Control over these finite resources has been a driving force behind political maneuvering, regional rivalries, and even full-scale wars. Nations resort to military interventions, proxy conflicts, or diplomatic pressure to secure their access to these energy sources. Historical examples, such as the Gulf Wars, the Syrian Civil War, Sudan, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Palestine or tensions over the gas fields in the South China Sea, to name just a few, highlight the intricate link between geopolitical conflicts and the quest for oil and gas control.

 

Tragically, the pursuit of oil and natural gas resources comes at a tremendous human cost. Countless lives have been lost, and millions of individuals have been forcibly displaced as refugees, fleeing violence and upheaval. Entire nations have been torn apart, leading to the collapse of infrastructure, economic instability, and a profound disruption of the social fabric.

 

Conflicts fueled by resource control not only lead to direct casualties but also perpetuate a cycle of violence, economic deprivation, factional fighting and political instability. This volatile environment creates breeding grounds for extremism, exacerbating regional tensions and threatening global security. The Russian invasion of Ukraine for control of massive gas fields as the current example.

 

While the human cost of these conflicts is staggering, the consequences extend even further. Burning all the oil and natural gas resources humanity is fighting over would have catastrophic effects on the environment and ultimately pose an existential threat to our own survival and that of the natural world.

 

The combustion of fossil fuels releases vast amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, leading to global warming which drives climate change. Rising temperatures, extreme weather events, the melting of the global ice reservoir, rising sea levels and coastal flooding are just a few of the alarming consequences we witness across the planet today. Should we continue down this path, the planet's ecosystems will face irreversible damage, threatening biodiversity, driving mass human migration and exacerbating resource and food scarcity.

 

Given the urgent need to address these multifaceted challenges, a paradigm shift is imperative. Transitioning away from fossil fuels and investing in sustainable alternatives must become a global priority. Renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, hydroelectric, hydrogen, nuclear and geothermal power, offer viable solutions to meet our energy needs without further endangering the planet or continuing to killing each other driven by mindless greed.

 

In other words, stop fighting over fossil fuel and stop burning it. 

 

Please pass this on: "Every war on the planet is about control of oil and gas".

 

Stephen Fitzgerald

23rd May 2023

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