Congo to Auction Land to Oil Companies: ‘Our Priority Is Not to Save the Planet’

anamika · Jul 25, 2022

This is what first world countries don't get. People in third world countries are worried about how to eat now and get energy for basic needs. They have to figure out how to survive now rather than climate change down the line.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bho6xY-jSuE&ab_channel=COP26Coalition

UltimateHigh · Jul 25, 2022

Psittacus said:
I mean it will for those politicians. Their oil money will be happily welcome behind the walls while the population they claimed to be lifting out of poverty gets gunned down with the rest of the climate refugees.

that's what I was hinting at. this is absolutely not for the good of the people in any regard. because the people in positions of power will be pocketing it all.

let alone the fact that climate change ain't stopping for nothing. so double whammy.

Turnscr3w · Jul 25, 2022

Dascu said:
Extremely worrying and I don't see a clear response or solution other than... wealthier countries paying off Congo not to do this? Would there be any possibility for the international community to assist in this project and do it in a cleaner and more sustainable way?

The issue with that is that it's fuel for rightwingers. "They are giving away free money","They care more about other nations", etc.
Even in the case of it happening, how would you even keep it secure? How would you make all countries in the world sign such a document? How would keep corporations from trying to buy out the politicians or help coup people that are in support of such a thing?

Blader · Jul 25, 2022

Quite the epitaph for Earth

Thorn said:
Can we be certain this would even help the people there and not just the folks running things?

You can be certain that any payments from western nations to the Congolese govt will not be going anywhere near the country's poor.

AcademicSaucer · Jul 25, 2022

If the world doesnt want Congo to do this they have to make it more profitable for them to keep the forests

GoldenEye 007 · Jul 25, 2022

anamika said:
This is what first world countries don't get. People in third world countries are worried about how to eat now and get energy for basic needs. They have to figure out how to survive now rather than climate change down the line.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bho6xY-jSuE&ab_channel=COP26Coalition

Given the track record of Congolese leadership in their own country, again, this won't be used to benefit regular citizens. Hopefully that isn't the case, but the outlook doesn't seem positive there. Plenty of people in here understand their point on general hypocrisy, though. So I think people do get it.

Turnscr3w · Jul 25, 2022

EU has been giving money to Bulgaria for years through euro funds and it has never helped with anything besides increasing corruption.
It will be the same for Congo.

Dreams-Visions · Jul 25, 2022

Paying Congo is not a realistic option. That money would be guaranteed to fund some dictators grip on the country and increase suffering for many if not most. More direct involvement into investments would be needed than the donating countries are likely to commit to. Similar funds in South and Central America have been notoriously difficult to manage and execute because of turmoil, instability, and corruption.

Helping improve qol in Congo without unintentionally making things worse has to be the sober goal.

Sesha · Jul 25, 2022

The people of Congo deserves so much better. Big thanks to Belgium and the other colonizers for all their sterling work in terrorizing the region.

Dreams-Visions · Jul 25, 2022

Sesha said:
If they think more extreme weather and heat is gonna be good for their economy and societal development, then good luck.

If the other option is starvation, yes it will be better for some.

Geeker · Jul 25, 2022

only one way to avoid this and that is to have tech that makes the business case obsolete. Target demand, not supply

DevilMayGuy · Jul 25, 2022

there isn't enough money in the world to "bribe" all of the developing nations around the globe to prevent their use of abundant and relatively inexpensive hydrocarbons. The wealthiest nations on earth have largely built their prosperity upon those same energy sources, and after decades of partying they want to be heavy handed with the rest of the world? I can't imagine those admonishments will be very convincing. The global energy needs of every country are set to increase for the next few decades. We will see developing nations go from 1/1000th of the usage of an average American or European to 1/100th, a 10x increase that will still likely be less drastic than the increased energy consumption of people in wealthy nations over the same period. Global hydrocarbon demand is forecast to increase by nearly 50% from where it is today, and that's with significant step changes in green energy adoption. There are 7ish billion people on earth, of which 1 billion use most of the energy. Even if we tried to pay off the other 6 billion's countries to prevent further hydrocarbon exploration and usage, it would represent wealthy nations keeping those other nations poor and slowing down their improvements to their quality of life. I don't expect it'll work

