Sable Petroleum Club:
Dalhousie University AAPG Student Chapter
* please note that all articles represent the opinion of the writer
Forbes Magazine: Universities Must Reject Environmentalist Calls to Divest From the Fossil Fuel Industry
28 August 2013
Alex Epstein - Forbes Contributer
Thank you to the Board of Governors for allowing me the opportunity to speak today. My name is Carla Dickson, and I am a current Masters student in Earth Science, and have completed 2 previous degrees at Dalhousie. Today I am speaking on behalf of students, faculty, staff, and alumni who strongly object to the proposal of divestment from fossil fuel energy companies. We believe there will be significant, negative, long-term consequences to Dalhousie if this divestment is approved.
Dalhousie University is an internationally recognized research institute in numerous fields including energy resource exploration and management, tectonic and earth surface processes, engineering, ocean science and technology, and environmental sustainability. The diversity and depth of research being completed at this university would not be possible without the support of energy companies through funding grants, campus support, software and technology, data donations, student internship sponsorship, and personal involvement of their geoscientists and engineers.
Well-balanced educations and experiential learning opportunities through exposure to a complete range of information on energy resources lead to better geoscientists, engineers, environmental geologists, etc. Within our own department we have experienced many benefits as a result of energy investment in Dalhousie. These include support for field schools throughout Nova Scotia, to Trinidad, and to California and Nevada; grants and data for research in environmental geology, metamorphic geology, structural geology, geochronology, and petroleum geoscience; and sponsorship to attend provincial, national, and international conferences. This strengthens Dalhousie’s reputation as a place where the students are given an unbiased perspective on the current issues challenging us today, making us better able to understand them and eventually find solutions for them. How can Dalhousie claim to be a leader in solving energy challenges if they are only willing to support investment and research on a fraction of the energy sector? Why should energy companies continue to support Dalhousie if we divest, thereby showing we do not have faith and mutual respect for them?
Please note that I said energy companies, not fossil fuel companies, because these businesses are involved in more than just fossil fuels. They are some of the largest investors and most active producers of renewable energy. For example, the new Sable Wind farm in Guysborough County will produce 13.8 MW of energy. According to municipal officials its construction would not have been possible without the reinvestment of profits from the Sable Offshore Energy Project. Currently in Nova Scotia, 280 MW of energy is produced by wind farms. To put this in perspective, two major energy companies – Enbridge and BP – produce a combined 4,260 MW of energy from wind farms across North America. These companies are involved in multiple energy sources including traditional and renewable, and understand that a balance can and must exist between them.
Clearly our province is able to maintain a positive relationship with traditional and renewable energy producers. Clearly energy companies are already acknowledging the shift to more renewable energy through this partnership, so why does Dalhousie think it must divest to see change?
Our members are also concerned because divestment will show a complete lack of support by Dalhousie for students, faculty, staff, and alumni who have chosen a career in the energy sector through fossil fuels. We have chosen this path so that we will have an active role in the ethical and environmental development of these resources until renewables are able to meet global energy demands. At this time, there is no other solution that can currently operate at the required scale to meet society’s energy demands. This means we must manage our hydrocarbon resources in an efficient and environmentally neutral way, while we innovate and perfect replacement solutions. As the situation stands, Dalhousie students, faculty, and staff are our best option to accomplish this challenging and innovative research. If we divest, this will no longer be the case.
The Dalhousie Faculty Association (DFA) submitted a letter on November 21st to the Board of Governors supporting DivestDal. We want to address this letter today, as we have heard from members within our department that this is not an entirely accurate representation of their views. The faculty, particularly those in the Earth Science and Engineering departments, were not directly canvassed for their opinions. A request to withdrawl the letter has been submitted by at least one concerned party, demonstrating the divided support on the issue.
In the report submitted to the Investment Committee by DivestDal, it is stated on page 28 that “investing time and money to train students to go into the fossil fuel industry is short sighted and does not reflect the work force of the future”. Dalhousie does not “train us to go into the fossil fuel industry”. The faculty here has trained me how to be a responsible geologist, with an understanding of the world under my feet. They have trained me to be an honest scientist, with a strong sense of ethics. They have trained me to be a good global citizen, showing me how I can effect positive change within my field.
Divestment will send an alarming message to those of us involved in traditional energy – and more importantly, to the Province of Nova Scotia – that Dalhousie University does not believe in the education it has provided its students and does not support research and work they have committed their careers to. Divestment by Dalhousie University will inevitably lead to a steady decline in funding for research and programs in many facilities, and a commensurate decline in career opportunities for our graduates. DivestDal will work in both directions – energy companies will distance and divest from Dalhousie as well.
I have always been proud to say I am a Dalhousie alumni and student, that I have obtained a balanced education, developed informed opinions, and been provided the tools to create a better future. I will not view my education here in that way if divestment is approved; this will essentially be telling me that my school thinks I have made a poor career decision.
If Dalhousie chooses divestment, then they choose non-participation in the conversation about energy. How can our school, its students, faculty, staff, and alumni effect change in the way our world acquires energy if this Board chooses to divest from the primary section of the energy industry?
