Increasing competition for access to resources in extreme environments
The role of indigenous groups e.g. Tuareg, Gwich’in, Inupiat
Civil society organisations e.g. Greenpeace, Oxfam, The Sierra Club
Transnational corporations (TNCs) e.g. AREVA, BP
Militia groups e.g. Tuareg rebellion, Al Qaeda
Tuareg - live in the same regions as extensive uranium mining -> affected health, economics (herds), political conflcit
Inupiat - a member of an indigenous people of north-western Alaska.
Gwich'in (Athabaskan-speaking First Nations people of Canada and an Alaska Native people)
Affected by the development of Canadian oil mines
Oil drilling affects animals e.g. the caribou that the Gwich'in rely on
Live on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Public lands in the United States have been created by the removal and displacement of Indigenous people
Consider the Arctic Refuge their home
ethical dilemna -> to what extent do these indigenous groups have control of these resources?
Many Inupiat leaders now support offshore oil drilling, citing economic reasons. Not all North Slope residents agree.
If the Arctic region melts and opens up vital shipping lanes, international cooperation is required for security and rescue elements of commercial shipping (IBO Textbook)
AREVA
A French multinational group specializing in nuclear power
70% owned by the French government -> political relationships
Local Tuareg feels they have not benefitted from AREVA nuclear development in Niger (Arlit and Akokan)
BP - British multinational oil and gas company
It is one of the oil and gas "supermajors" and one of the world's largest companies measured by revenues and profits.
ISIS - Sunni extremist group
controls large parts of western Syria
well-armed organisation
controls key oil-producing areas of Syria and oil-refining facilities in Iraq
This pays for its military
Such conflicts make it difficult for countries to depend on Middle Eastern oil
Benefit from weaker political control e.g. Yemen
North America and Asia are the most important regions for BP's oil production.
Northern American regions such as the Arctic Refuge are prone to indigenous communities
Groups like these often sabotage pipelines and vital equipment
this decreases oil fields -> e.g. in 2015 attacks by gunmen on oil fields prompted the National Oil Corporation to shut down operations at 11 oil fields
Greenpeace - an independent global campaigning network
strongly disagrees with oil drilling
argues that oil drilling isn't vital to meet our energy needs
"We don’t really need to. Carmakers are perfectly capable of making only fuel-efficient vehicles. If companies like Volkswagen stopped blocking key efficiency laws, fuel-efficient vehicles would become the norm. This way, we would reduce our need for oil, help the planet, and save consumers some gas money."
priorities wildlife -> due to the fact FACT that oil drilling is an unsustainable, and long-term detrimental practice
Oxfam - a British-founded confederation of 21 independent charitable organizations focusing on the alleviation of global poverty
"In France, one out of every three light bulbs is lit thanks to Nigerien uranium. In Niger, nearly 90% of the population has no access to electricity. This situation cannot continue. France must prove that the time for secret agreements, closed negotiations and pressures is over."
"The next agreement between AREVA and Niger should allow for raising tax revenues for this country that is highly dependent on public aid for development, which can account for up to 40% of its budget."