Sunster · Jul 25, 2022

Hard to tell them "No, stop!" when the US and Europe got to bulldoze 99% of their own forests and wiped out countless species in order to get where they are on the global stage.

strudelkuchen · Jul 25, 2022

steejee said:
We need to be paying Congo and many other developing nations a shitload of money to not exploit fossil fuels and to invest in greening/hardening their infrastructure and economy (same as our own infrastructure and economy...).

but instead "We are paying Congo [... ] a shitload of money to [...] exploit fossil fuels." 😞

TrueSloth · Jul 25, 2022

AcademicSaucer said:
If the world doesnt want Congo to do this they have to make it more profitable for them to keep the forests

It unfortunate western countries love oil.

Deleted member 9035 · Jul 25, 2022

Haunted said:
Great feeling that every attempt, every effort, every sacrifice I make to reduce my own carbon footprint over the rest of my entire lifetime is most likely going to be eliminated/set off by a couple seconds of drilling oil in the Congo.

Really drives home my impact as an individual on the world.

/rant

You're thinking about it backwards. You've already contributed more to global warming than dozens of people living in Congo will over their entire lifetime.

Deleted member 8257 · Jul 25, 2022

America and the west should fuck right off with the criticism of oil consumption of developing nations. The west give a fat middle one to climate for decades and decades, while growing their carbon footprint immensely. The developing countries should think about oil consumption after west as weaned off it completely.

Captain Smoker · Jul 25, 2022

TrueSloth said:
It unfortunate western countries love oil.

Demand for oil is going to crater once EVs accelerate in terms of market share (we're probably at the beginning of an exponential growth phase I'd argue), which is where most of the oil is used.

And going by the timelines of western and asian car manufacturers, ICE cars are pretty much dead in the mid-term (5-10 years).

RoninZ · Jul 25, 2022

I support it. They got all that land, they should use it if it helps them out of poverty. They shouldn't have to suffer financially while other countries are better off.

nikkop · Jul 25, 2022

Dog of Bork said:
People need to expect this kind of news for the next several decades. Oil, gas, and coal energy demand (and supply) is likely to grow by about 50% from where it is today by 2050. Green energy will be the fastest growing energy source and it will be required to meet the energy needs of the future, but those needs will grow faster than green energy can possibly expand. Poorer nations (and wealthy ones) will continue to use fossil fuels based on their relative expense and transportability.

We literally can't possibly generate enough green energy to meet global demand in the short-to-medium term, so ideas about wealth funds to bribe countries not to burn relatively abundant and cheap fossil fuels won't work because it won't even be about the money - you'd be asking these nations to not improve their quality of life to the standards developed nations have enjoyed for decades.

So maybe it is not a good path that each country in the world achieve western countries current standards. They have the right to go up until a point but at the same time richest countries should go down until an equilibrium is found ( it will not happen ).

hobblygobbly · Jul 25, 2022

TrueSloth said:
It unfortunate western countries love oil.

The EU is in an oil phase out with the European Green Deal, the EU is Africa's biggest market for oil exports, Africa will not be able to sell oil to the EU as soon as 2030 because of declining prices/demand in the market would make it unfeasible

The European Green Deal offers a lot of green financing opportunities for African countries and a few countries like Kenya are integrating into it by adopting the standards. The EGD has built a system with green bond standard and taxonomy.

African Union and European Union green deal adoption presents massive opportunities for Africa, and politicians/governments that are not far up their ass are taking advantage of it

What Does the European Green Deal Mean for Africa?

