AAPG members, like all other segments of humanity, hold a wide range of opinions and beliefs about controversial topics, including those on environmental issues that affect the energy industry.
Individual perspectives vary for many valid reasons, including experience, knowledge base and personal value systems.
Environmental issues related to the industry have been perennial favorites for divergent views, and today these views are as divergent as ever! It makes for exciting times and lively discussions at conferences, workshops and meetings – and even in personal conversations.
Today’s topics may differ from yesterday’s, but the convictions and passion are similarly felt from one generation to the next.
In the present, nary a day goes by that we don’t hear a news piece, see a headline, read a story or hear an opinion on these and other issues: climate change, carbon sequestration, induced seismicity and hydraulic fracturing!
When you get a chance, go to DEG’s website and take a look at our Goals and Objectives statement. There are seven bulleted points there. They begin with active words like Educate, Communicate, Support, Apply, Promote, Establish and Provide – and many of them specifically mention AAPG members and the general public as the audience.
Most relevant to this discussion, DEG serves to:
- Educate us about issues that affect the energy industry.
- Communicate AAPG’s commitment to simultaneously protect the environment while responsibly developing natural resources.
- Support and encourage research on the effects of exploration and production on the environment – and then make those results available to the public.
Happily, DEG has two principal venues to reach members and the public through the written word.
♦ One is a peer-reviewed, scientific venue – the Environmental Geosciences journal, which now has been with us for more than two decades and has been growing in stature and content under the direction of Michele Cooney, our new editor-in-chief, and her predecessor, Kristin Carter.
This is the venue for researchers to deliver scientific results on environmental issues relevant to the energy industry. The process is simple but sometimes arduous, and anyone can submit a manuscript on any topic.
The editor selects several qualified reviewers to evaluate the manuscript and recommend acceptance, revision, or rejection as necessary. Ultimately the editor decides whether the manuscript is worthy of publication based on the opinions of the reviewers and the strength of the article.
It is important to recognize that just because an article is published in Environmental Geosciences, it does not imply DEG or AAPG as an organization endorses the results, interpretations or conclusions.
If an article makes it through the review process and is published, it becomes fair game for science-based rebuttals in the same or other venues.
♦ DEG also has a less-formal written communication outlet: Spheres of Influence, a newsletter-style publication that is issued quarterly under the direction of managing editor Kristin Carter.
In addition to publishing news of interest to DEG members, Spheres of Influence solicits and receives voluntary submissions from DEG members on various topics. These submissions undergo much less stringent review and are published at the discretion of the editor.
Each piece represents the viewpoint of the author solely, not the editor nor DEG nor AAPG.
These articles commonly serve as discussion starters and are intended to maintain lively debate and discourse within the DEG community.
We who are responsible for maintaining DEG as an active assembly of AAPG members greatly appreciate the efforts of those who have taken the time and effort to write and submit opinion and editorial pieces, and we encourage others whose opinions and perspectives may differ to join the discussion.
It’s part of what makes DEG an organization that can make an impact.
Keep the material coming!