<
https://theconversation.com/oil-and-gas-communities-are-a-blind-spot-in-americas-climate-and-economic-policies-237947>
"On a recent visit to Rangely, a small town in northwest Colorado, my
colleagues and I met with the administrators of a highly regarded community
college to discuss the town’s economy. Leaving the scenic campus, we saw
families driving into the mountains in off-road vehicles, a favorite activity
for this outdoors-loving community. With a median household income above
US$70,000 and a low cost of living, Rangely does not have the signs of a town
in economic distress.
But an existential risk looms over Rangely. The town is here because of an oil
boom during World War II. Today, the oil and gas industry contributes over half
of the county’s economic output.
Rangely is not unique in the United States, which is the world’s largest
producer of oil and natural gas. There are towns across the country that depend
on the oil and gas industry for well-paying jobs and public revenues that fund
their schools and other critical services.
A heavy dependence on any single industry is risky, and the oil industry is
prone to booms and busts. But the economies of oil- and gas-dependent towns
face a unique threat from global efforts to address the risks of climate
change, which is fueled by the burning of oil and natural gas. Any serious
strategy to halt global warming involves policies that will, over time, sharply
reduce demand for all fossil fuels.
Early signs of this transformation can be seen in last year’s international
agreement to “transition away from fossil fuels” and in the spread of electric
vehicles that are starting to displace gasoline- and diesel-powered cars,
trucks and buses.
As an economist who worked at the White House during the Obama administration
and early Biden administration, I contributed to detailed strategies to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions and to support communities in economic distress. But
we did not have a plan to prepare oil and gas towns like Rangely for future
economic challenges."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
