Extraction Dilemmas

The People's Countryside Environmental Debate Podcast

Welcome to another thought-provoking episode of The People’s Countryside Environmental Debate Podcast, where Stuart 'The Wildman' Mabbutt and William Mankelow delve into the following question from Ramona from Paraguay: “Some Pacific islands are doing deals with mineral and metal extraction companies that could have negative impacts on their indigenous societies, as well as good, as there are financial profits to be made for them, and the companies. Developed countries did this so why shouldn’t these smaller societies?

These same societies are likely to be impacted worst by climate change, potentially caused by other countries in the past, in the form of rising seas levels, flooding, crop failures and forced climate migration of their peoples. Isn’t it a good thing for these extraction companies to be part of the mosaic of solutions needed to combat climate change, as many of the metals they extract, can be reused when products containing them come to the end of their lives, and then made part of the other new items?

Recycling surely! Or maybe you think there’s enough resources in circulation already for us to survive on, and the decision to extract fresh materials as they become needed should be made by a body outside of the extraction companies themselves? Extraction companies left to their own devices could well decide to extract their substances whether or not there's enough already in circulation, before moving on to their next target, so should they really be steering the ship? Further, is there still a place for the oil industry in the mosaic of solutions to combat climate change, or should they be removed from existence entirely?”

Stuart, right from the start, questions why developing countries shouldn't be allowed to extract minerals, emphasising that the challenge lies in our failure to provide them with a better system.

William spotlights a potential future dilemma for smaller countries, wondering if they might be playing catch-up with the world that has already transitioned to greener alternatives. Stuart acknowledges the extractive industry's role in the mosaic of climate change solutions, while William suggests reevaluating the oil industry, by focusing on the valuable skills of its workforce.

As the conversation unfolds, Stuart emphasises the importance of improved recycling practices, and raises critical questions about managing already extracted materials in a rapidly evolving world. The co-hosts discuss the challenges of relying on independent bodies, and acknowledge the difficulty of steering the environmental ship toward a more sustainable future.

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This podcast's overall themes are nature, philosophy, climate, the human condition, sustainability, and social justice.

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