John Podesta, an advocate for strong climate action and opponent of the
exploitation of unconventional fossil fuels, is joining the White
House
as a senior adviser to President Barack Obama, the New York Times
reports.
In a 2010 keynote
address
at Canada 2020’s “‘Greening’ The Oil Sands: Debunking the Myths and
Confronting the Realities,” a Canadian conference promoting tar sands
extraction, Podesta apologized for being the “skunk” at the “garden
party” as he laid out his profound skepticism about “green” tar sands,
comparing it to “clean coal” and “error-free deepwater drilling.”
Below are some key excerpts:
Today, there is almost unanimous agreement that we can add another
cost to dependence on high-carbon fuels. And this one is beyond our
ability to calculate.
Failing to curb our dependence on fossil fuels will create a world
dramatically different than the one we’re currently accustomed to; one
in which sea level rise, extreme weather, and reduced resource
supplies will not only cause irreparable harm to ecosystems around the
globe, but also tremendous human suffering and conflict.
Oil extraction from tar sands is polluting, destructive, expensive,
and energy intensive. These things are facts. I think suggesting this
process can come close to approximating being “greened” is largely
misleading, or far too optimistic, or perhaps both. It stands
alongside clean coal and error-free deepwater drilling as more PR than
reality.
Oil sands can’t simply be as good as conventional oil. We need to
reduce fossil fuel use and accelerate the transition to cleaner
technologies, in the transportation sector and elsewhere.
We either rapidly green the world’s engine of economic growth, or we
suffer consequences that are very difficult to even fully comprehend,
in addition to those we already tolerate. Unconventional sources of
fossil fuels cannot be our energy future.
In January 2013, Podesta announced his opposition to Arctic drilling,
saying in a Bloomberg
op-ed
that “there is no safe and responsible way to drill for oil and gas in
the Arctic Ocean”:
Now, following a series of mishaps and errors, as well as overwhelming
weather conditions, it has become clear that there is no safe and
responsible way to drill for oil and gas in the Arctic Ocean. . . The
Obama administration shouldn’t issue any new permits to Shell this
year and should suspend all action on other companies’ applications to
drill in this remote and unpredictable region.
“Moving beyond fossil fuel pollution will involve exciting work, new
opportunities, new products and innovation, and stronger communities,”
Podesta said in 2009 Congressional
testimony.
In contrast, Podesta has laid out an optimistic vision for smart
grids,
utility-scale renewable energy
development,
and global clean-energy
investment.