The European Green Deal provides a road map for the EU’s socioecological and economic transition to a low-carbon future. Its implications for Africa are multifaceted. Yet it offers the promise of overhauling EU-Africa relations if the right steps are taken now.

carnegieendowment.org

Navigating the Opportunities and Risks of the European Green Deal for Africa

The European Green Deal is mainly a collection of internal EU policy instruments, yet its potential impacts will reach African countries. Such effects will be felt in the market for agriculture, fossil fuels, and other natural resources.

carnegieendowment.org

The TL;DR is that the EU needs green renewables, and Africa can provide green renewables for the EU market and Africa's internal markets, the European Union and African Union have an opportunity to build the best green renewable circular regional economy the world will ever see.

What Congo wants to do will severely hurt average Congolese and its ecosystem and no one else, this is only to the benefit of the elite classes. Anyone buying into the dog shit excuse to "accelerate the economy" by the Congo government are being incredibly naive. It's also not like we don't have dozens of examples of countries around the world doing the same, you can just look at Russia alone...

Desi · Jul 25, 2022

DrROBschiz said:
There is no victory to be had with either approach. They would be better off courting sustainable technology investments and living/coexisting with their land. Surely the adundant renewable resources of the jungle could sustain them indefinitely if you know... They got some help

Instead they look to repeat the mistakes of the past for short term gain and they will likely get taken advantage of and screwed at every opportunity.

Yep this is just for the pockets of a few. How they even claim to ask their Oil drilling neighbors for recs when those same neighbors are not reinvesting besides making showy toll bridges?

At the same time:

The auction highlights a double standard that many political leaders across the African continent have called out: How can Western countries, which built their prosperity on fossil fuels that emit poisonous, planet-warming fumes, demand that Africa forgo their reserves of coal, oil and gas in order to protect everyone else?

they spitting. Same with India and the global south.

Genesis · Jul 25, 2022

Are you kidding me??
Stop subsidizing oil and gas now, let them die off. I don't care if we have to pay more gas.
We have to be better stewards of the planet. Look how beautiful that untouched rainforest is; enough is enough.

This is a perfect hill for Biden to plant his flag on and show the world he can be a leader.

Ultryx · Jul 25, 2022

Humans are so, so fucked. I am starting to believe I'm living the early stages of the global climate collapse and associated dissolution of global markets trying to combat climate change.

TooBusyLookinGud · Jul 25, 2022

Quinton said:
Reduce poverty. Help kill the planet.

This isn't even me condemning them. This is... where things are at this fucking point.

Won't even do that.

Kill3r7 · Jul 25, 2022

Nations who want them to protect the planet should buy up the land and not use it.

smcc94x · Jul 25, 2022

The sentiment that 'The West did it so they should be able to'' isn't helpful at all.

Geeker said:
only one way to avoid this and that is to have tech that makes the business case obsolete. Target demand, not supply

I agree with this, although I'm sure then there'd be other ways they'd want to flatten the land to use it.

The global economic system needs to place value on wild land that isn't intended for any development.

Whether you're an individual, business or nation there needs to be a significant incentive in certain circumstances for you to leave alone any significant wilderness you own.

TyrantII · Jul 25, 2022

AcademicSaucer said:
If the world doesnt want Congo to do this they have to make it more profitable for them to keep the forests

And more expensive to tap these oil reserves.

Carbon taxes and totally upending the oil markets in favor of other energy is the only way to stop this. As long as there's a market, you can't fault them for exploiting it.

A lot of people don't realize just how much money and power is tied to oil markets and wallstreet. Until they're dealt with, nothing will change. Trillions in bonds and commodities tied directly to fossils fuel industry.

Antrax · Jul 25, 2022

Parthenios said:
Otherwise, humanity is essentially relying on the altruism of these countries to offset the pollution in the wealthy countries, forever, which obviously isn't sustainable over the course of the remainder of human history.

To be clear, if the wealthy nations pay them off instead, that is still relying on altruism, just from different countries. It's better than them burning these places down but it's also not a good long-term steady state to try for.

Not sure what the permanent solution would even be.

Deleted member 9035 · Jul 25, 2022

This cartoon is from 1989, FYI.

