DeepSummary
The episode is a special crossover from the podcast Drilled, which investigates the role of fossil fuel companies in the climate crisis. It focuses on ExxonMobil's discovery and exploration of oil in Guyana, a small South American country. Kiana Wilberg, a young Guyanese journalist, discusses her efforts to learn about the oil industry and ExxonMobil when the company announced its oil find in 2015. Wilberg and her colleagues at Kaieteur News had to quickly educate themselves on the industry and investigate the details of the deal between ExxonMobil and the Guyanese government.
The episode delves into ExxonMobil's history, including internal documents that showed the company was aware of climate change risks as early as the 1970s but worked to conceal this information. It also explores Guyana's complex political landscape, with oil exacerbating ethnic tensions and conflicts between political parties. The episode highlights concerns about the environmental impact of the oil projects, particularly in a country already vulnerable to sea-level rise due to its location below sea level.
The episode raises questions about the transparency of the contract between ExxonMobil and Guyana, with Wilberg and her team struggling to obtain details of the deal. It also touches on the broader issue of fossil fuel companies exploiting natural resources in developing countries, often with unfavorable terms for the host nations. The episode sets the stage for further investigation into the implications of ExxonMobil's presence in Guyana and the potential consequences for the country's environment, politics, and economy.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- ExxonMobil's discovery and exploration of oil in Guyana, a small South American country, has raised concerns about environmental impact, political tensions, and transparency in the deal between the company and the government.
- Despite internal documents showing ExxonMobil was aware of climate change risks as early as the 1970s, the company continued to pursue fossil fuel projects, including the Guyana oil find.
- The oil industry's presence in Guyana has exacerbated existing ethnic and political tensions, leading to a more divisive and toxic political environment.
- Guyana, a country already below sea level, faces existential threats from sea-level rise due to climate change, with the government considering relocating the capital.
- Young Guyanese journalists like Kiana Wilberg have taken on the challenge of investigating and reporting on the oil industry's activities in their country, often facing intimidation and lack of transparency.
- The deal between ExxonMobil and Guyana has been criticized for potentially being unfavorable to the country, with accusations of oil companies exploiting natural resources in developing nations for their own profit.
- The border dispute between Guyana and Venezuela over territorial claims, including the offshore oil reserves, has added another layer of complexity to the situation.
- The episode raises broader questions about the role of fossil fuel companies in contributing to climate change while simultaneously pursuing new oil and gas projects in vulnerable regions.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “The purpose of an oil company is to make money. They have no other purpose.“ by Unidentified Speaker
- “I thought it was hard to report on the CIA. I came to understand that Exxon was far more difficult and a little bit scarier even.“ by Steve Coll
- “Any kind of rise in sea level, we are in trouble. How much do you keep building this wall up? At some point, we are going to have to think about moving. And the government is already talking about it, actually moving the capital back into where the big airport is.“ by Salvador de Caires
- “So I am absolutely sure that they knew there was oil there and just waited. If Venezuela is going to play bad, then they said, well, okay, we have oil elsewhere, and then negotiated a very sweet deal.“ by Alfred Boulai
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Episode Information
Living Planet
DW
6/1/23