The handwriting on the greenhouse wall

[cal04]

Energy firms coming to accept regulation of warming gases as inevitable
While the political debate over global warming continues, top executives at many of the nation's largest energy companies have accepted the scientific consensus about climate change and see federal regulation to cut greenhouse gas emissions as inevitable.

The Democratic takeover of Congress makes it more likely that the federal government will attempt to regulate emissions. The companies have been hiring new lobbyists who they hope can help fashion a national approach that would avert a patchwork of state plans now in the works. They are also working to change some company practices in anticipation of the regulation.

"We have to deal with greenhouse gases," John Hofmeister, president of Shell Oil Co., said in a recent speech at the National Press Club. "From Shell's point of view, the debate is over. When 98 percent of scientists agree, who is Shell to say, 'Let's debate the science'?"

Hofmeister and other top energy company leaders, such as Duke Energy Corp.'s chief executive, James E. Rogers, back a proposal that would cap greenhouse gas emissions and allow firms to trade their quotas.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15871433/

[lapfog_1]

1. One of the oil companies... Chevron?

has been running this TV add here on my California cable... talking about peak oil...

Has some guys checking a very long dipstick... and the over voice says "Some people say that we are going to have used 1/2 the world's oil by 2012, others says that we already have... blah, blah, blah"

The message ends up with a plea for conservation and a promise that "we'll get through the times ahead and with Chevron's help... blah blah blah"

Maybe it was Shell and not Chevron.

Anyway, I was shocked that an oil company would mention peak oil. And more shocked that they didn't seem to have a positive thing to say for a solution. Nothing about shale oil or tar sands. Nothing.

[Vorta]

2. Chevron cares deeply

I know this because they told me so back in the 1980's. They had a commercial about how they build dens in the oil fields for some kind of fox. Bless their hearts.

From most reliable sources, we are no where near exhausting the oil supply. I would think that oil companies would rather we think that oil in short supply because it would explain why we are paying so much for gasoline.

[lapfog_1]

3. I guessing you left out a number of

:sarcasm: :sarcasm: smilies?