New Oil Pipeline, Great. Not!

Anyone out there who thinks a pipeline is going to be cancelled in this economic and political climate raise their hand.

Strange that I can't feel a cooling breeze from all the hands going up. Or not strange, if you're as pessimistic as I am.

A pipeline to Texas refineries from Alberta tar sands has passed one more step. http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/plan-for-canada-to-texas-oil-pipeline-moves-forward-after-environmental-review/2011/08/26/gIQA3iaJgJ_story.html

 Not a done deal yet, but with only one Republican presidential hopeful admitting to the possibility of anthropogenic climate change, it's not surprising that there is not a hope in hell that anyone in power will take concrete steps to block it.

Canada is not going to stop the pipeline. Our Prime Minister is from Alberta and is only recently admitting to AGW. He would probably be shot by his own caucus if he tried to pull the plug on this pipeline. Not that he has any inclination to do so. Our best opposition leader just died, leaving behind a caucus mostly composed of wet-behind-the-ears rookie MPs. There is no organized political party able to mount any kind of significant challenge to the Conservatives.

Perhaps Hurricane Irene will remind Americans that oil security is not as crucial as climate security. On the other hand, because climate scientists are stuck with telling the truth, such as we can't link one storm or weather event with climate change, it's not likely that anyone is going to become willing to make the kind of changes in priority that will result in significant changes to our economics resulting in diminished human effects on the climate.

I truly believe we will suck every last drop of oil out of the ground and push the climate past every pessimistic forecast. After all, look at New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina. The rich were inconvenienced. Poor people died. Poor people are dying in Africa. Rich people around the world are able to make changes to adapt. And they want their oil. They are not going to give up their lifestyles easily.

So pump up that SUV. It's business as usual.