Keystone Pipeline and the Environmental Protection Movement
On February 9th, 2015, Naureen Khan of Al Jazeera wrote an important article entitled “How environmental activists turned a pipeline into a climate movement.” In the article, she talks about how the Keystone Pipeline, a “1,179-mile proposed pipeline [that] would transport crude oil extracted from Canada’s tar sands–a particularly intensive process that produces 17 percent more emissions than conventional extraction–to refineries on the Gulf Coast” (Khan, 2015).
In the article, Khan speaks about how this project became a focal point for environmentalists who in turn have created build up the movement to safeguard the environment. Quoting James Hansen, who served as the director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, Hansen stated in an essay (“Silence is Deadly“) that “The U.S. Department of State seems likely to approve a huge pipeline to carry tar sands oil (about 830,000 barrels per day) to Texas refineries unless sufficient objections are raised…”. Also in the paper, Hansen spoke about the problems of the pipeline, saying that “An overwhelming objection is that exploitation of tar sands would make it implausible to stabilize climate and avoid disastrous global climate impacts” (in Khan, 2015).
What has been important about this topic is the mobilization of activists on this issue. And, with years of protests, Khan (2015) explains that “
“Anti-pipeline activists seem on the cusp of notching their first significant victory in Washington. Although the Congress is expected to grant final passage to a bill that would force the President to authorize Keystone this week—a top agenda item for the new Republican majority—Obama has vowed to veto the legislation.” Khan also cited environmental activist Bill McKibben, who was quoted as saying that “It’ll mark the first time a world leader said we’re not going to do this fossil fuel project…”.
This is an important development and victory for environmentalists, and it shows how individuals who organize and work to make the world a better place can indeed succeed. Often, many feel that their voices cannot make a change in domestic politics or international relations, and this is an example of how there are thousands upon thousands of activists working to ensure that environmental protections continue to be respected.