As the academic year begins, I hope you will take a moment to read this letter to American universities, cosigned by 80 distinguished scholars, about the increasingly popular “divestment” movement–led by radical environmentalist groups and now publicly supported by President Obama. I wrote this letter because I believe that “divestment” poses a grave threat to both the American economy and to open debate on campus.
Click here to link to article.
Policy uncertainty and grid integration risks are driving a slowdown in global renewable energy deployment, especially in OECD economies, according to a new International Energy Agency (IEA) report published today (28 August).
Click here to link to article.
EurActiv: IEA Slashes Renewable Energy Forecast
29 August 2014
OPPOSITION TO DIVESTMENT
(newest articles to bottom of page)
ExxonMobil Perspectives: Some thoughts on divestment
10 October 2014
Ken Cohen - VP Public and Government Affairs, ExxonMobil
At the recent United Nations-sponsored Climate Summit, U.N. General Secretary Ban Ki-Moon stated, “Now is the time for action.”
We can all agree that climate change poses a significant challenge for the world. The question, then, is what sort of action should be taken?
One proposal that is being pushed – with a full-throated endorsement from Mary Robinson, Ban Ki-Moon’s special envoy on climate issues – is a movement to get large institutional investors to divest their holdings of companies involved in producing fossil fuels.
It is, simply, a movement that is out of step with reality.
For one thing, divestment represents a diversion from the real search for technological solutions to managing climate risks that energy companies like ours are pursuing. The industry-driven natural-gas boom in the United States is Exhibit A in this regard.
Click here to link to article.
Dal News: Shell Canada renews support for enhanced learning experiences at Dal
25 March 2015
Ryan McNutt
Ian Finlayson and Natasha Morrison are two Dalhousie students whose hands-on learning experiences have taken them to unexpected places. In Morrison’s case, an elective course on dinosaurs inspired her to switch programs into Earth Sciences. She was drawn to the program’s many experiential learning opportunities, and credits its field schools with not only shaping undergraduate experience but helping lead her towards masters studies, also at Dal.“It was during these field experiences that my passion for petroleum geology was ignited,” says Morrison, citing the Earth Sciences program’s Trinidad field school in particular. “Bringing us to such an amazing geological outcrop allows us to see real-world examples of active petroleum systems that we would only have ever seen in our textbooks.” Finlayson, a fourth-year Mechanical Engineering student, travelled to the UK last year to help race Dal’s student-built Formula SAE car at the prestigious Silverstone raceway, competing against teams from around the world. Now the team’s captain, he and his fellow students are hard at work leveraging the skills they’ve learned in the program to prepare this year’s car for competition.“The team, like many of the other teams here on campus, provides students with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience and expand upon the knowledge in the classroom,” he says.
Click here to link to article.
A note on the Donor Agreement Documentation between Shell Canada & Dalhousie University
21 April 2015
Carla Dickson (carla.h.dickson@gmail.com)
Recently the renewal of a donation agreement has become a source of debate. Here is a link to a copy of the agreement, released under the Freedom of Informaton and Protection of Privacy Act (request made by Mr. Stephen Thomas on February 12th 2013). Rather than tell you our thoughts or opinions at this time, I invite you to read the document in its original form for yourself, and form your own opinions. I also suggest you do some general research on similar types of agreements between any 2 entities of this size to see if it is comparable.
Do you find it restrictive or unusually specific in any requirements?
Do you think it is comparable to other agreements of this type?
Do you think the students of all mentioned faculties and programs will benefit?
What do you think?
Article submitted to Chronicle Herald in response to "Dalhousie to shell out for donation"
21 April 2015
Carla Dickson (carla.h.dickson@gmail.com)
The role of a university is to provide young students with all possible opportunities and tools to understand the complex world we live in, and to allow us to develop educated, informed, and unbiased opinions. We represent a group of concerned students wish to address recent publications surrounding donations and the perception of energy research at Dalhousie University. We defend the opportunities for learning and research that donations provide – regardless of their source.
We found the remarks surrounding a certain donation renewal frustrating, as only misrepresented portions of the agreement were shown. Funds were allocated to the Faculties of Science and Management – not exclusively to Engineering. There were also donations made to specific programs such as Women in Engineering, and Aboriginal Student Support. To show the true extent of the agreement and the diverse opportunities it provides students, we recommend you read the agreement for yourself.
Representation on field trips and as peer-review judges provides students the opportunity to interact with experienced professional (a number of them Dalhousie alumni) on a more individual basis to learn about their research, education and work experience, and receive useful technical feedback and career advice. If a company makes a significant donation, it is standard that its logo will be visible somewhere. As a matter of good practice, all sources of funding should be represented and acknowledged – including those from governments, industries, and individuals, regardless of whether it is mandatory. Many universities have buildings, faculties, and programs that have benefited as a result of external funding and partnership, who carry the name of the benefactor with some terms and conditions. We do not think this constitutes “big strings attached”, or “limits student opportunity” in any fashion.
The abundance of educational opportunities possible because of external donations result in better geoscientists and engineers. Dalhousie should maintain its reputation as a place where students are given an unbiased perspective on the issues challenging us at present and in the future. We must be encouraging and supportive of working partnerships between energy companies, conscientious consumers, and environmental advocates. The only way a feasible solution to climate change will manifest will be by collaborative effort.
- Anonymous Students for Educational Opportunities