planet has in terms of environmental importance. A totally pristine environment where no resource has ever been exploited and biodiversity has been kept protected by ice. Ice is present in the Arctic for only half the year. Before it was the whole year. In addition, it will not only cause damage to ecosystems, but could also break their stability.
This area heats up three times faster than the rest of the world. This will cause that, possibly, the ecosystems of this entire region will find points of no return. The acceleration in the loss of ice has been increased and, therefore, more abrupt changes will come in ecosystems.
Low ice levels
The lowest levels in history have been recorded in the Arctic ice sheet as a result of rising temperatures. Every summer the layer thaws more and more to freeze again in winter. However, this accelerated rate of thaw has caused a decrease in the rate of freezing that translates into a total loss of ice.
Faced with environmental considerations to exploit these resources we join it with social and political reasons. Right now, the Arctic is inhabited by about 4 million people. 15% of this population are indigenous tribes who They have the right to these natural resources of the land where they live and it legally belongs to them.
Therefore, we will see how this conflict of exploitation of oil reserves is resolved. I hope they come to their senses and work more on renewable energy.