COMPARISON ESSAY

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Be Opened to Oil Drilling

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Be Opened to Oil Drilling

Introduction

During the recession in the middle of 2008 in the United States, the money makers took a turn for the poorer. As a result of the recession, the United States decided to seek for sufficient oil reserves to save cash from foreign imports. Furthermore, industries and business engaged in oil exploration started looking for national regions to have huge oil productions. One of the isolated regions is the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. It has significant contributions as it conserves the natural state of the American environment. However, as it has a wide-open land, it has captured the attention of oil businesses to make their own (Hickel, 2006).

Discussion

It is essential to discuss or to provide an argument between the significance of natural wildlife environment and oil assets in America. Preservationists believe that Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is an area which has significant contributions in protecting the animals and the environment. This is a strong viewpoint of the environmentalists which they firmly hold onto. On the other hand, the arguments by people in favor of oil drilling state that new explorations of oil in the region will help the United States in reducing dependence on foreign oil. What can one expect if oil drilling in the protected area take place? Drilling in Yellowstone, the canyon countries, or the coastline? The entire treasures associated with the natural environment of the United States will be lost due to the “need” to eliminate its dependency on foreign oil (Hickel, 2006) (Hickel, 2006).

Analysis

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern Alaska - is "the most impressive example of America functioning undisturbed by man and natural complex of arctic and subarctic ecosystems". It is a region of strict protection for all wild flora and fauna common to the whole territory of the reserve, except for one area whose fate has not yet been resolved. We are talking about the possibility of diversion of the area for oil and gas in accordance with the law of the Congress. The estimated recoverable oil reserves from the ground in the area range from 2 to 12 billion barrels (Markey, 2004). Service Fish and Wildlife U.S. reports that the development of this field with a probability of 50 percent can be expected to detect such a quantity of oil which would be equivalent to nine months of the U.S. oil consumption. Since 1973, the existing fields of the northern slope of Alaska have already produced 13 billion barrels of oil. Furthermore, it is assumed that the residual amount of oil in them cannot exceed 3 billion barrels.

For the Gwich'in tribes, which settled along the border of Alaska and Canada, the territory of the reserve is a sacred ground, as shown here their offspring caribou belonging to populations "Porcupine". These animals are the main source of food, clothing, tools, ornaments and utensils, as well as the main object of material for the Gwich'in culture (Markey, ...