AAPG Position Statements and Climate Change

September 2019

Historically, AAPG has developed and approved position statements on a variety of issues, usually related to policy issues relevant to AAPG and its members. The purpose of position statements was to provide Congress and state legislatures with non-partisan, science-backed information that they could use to shape energy policy. Over the years, AAPG has issued Position Papers for a number of subjects, including Arctic National Wildlife Reserve (ANWR) Access (2011); Hydraulic Fracturing (2011); Work Force Needs (2011); Geologic Carbon Storage (2008); Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Resources (2007); and Climate Change (2007), to name a few.

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Historically, AAPG has developed and approved position statements on a variety of issues, usually related to policy issues relevant to AAPG and its members. The purpose of position statements was to provide Congress and state legislatures with non-partisan, science-backed information that they could use to shape energy policy. Over the years, AAPG has issued Position Papers for a number of subjects, including Arctic National Wildlife Reserve (ANWR) Access (2011); Hydraulic Fracturing (2011); Work Force Needs (2011); Geologic Carbon Storage (2008); Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Resources (2007); and Climate Change (2007), to name a few.

Climate change and anthropogenic climate change (AGW) is a subject of considerable discussion and debate across the globe and within the AAPG. Over the past year, there has been a call from some members for AAPG to prepare a new position statement on the issue of climate change and AGW. Your Executive Committee wants to engage AAPG membership to better understand whether and how the AAPG should engage on this topic by asking a couple of questions.

By mid-September, all members will receive an email that will allow you to express your views on this subject. There will be a series of questions that will help facilitate your Executive Committee to gauge the members’ view on position statements in general and issuing a new climate statement in particular. It is incumbent for all members to express their views and we encourage all members to make sure your friends and colleagues respond to the polling.

Thanks,
2019-2020 Executive Committee

Comments (9)

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Climate change policy survey
Where can we comment on the AAPG climate change policy? David Fowler
12/6/2019 1:08:15 PM
David Fowler
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Climate Change Statement by the AAPG
As a number of others have mentioned, I have not received a survey regarding this important issue. As a geologist I think the AAPG needs to respond to the current thinking on man-made climate change with a thorough statement on addressing the public with science not emotion. There are many of us that are not climate deniers; however, we are concerned about the issue of "settled science" or political science. There are very important data and geological facts that need to be publicized by our membership to show that we are not in step with all of the current alarmist thinking. Jay Moffitt
10/15/2019 1:30:11 PM
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In response to Peter Zweigel
AAPG does not currently have a climate statement. All current official position statements can be found here: https://www.aapg.org/about/aapg/offices/policy/statements
10/3/2019 3:12:52 PM
Brian Ervin
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Climate change position survey - where can we find the official position statements?
Thank you for inviting to participate in the AAPG Climate Change Survey. However, a prerequisite for answering some of the questions would be to have access to the existing statement. Where can it - and the other official position statements - be found on the AAPG website? I tried with various combinations of keywords and did not manage to find it. Best regards, Peter Zweigel
10/2/2019 2:14:33 PM
Peter Zweigel
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The survey mail has not been sent to me.
Climate, a burning issue that has almost been taken out of the hands of the geologists who are better equipped to present more balanced view than the current climate champions represented by an assorted population of politicians, lawyers, physicians, novelists and weather watchers. AAPG has already this publication of great value. Gerhard Lee C et al Eds., 2001: Geological Perspective of Global Climate Change- AAPG Studies in Geology#47 Please send the survey. We want AAPG to present the geological perspective in very clear terms.
10/2/2019 1:29:25 AM
Arijit Chaudhuri
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When are the surveys being sent?
Dear AAPG, it is now the end of September and I have not received any e-mail from AAPG on this topic. It is clear from Gretchen's comment that these emails have gone out to some members - but certainly not to all members as promised. I can assume that if I have not received it, then it is very likely that others have not either. Can AAPG please investigate and please make every effort to confirm with members whether they have received it and to ensure members have the opportunity to participate. I am not sure when the survey closes, but please keep in mind that us members overseas often do not get the explorer by post until 2-3 months after publication. Thus there is a chance that members who were not sent the survey may not even know about it until after the survey has closed. Kind regards, Mark Tingay
9/29/2019 5:06:25 AM
Mark Tingay
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Survey is simplistic
I find the survey alarmingly simplistic. Regardless of what members might think about human contribution to climate change, the energy industry's credibility and social license to operate depend on communicating effectively with the public. I hope we can communicate: 1. One size does not fit all for energy. Think about access, consumption, and efficiency of energy around the world in addition to the types of resources available in each location. Scott Tinker’s Switch Energy Alliance documents this. Population growth and higher standards of living mean more demand for energy that cannot currently be met without hydrocarbons. 2. Solutions to climate concerns and the energy transition are going to have to come from a mix of economic and policy approaches. I hope AAPG is seeking a seat at the table for these discussions. However, AAPG has been ridiculed by the public and other associations for years because of its denial of human contribution to climate change (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Association_of_Petroleum_Geologists). We cannot practice climatology without a license – that would be unethical - but we can talk about what we know from the rock record. I think AAPG should engage a group of people who are scientifically qualified to produce a statement that represents the role of AAPG in advancing energy geoscience and promoting the technology of exploring for, finding, and producing energy and related minerals in an economically and environmentally sound manner.
9/26/2019 7:44:38 AM
Gretchen M. Gillis
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Climate statement polling -- students, associates, and members
Hi Mark, yes, the poll will be sent to students, associates, and members -- all of our membership categories. --David Curtiss
9/20/2019 9:36:03 AM
David Curtiss
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Climate Change Position Statement: ALL members should get a say.
The post states that ALL members will receive this e-mail - can AAPG please confirm that this means all member categories. Climate change is an issue that will have much greater impact on AAPG members younger than 50 years in age. In particular, it is most critically important for the youngest members of our association - the students. Can AAPG please confirm that all types of members, and not only full members, will be able to have their say on this matter.
9/19/2019 10:14:41 PM
Mark Tingay

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