Report: Climate Rules Could Put $1.1T in Oil Investment at Risk

Reuters

LONDON, May 8 (Reuters) - Investors could spend up to $1.1 trillion over the next decade on oil projects and assets that never reach production if governments enforce measures to curb climate change, a report by Carbon Tracker Initiative said.

The Carbon Tracker report, released on Thursday, could help funds and other investors avoid putting their money in oil assets that remain buried forever.

The $1.1 trillion, around 15 percent of the decade's total global oil and gas spending at current rates, is earmarked for projects to 2025 that require a market price of at least $95 a barrel to break even.

That investment is at risk if governments enforce plans to curb the global rise in temperatures to 2 degrees Celsius, which scientists say is the threshold for avoiding the worst effects of climate change.

Almost 200 nations have endorsed that goal and are due in 2015 to sign up to cut greenhouse gas emissions to help meet it.

Those measures will cut demand for fossil fuels including oil and lower prices and revenues, according to the report.

"Gambling on a $95/bbl oil price on behalf of shareholders is risky, given that oil prices have dropped to $40 per barrel twice in the last decade," James Leaton, Carbon Tracker's research director, said in a statement released on Thursday.


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David  |  May 07, 2014
Ok - so lets restrict carbon output from fossil fuels - what source of energy will step in to fill in the gap? Energy demand is set to increase by 30% I year 2035. The best renewables can do is account for some,of this increase - not to mention that oil reserves are will continue to deplete.


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