Willow is an Economic Blunder
I’m sure at this point we have all heard of the Willow project. Greenlit by the Trump administration and now passed by Biden the project is on track to start drilling in the Arctic on land that holds up to 600 million barrels of oil. However, the project and Biden administration are receiving heavy backlash from indigenous and environmental groups as well as everyday citizens because of the ecological, environmental, and global implications of unearthing and burning all that oil.
Proponents of the Willow project have three main points. One, the project will create new union jobs that pay well. Two, the project will lessen the US’s dependence on foreign energy suppliers. And three, the US will have more energy independence than ever before. These points are supported by a wide variety of individuals, from Alaskan politicians to some Alaskan indigenous groups who want the financial gains and self-determinism they will achieve from drilling the land. For those in favor of Willow, the economic gain outweighs the environmental and global risk of releasing 9.2 million metric tons of CO2 into the atmosphere. As long as we have jobs and economic security now, nothing else matters down the line.
For those that think critically about global systems and sustainable development, the Willow project is a gaunt reminder of the corporate-political processes that go on behind the scenes to ensure oil executives get their bonuses. The Willow project is an exploitation of “public” land which Biden claimed to be ending prior to passing it through. Many activist organizations are outraged at Biden’s decision which will negatively affect the local ecology of the North Slope as well as accelerate global climate change.
But certainly, the ends will justify the means with this project. With new jobs and oil hitting the market the US will continue to pump to our heart’s content and not be reliant on other countries to do so… right? Well as it turns out, the economic gains that proponents of Willow are promising will not be realized for many years and could potentially be much less than what is predicted. For starters, we will only start seeing the first Willow oil barrels hitting the market around 2028-2029, with the mining pads taking even longer to reach maximum capacity. This means that the project will most likely end up costing Alaska millions before they start to see any returns on the investment. With the continued development of renewable energy sources, oil returns will only diminish as 2028 approaches. On top of all of this, the closest domestic buyers of Willow petroleum are Washington, Oregon, and California, three states that are actively making strides to bolster their renewable energy portfolios and move away from fossil fuels.
Along with being economically ambiguous, the type of oil that Willow produces will need to be mixed with imported oil to make it usable in industry and everyday applications. The idea that Willow will usher in a new age of US energy independence is far from reality, it will increase Alaska oil production by a third but we will still be reliant on foreign oil supplies to make our oil usable. However, if we were to take that spirit of energy independence and apply it to sustainable energy endeavors, the energy that we produce will not only be 100% American but also 100% clean.
I am not in favor of the Willow project. I think that it is a rash decision that discounts future generations’ livelihoods for economic gain now. Instead of investing in crude and extractive energy sources that are actively being phased out, we need to invest in sustainable energy solutions. Without drastic change we will not be able to meet any emissions standards that we set in the future, Willow needs to be the last United-States-endorsed drilling project. We cannot afford to continue on the global trajectory we are on. The United States needs to step up and be a global leader in sustainable energy and enable other countries to leapfrog fossil fuels without infringing on sovereignty. It’s a tall order, but I think it is warranted given the current situation we find ourselves in.
