Contradictions in US climate and energy policy

The latest developments in the tortuous Keystone XL pipeline review highlight the contradictions in US energy and climate change policies

As expected, the latest US government review of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline that would carry Canadian oil sands crude, along with some US light oil, to refineries in Texas, has concluded that the project would not unduly harm the environment. Yet this has done little to quell the controversy surrounding the proposed 830,000 barrels a day pipeline. The State Department’s latest environmental impact study concluded that not building the pipeline would report in little change to the current pattern of carbon emissions. On the other hand, not constructing the pipeline would lead to more oil being shipped by rail at greater risk to the general population due to the higher accident rate of t