We recently commented on the request by TransCanada Pipelines (TCPL) to delay the Presidential decision whether to approve the Keystone pipeline.
The President rejected this request for a delay – a rejection that clearly was inevitable. TCPL’s justification for its request had nothing to do with the larger climate change issues by which Keystone must be judged.
Whatever the advantages of Keystone to the fossil fuel industry and the tar sands, TCPL has no argument to make on these climate change issues – beyond a vague appeal to US public opinion. The merits of these issues are solidly against approval.
As we pointed out, the only hope for Keystone is to make approval an issue in the next US Presidential Election. The Democratic candidates for President, Hilary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, are against Keystone. Republican candidates are in favour.
In November 2016 US public attitudes towards climate change will crystallize around Keystone, a result that environmentalists should welcome.
