MPs protest over Arctic oil drilling

A group of MPs has labelled?the UK "complacent" over oil and gas drilling in the Arctic, calling for an environmental sanctuary instead.

The Environmental Audit Select Committee?consists of 16 MPs with a remit to examine how government departments' policies will affect the environment and sustainable development. It has raised concerns over the failure for oil companies to prove they could clean up spills in the harsh Arctic environment.

The committee pointed to a report from the International Energy Agency?that warned that two thirds of existing fossil fuel reserves must stay in the ground if global temperature changes are to be kept below 2C - the agreed threshold above which climatic effects are projected to become disastrous.

As such, the committee says, it's irresponsible to seek out more reserves the the increasingly-ice-free?Arctic. "What happens in the Arctic will affect the UK, impacting our weather systems and biodiversity," said chairwoman Joan Walley.

The committee has called for a halt on drilling for oil and gas in the Arctic until safety is improved, a standard pan-Arctic spill response, unlimited liability for companies and an Arctic environmental sanctuary.

However, the government said it disagreed with the committee. A spokesperson said: "We are very aware of the possible environmental impact of an oil spill in the Arctic and support the use of the highest drilling standards. However, the UK is not an Arctic state and it is not for us to tell other countries which resources they can and cannot extract from their own sovereign territory."

He added: "The UK does have strong environmental, economic, scientific and political interests in the Arctic and this summer we will be publishing an Arctic policy framework for the first time."

Source: http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-07/28/arctic-drilling

Green Coffee Bean Extract september 11 9/11 Memorial 911 masterchef Dictionary.com Chicago teachers strike