And so is this one:

perfectchaos007 · Jul 25, 2022

Congo is just one of several developing African nations that are about to have their fossil fuel industrial revolution. The west + China need to get emissions under control before that happens or the global greenhouse effect will just be further accelerated

Captain Smoker · Jul 25, 2022

Ultryx said:
Humans are so, so fucked. I am starting to believe I'm living the early stages of the global climate collapse and associated dissolution of global markets trying to combat climate change.

Regarding climate change on a global scale, this story is a non news. Congo makes up 0.1% of worldwide emissions, it's statistical noise at best.

Meanwhile 90% of all new energy projects in the world are in fact renewable: https://www.iea.org/reports/renewable-energy-market-update-2021

And it's only accelerating as we break record after record in terms of renewable installations.

Doomguy Fieri · Jul 25, 2022

Obviously this sucks but it's also very understandable. If YOU were starving or your KIDS were starving, you wouldn't give a shit about rising sea levels either. The global west could fix this. OPEC could fix this. There is so much money in the already existing oil extraction business that funding some kind of poverty reduction in the Congo probably wouldn't even amount to a rounding error.

Brinbe · Jul 25, 2022

they're not wrong.

Deleted member 8257 · Jul 25, 2022

smcc94x said:
The sentiment that 'The West did it so they should be able to'' isn't helpful at all.

I dont see why not. There's no point in focusing on a poor, tiny African nation.

Vish · Jul 25, 2022

oops wrong topic.

Dog of Bork · Jul 25, 2022

nikkop said:
So maybe it is not a good path that each country in the world achieve western countries current standards. They have the right to go up until a point but at the same time richest countries should go down until an equilibrium is found ( it will not happen ).

Are you going to be the great arbiter of how people get to live? Lmao

Why don't we start talking about how the real problem is the fact that we have 8 billion humans on this planet? Let's just go all the way down this rabbit hole.

smcc94x said:
The sentiment that 'The West did it so they should be able to'' isn't helpful at all.

Acknowledging reality is helpful to keep people from thinking it's realistic or reasonable to prevent the rest of the world from improving their standards of living to a fraction of what developed nations currently enjoy. Nearly every single person living in developed nations has orders of magnitude more impact on the climate than people in nations who will be rapidly expanding their energy needs. Bemoaning increased energy use in those nations is the height of privilege.

KrAzY · Jul 25, 2022

Lol not a single cent will go towards the poor. Just gonna full the corrupts pockets and our world is fucked for it, ain't gonna see the end of this decade

Morrigan · Jul 25, 2022

DrROBschiz said:
Interesting that the Congo can't forsee the problem with trusting oil companies with delivering prosperity to their Nation.

They are virulent carpet baggers and likely will pay off the dictator and vronies im charge and screw over the general population as is their MO.

There is no victory to be had with either approach. They would be better off courting sustainable technology investments and living/coexisting with their land. Surely the adundant renewable resources of the jungle could sustain them indefinitely if you know... They got some help

Instead they look to repeat the mistakes of the past for short term gain and they will likely get taken advantage of and screwed at every opportunity.

Pretty much.

"Our priority is not to save the planet", like breh, you live on that planet too...!! 🤦‍♀️

Ramala · Jul 25, 2022

Haunted said:
Great feeling that every attempt, every effort, every sacrifice I make to reduce my own carbon footprint over the rest of my entire lifetime is most likely going to be eliminated/set off by a couple seconds of drilling oil in the Congo.

Really drives home my impact as an individual on the world.

/rant

I read an article recently somewhere about how the notion that saving the planet is somehow everyone's personal responsibility is utterly laughable. There are a few organizations that are responsible for like 90% of harmful emissions and nothing anyone does means anything stacked against that. And those organizations will never change. Ever. The planet is fucked until we have a catastrophe of such magnitude as to end the current world order.

svacina · Jul 25, 2022

Ramala said:
I read an article recently somewhere about how the notion that saving the planet is somehow everyone's personal responsibility is utterly laughable. There are a few organizations that are responsible for like 90% of harmful emissions and nothing anyone does means anything stacked against that. And those organizations will never change. Ever. The planet is fucked until we have a catastrophe of such magnitude as to end the current world order.

