Erstellt am: 19. 5. 2010 - 14:28 Uhr
The slippery politics of oil
Alex Steffen is the Executive Editor of Worldchanging and he says "I think it is somewhat difficult to explain American domestic politics to people who are sane. We have an opposition in the US that is rabidly anti-environmental, that is rabidly pro-oil, and fundamentally is not only opposed to science, but is opposed to the idea of change."
Strong words indeed - but as the US faces the consequences of the worst industrial accident in its history, maybe he has a point.
As the slick from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico starts to come ashore, it clear that worst is yet to come, so will popular opinion now shift away from the pro-oil politicians?
A scene from the mouth of the Mississippi river where the oil damage is beginning to become apparent. The longer term consequences on the environment could be devastating.
President Obama is now being accused by Republicans of turning the oil spill to his advantage in an alleged campaign to end offshore drilling. This seems a little ironic, as just a few says before the spill, Obama was proposing opening vast new areas of coastline in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska to drilling, a suggestion that was drawing fire from environmentalists and even his own party.
The oil spill is a political hot potato that everyone is trying to pass on, with both political and commerical interests all blaming each other, and it may not be so easy for the White House to wash its hands of responsibility.
However, Alex Steffen says some good may yet come out of it all, as the fallout starts to be felt in the broader politics of the parties. As he told Chris Cummins on Reality Check, change is already on the way.
Alex Steffen is one of the guest speakers at the ERDgespräche on 25th May in the Wiener Rathaus. You can register to attend the event here.