CRI听力:Time to Reconsider Arctic Energy Exploitation?

To do or not to do? That is the question.

The answer from Norwegian Minister of Petroleum and Energy Ola Borten Moe is "go ahead".

"I'm happy to announce today that we have a historically high interest for new licenses in the Barren Sea as 181 blocks have been nominated here. Almost 75 percent of the nominations are in the Barren Sea. This is a reason for optimism when it comes to further search and development of resources in the High North. What's clear is we do not find if we do not search. And it's clear that we will search."

This is also the idea adopted by other Arctic countries such as Russia, the United States and Iceland at a time of continuous oil price hikes.

Joep Coppes is Vice President of the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers, which represents over 70 companies worldwide.

"The Arctic is one of the least exploited places on the planet. The US Geological Survey estimates that around 30 percent of the yet-to-find gas and 13 percent of the yet-to-find oil is located in the Arctic. The world needs affordable energy."

But Nina Jensen from World Wildlife Fund Norway disagrees.

"The world does not need the oil from the Arctic. And we know that fossil fuel subsidies jumped to over 400 billion US dollars last year, and only 8 percent of these fossil fuel subsidies reached the world's poorest 20 percent of the population. In reality, any Arctic exploration will benefit the rich people and provide us with the energy that we already have."

Coppes, however, argues energy demand IS on the rise as the global population grows and the world economic development continues.

"By 2050, the International Energy Agency predicts, global energy demand will double. Every viable sources of energy will be needed."

Jensen says there is an alternative solution for the increasing demand issue.

"WWF's energy report shows that some of the poorest countries in Africa alone can produce 42,000 terra-watt hours of renewable energy, which is more than enough to be self reliable in a sustainable manner, even with increasing populations.
 
OECD countries spent approximately 2.2 percent of their GDP on oil imports during 2011, which means they imported 60 percent of their needs. Had that annual investment of 2 percent of GDP been spent on renewable energy, they could have been secured by 100 percent renewable sources by 2050."

Jensen urges the government to lead the shift.

"New energy systems are rapidly moving towards full competitiveness. Even the US Minister of Energy and Nobel Prize winner Steven Chu estimates (they) can be economically competitive by ten to fifteen years. We believe 100 percent renewable energy society in 2050 is possible. But it takes a great deal of political will and courage to make it so."

The annual Arctic Frontiers ends on Friday.

For CRI, this is Tu Yun reporting from Tromso, Norway.