Crippling Carbon

Nothing comes without its consequence: the economic benefits of the Willow Project are countered by equally harsh environmental effects. Arguably, the most troublesome consequence of the Willow Project is the excessive carbon dioxide release through its burning process. In fact, the burning of oil using Alaska’s petroleum reserves is expected to produce over 250 million tons of carbon dioxide. The equivalent of such a catastrophe would be the release of carbon dioxide from 66 coal plants annually or adding 2 million gas-powered cars on the road. This carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere through the oil drilling process — as a hydrocarbon fuel, like gasoline, gets combusted or burned, the excessive carbon gas combines with oxygen in the air and effectively alters the natural levels of CO2 gas in the atmosphere. Besides releasing carbon dioxide gas, oil extraction also releases methane, the most significant climate change accelerant.  While methane is released less rapidly than carbon dioxide, it is still a great concern due to its efficient power of trapping heat in the atmosphere. 

But what does the increase in carbon dioxide and methane emissions mean for the climate? The repercussions of an incremental increase in the release of these gasses are best explained by the idea of the greenhouse effect and the detrimental consequences to the greenhouse effect through an increased use of fossil fuels. The greenhouse effect, as defined by NASA, is when gasses in Earth’s atmosphere trap solar energy in the form of heat, making the Earth warm enough for survival. While this effect is necessary for the Earth, an increase in greenhouse gasses means an increase in heat in the atmosphere.  

“A greenhouse gas allows more heat to be conserved within the atmosphere, meaning more heat in the system. When you add extra greenhouse gasses, [there is] a global temperature increase over time,” Hage said. “[When] you’re talking about fossil fuels, the basic concept of climate change is that we’re taking old fossil carbon out, which has been locked away and sequestered, and putting it into the atmosphere artificially. And anytime that you are adding extra carbon to the system — in this case, carbon dioxide — you’re strengthening the effect of the greenhouse effect.”

Greenhouse gas emissions are not even the worst of the issue. In oil drilling, the environment gets increasingly harmed by malfunctions in the process. The effects of these emissions on our planet cause habitat destruction and loss of biodiversity in wildlife. 

“[In] the process of getting the fossil fuels, there’s always some spills or accidental leaks of natural gas in the area — it’s never one hundred percent going where we want it to go. There’s always a little bit of loss from [drilling] that is going to hurt the environment,” Environmental Club president and senior Quinn Gillies said.

The combined effects of such a massive land-bearing project can lead to the tragic destruction of Alaskan land. Many Alaskan natives living closer to the project — the ones more directly affected by the establishment of reserves in the area — have expressed concern for the environmental impacts of the oil drilling and the health impacts for their indigenous populations. 

Furthermore, an extensive number of endangered species face greater risk under the Willow Project in Alaska, including polar bears and caribou, because of the habitat degradation they will face during the oil drilling process. 

Even though the Willow Project begins in Alaska, its approval affects everyone in the world. Since 1970, global carbon dioxide emissions have increased by 90%, and the Willow Project only projects an increase to that statistic. From an encompassing global viewpoint, the general increase in carbon emissions and global warming from this oil drilling project will surely cause issues for later generations. 

 “Burning fossil fuels affects the entire world. This increased use of fossil fuels is [definitely] going to harm the entire country,” Gillies said.