The megacorps managing to sell the fairytale that global warming mitigation begings at home to the general populace is the greatest swindle of the last 100 years.

smcc94x · Jul 25, 2022

RustyNails said:
I dont see why not. There's no point in focusing on a poor, tiny African nation.

Suggesting or thinking it's OK for developing countries to make the same mistakes (from a climate perspective) as the West in destroying the planet obviously doesn't help save the planet?

There's definitely point in focusing on these peatlands / rainforests because they have a significant impact and there aren't so many of them left.

Psittacus · Jul 25, 2022

Dog of Bork said:
Are you going to be the great arbiter of how people get to live? Lmao

Why don't we start talking about how the real problem is the fact that we have 8 billion humans on this planet? Let's just go all the way down this rabbit hole.

Western living standards are unsustainable in-and-of themselves, let alone the developing nations. That's how we got into this mess in the first place.

The fact of the matter is that if we as a species don't arbitrate how we get to live it will be done for us.

Deleted member 9035 · Jul 25, 2022

Ramala said:
I read an article recently somewhere about how the notion that saving the planet is somehow everyone's personal responsibility is utterly laughable. There are a few organizations that are responsible for like 90% of harmful emissions and nothing anyone does means anything stacked against that. And those organizations will never change. Ever. The planet is fucked until we have a catastrophe of such magnitude as to end the current world order.

Don't forget that most of those organizations operate out of first world countries and it is our lifestyle choices that drive their profits and our elected officials that turn a blind eye to their destruction.

thewienke · Jul 25, 2022

RustyNails said:
I dont see why not. There's no point in focusing on a poor, tiny African nation.

They're poor but we're talking about the 11th largest country with 100+ million people.

Dreams-Visions · Jul 25, 2022

efyu_lemonardo said:
This cartoon is from 1989, FYI.

And so is this one:

Somehow this only serves to communicate our powerlessness in the capitalistic organization of the economy. That we tend to know what's going on but can't take the right path because there is more money down the other path.

Hrodulf · Jul 25, 2022

I mean, they are right about "the west" fucking over the world with colonialism, but the response being "well now it's our turn to fuck up the planet for short-term profit" isn't really winning me over.

If anything, the way wealthy nations have profited from it should serve as an example that it's only going to empower certain individuals.

Parthenios · Jul 25, 2022

Antrax said:
To be clear, if the wealthy nations pay them off instead, that is still relying on altruism, just from different countries. It's better than them burning these places down but it's also not a good long-term steady state to try for.

Not sure what the permanent solution would even be.

The problem is that there isn't a solution until fossil fuels have run out completely. As long as they exist, it will be advantageous to someone/country to extract and burn them. Even if everyone in 2022 agreed to do away with them, future generations aren't bound by that.

Sunster · Jul 25, 2022

Kill3r7 said:
Nations who want them to protect the planet should buy up the land and not use it.

The Congolese are obviously expecting some oil profits so I doubt they'd go for that.

Captain Smoker · Jul 25, 2022

Ramala said:
I read an article recently somewhere about how the notion that saving the planet is somehow everyone's personal responsibility is utterly laughable. There are a few organizations that are responsible for like 90% of harmful emissions and nothing anyone does means anything stacked against that. And those organizations will never change. Ever. The planet is fucked until we have a catastrophe of such magnitude as to end the current world order.

Those "few organizations" are probably just all oil companies in the world, so what you're actually looking at are the historical emissions from the global oil market.

And it doesn't matter if they want to change or not, oil is dead in the long run, hence why some of the oil companies are pivoting to renewables themselve (some more than others).

Their largest customer base (transportation sector) is pivoting to EVs and oil companies can lobby all they wan't but they can't change shit about this process, which is only going to accelerate because car manufacturers already gave ICE cars the kiss of death.

Congo to Auction Land to Oil Companies: ‘Our Priority Is Not to Save the Planet’

Roll Tide, Y'all!

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