Op-Ed: Turning a Catch 22 on its Heels

In a world that is becoming increasingly hostile both economically and environmentally, global societies need to wake up and realize why we are where we are, and also, how to get away from this point in time while carefully moving forward.

The term ‘catch-22’ was coined by American author Joseph Heller, and refers to a situation where the illusion of choice is present, but these alternatives are in fact fictitious; no matter what happens, the outcome will be the same. In a day and age with headlines showcasing either the latest losses in financial centers, or the latest updates on just how ‘at-risk’ the world is to the effects of climate change, it is easy for us to get caught up in the buzz of speculation and the ‘where-are-we-right-now’ commentaries that often fail to illustrate why we are here and what the solutions to our problems are. One of the reasons commentators ignore the greatest causes of our 21st century condition may be because one of the greatest industrial architects of our society has us in a true catch 22 situation. So who (or what) is one of the most responsible for creating the world we live in today, as well as putting us in a catch 22 situation? Three words; the oil industry. In actuality, we are at this point in time due to many, many factors, but as a microcosmic example, no industry is better to examine than the oil industry. So for the sake of both simplicity and getting a grip on why we are where we are, let's make sure we understand why oil production presents the illusion of choice when really, the oil industry is currently on a ‘forever-upward’ motion. Consider two news stories that were published by the International Herald Tribune today, Sunday March 15. The two headlines read ‘OPEC members divided over cutting production’, and ‘As oil and gas prices plunge, a frenzy of drilling ends’. Do you see the illusion of option here? In one situation – high oil and gas prices, as seen in the summer of 2008 – oil companies (and politicians with affiliations to oil companies, “drill, baby, drill”, anyone?) see the opportunity for massive profits so long as prices stay high, and as a result, procure investment in both increased production and new developments. In the opposite situation – low oil and gas prices, as seen right now – oil consumers see an opportunity to buy massive amounts of this precious fuel at wholesale prices, and therefore oil consumption increases. That my friends, is catch 22 to a tee. With high prices the consumer second-guesses oil but the supplier ramps up production. With low prices, the supplier winces but buyers consume it like fresh water. In both cases, the opportunity for change appears present, but it really is not; so long as one stakeholder has the potential for gain, they will lobby for the continuation of production. But 2009 may well signal a new age in which the oil companies that have always enjoyed the catch 22 situation they have positioned themselves in, changes. For one, it is becoming increasingly hard to ignore one of the unspoken stakeholders in the oil trade; the environment. When the intergovernmental panel on climate change issued its latest report - in which they essentially said that their previous assessments were far too conservative - anyone for or against oil production cringed. Both parties asked, is it really worth continuing as-is, if in the next 80 years we lose our coasts? The more far-sighted observers asked, can seven billion human beings (and counting) live in a world that is so radically different than the one we have known ever since our dawn? And the concerned ecologist asked, can we protect the biodiversity which spawned our existence without drastically changing current conditions? In all cases, everyone was asking valid questions. Couple the concern that Mother Nature is being destroyed due to our addiction to Father Profit with the fact that Father Profit is no longer producing, and suddenly the catch 22 cycle of oil production and consumption is somewhat amendable. This is not so because the mutual dependence is decreased in any way (oil companies still need sales and consumers still need energy), but because the system of mutual dependence is no longer profitable for the oil companies, and the consumers are realizing that there are unaccounted expenses associated with oil companies in relation to the environment. So now the ultimate catch 22 has been turned on its heels. When gas and oil are cheap, oil companies cannot remain viable, and when gas and oil prices are high, consumers don’t want to shell out vast amounts of money for a product that is accelerating the demise of our planet. And that brings us to 2009; a point in time that may well be become the focus of historians in years to come. Here in 2009, we have enough information to understand our biggest problems; failed economies and a warming planet. And here in 2009, we have enough technology to reverse these trends; we can promote enviro-businesses – like the planting of new forests, the creation water purification plants, reclamation projects in former mining sites, the refitting of our buildings to become energy efficient, CO2 sequestration projects, GHG capturing programs, I could go on – and green energy technology – wind, geothermal, hydro, solar (both thermal and photovoltaic), tidal, again I could go on. The point is, these two industries create new wealth and counter climate change. Therefore, here in 2009, we have the ability to break away from the catch 22 cycle that oil companies have trapped us in, while at the same time advancing our societies and managing our planet with greater attention to stewardship. I know, I know – easier said than done, right? Well, I couldn’t agree more. But the truth of the matter is that if we don’t change our financial system and energy system - starting today - more and more money will end up in the hands of people who, in the words of ‘Skeeter’ from Matt Stone and Trey Parker’s ‘Southpark’, don’t take kindly to us. And if we don't begin to take action today, more and more CO2 (and other GHG’s) will continue to clog up our atmosphere. And finally, if we don't begin to act today, the opportunity for western societies to take the lead and address the greatest problems of the 21st century will pass. Most alarmingly, if we don't begin to act today, we will soon find ourselves in a situation where Mother Nature is out of control and we no longer have the capital to invest in enviro-business or green energy. And if that happens, the catch 22 situation we find ourselves in today with oil companies may well turn into catch 22 situation where the false presence of possible alternatives will not be in relation to oil production, but rather, with regard to the existence of human life on Earth. Thanks for reading. GRMM