Reserves 10 times the North Sea’s output raise fears over drilling in protected region
Russia has found vast oil and gas reserves in the Antarctic, much of it in areas claimed by the UK.
The surveys are a prelude to bringing in drilling rigs to exploit the pristine region for fossil fuels, MPs have warned.
Reserves totalling 511bn barrels of oil – about 10 times the North Sea’s entire 50-year output – have been reported to Moscow by Russian research ships, according to evidence given to the Commons Environment Audit Committee (EAC) last week.
It follows a series of surveys by the Alexander Karpinsky vessel, operated by Rosgeo – the Russian agency charged with finding mineral reserves for commercial exploitation.
Antarctica is meant to be protected by the 1959 Antarctic Treaty that bans all mineral or oil developments. The UK’s interests are overseen by the Foreign Office – but it has been accused of ignoring the emerging crisis.
The Soviet Union was – claimed to be – communist. That is not the case for Russia.
Much like China now has incorporated many capitalist systems.
No shit. Doesn’t make them capitalists and it doesn’t make a mob boss the monopoly man. Regardless of “systems” I wouldn’t call China capitalist nor Russia and comparing them to or claiming them as such wouldn’t be accurate or even helpful really.
It’s not helpful in assessing current context or motive. But yea let’s just call em all capitalist…
So a state and oligarchs amassing capital isn’t capitalism but monopolic corporations amassing capital is?
Makes you feel better? So changing groups totally makes it all okay?
Mf that’s why I’m saying both are forms of capitalism - you’re the one claiming Russia isn’t a capitalist state…