The need for sustainable sources of energy is one the biggest problems that confronts humanity in the
current century. Major technological innovations are being made with the aim of
achieving this goal, mainly because it is tied
to the survival of the planet and the few species that still survive on it. Fossil fuels have, so far, provided us with the
power to build civilizations and economies. However,
it has now become evident that they cannot do so for long. The
unsustainability of the sources and the
environmental damage caused by the use of these fossil fuels have created a
need for better, cleaner energy sources. According to Energy Outlook 2030 by BP
Oil, renewable fuels are growing the fastest at 7.6% and oil the slowest at
0.8% per year (BP).
The ironic thing is that despite the dismal prospects
of oil, Kenya is currently engrossed in
creating an infrastructure that will
enable it to start pilot exporting by June, and become an oil exporter by 2020 (Kamau). All I can say to
this is, “Too late Kenya, too late.” The discovery of oil in the country was
celebrated, at first, and it has been said
that the oil now discovered can run the country for 300 years (Wachiuri). This could have been good news in the’80s.
Today, such information should be received with apprehension because the exploitation
of oil has a direct relationship with the environmental troubles on earth today. The
continuation of oil exploration in Kenya means that we will be taking up a
cycle of unsustainable energy production that is already being abandoned. For one, the accelerated
development and shift towards electric vehicles spells doom for internal
combustion engines and the fuels that power them
such as diesel and petroleum. Furthermore, the transition to solar and wind energy, and their declining costs
means that fossil fuels will, albeit not fast enough, become a thing of the
past. The future will not be powered by oil,
that much can be said. What does this mean for Kenya?
Well for starters, our surface will be covered by a
commodity that nobody wants. For instance, cities in developed countries such
as Oslo, Paris, and Copenhagen are
striving to establish car-free zones to reduce pollution. Such moves are bound
to become more pronounced and widespread in the future. Adding electric vehicles into the equation makes the
exportation of oil to developed countries a dim prospect. The boost that the
country expects from trading in oil will not last long, nor will it be to the benefit of this country,
in the long-term.
The complaint from leaders and
communities in Turkana is a manifestation of the presence of inequitable resource sharing (Muiruri). Even before the
industry crystalizes, it is becoming evident that only corporations, and a few in th ruling elite will benefit from the discovery of black gold . Secondly, pursuing
oil exploration will mean that Kenya will focus on implementing technologies
that will favor this energy source more
than others such as solar and wind.
It should be noted
that funding will be provided by loans from the World Bank (Kamau) (further burden on the country), for an investment that will, at best, last only for a few decades. As the developed countries
focus on renewable energy, we will be consuming our oil at the expense of our
environment. The developed countries will
then take on the role of urging us to abandon oil for green energy, as our emissions become ever greater due to the
inefficiencies and wastefulness inherent in developing economies. It would be the same phenomenon as when
Europeans introduced slave trade on a massive scale on the continent, only to
later appear as abolitionist missionaries to preach how evil such an economic activity was.
Avoiding such a scenario with oil seems unavoidable now, and while the whole
issue is yet to be streamlined, the cons
of this endeavor will outweigh the pros.
But hey, that’s just one man’s opinion.
References
BP. BP Eergy Outlook 2013.
London: BP, 2013. PDF.
Kamau, Macharia. "Kenya to start
pilot oil production in April with eye on export by June." 15 March 2017. Standard
Digital. Web. 11 April 2017.
Muiruri, Peter. "Lokichar oil: A
blessing or curse for Turkana?" 29 March 2017. Standard Digital.
Web. 11 April 2017.
Wachiuri, George K. "Kenya's oil
deposits can run her for 300 years ." 2016. George K. Wachiuri.
Web. 11 April 2017.
