General Concepts

Climate Change and the Energy War

In pursuit of an understanding of global energy production and consumption, one cannot separate the geo from the political. Climate change and energy has become a hot agenda topic for politicians from all political persuasions and nations – not just the Green Party or anti-globalisation protestors. So they say ‘desperate times call for desperate measures’, but the question is why has climate change and energy topped the political debate charts in the last 3 years? Does this show of concern from western politicians have any sincere link to humanitarian, ethical or environmental concerns first and foremost? Is there a global energy war and what impact will it have on the Muslim world and the future Caliphate?

Climate change: The big Debate

From the study of the conditions of the Ice Age to the impact on climate from industrialisation of Europe, US and other developing nations; the subject of climate change and its causes has been a matter of great debate amongst climatologists and of secondary interest to politicians and governments who advocate globalisation and capitalism until recently. So what is climate change or global warming and what are its effects? Climate Change is a long-term change in weather pattern spanning decades or millions of years. However in recent usage especially related to environmental policy, climate change has been referred to as an increase in the average temperature of the earth‘s surface – otherwise known as global warming. This is caused by the trapping of some infrared radiation that enters the earth from the sun by energy absorbent gases known as greenhouse gases (present in the earth‘s atmosphere). This prevents some radiation escaping the earths atmosphere and is then reflected back on to the earth‘s surface causing the average surface temperature of the earth to rise, also termed ‘global warming‘.

More recently, leading climatologists have attributed global warming mainly to human activity (though a small minority of scientists dispute this consensus). The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) comprising of 100’s of leading climate scientists have issued many reports on climate change since it’s inception in 1988. In the 2007 report, the IPCC concludes that increased levels of greenhouse gas concentrations (mainly Carbon dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), Nitrous Oxide (N2O) and CFC‘s) resulting from human activity such as fossil fuel burning and deforestation are responsible for most of the observed temperature increase since the 1950’s. The IPCC also conclude that the industrial era has contributed to the increased quantities of greenhouse gases such that there has been an approximate increase of 0.8 oC since the 1950’s. It has also been suggested that this rise in the earth’s surface temperature has resulted in the melting of Ice caps, the rising sea levels and turbulent weather.

Cause for Concern?

Environmentalists and anti-globalisation protestors (much like the suffragette movement of the early 20th Century), have chained themselves to railings, occupied dig sites, gone on hunger strike and campaigned to persuade politicians to say they care about the environment and promise to deliver. Pop stars and writers like the late Michael Jackson, Bono, and Naomi Klein to name but a few have attempted to make their concerns about the environment and globalisation heard through music or writing. However, in the last 3 years, politicians seem to have made Climate Change a subject of great importance. Why?

It would be naïve to suggest that politicians who for decades have flouted protocols, conventions and summit agreements to benefit industry and profit will suddenly wake up one day as reformed eco-friendly politicians. Besides it is in the nature of capitalism and capitalist economies to work for profit with a competitive spirit bringing Darwinian Theory of ‘survival of the fittest’ to nation states and global economies. If the Kyoto protocol is anything to go by, it would be obvious to the generally oblivious, that countries such as the US would rather find ways of shirking the responsibility onto others. In truth, that discussion and interest in global warming debate has more to do with energy advancement and containing of growing economies like India and China and less to do with genuine green issues.

The Kyoto protocol sought to gain commitment from countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The US had the target of a 7% reduction from 1990 emissions but has failed to even gain approval from Senate – the most recent bill being the Lieberman-Warner Bill which was quashed by the Senate in June 2008 over fears that it would damage the economy. What they really mean is that reducing emissions will mean industry will produce less, which would mean a shrinkage rather than growth in the US economy. In 2004, the US was listed as the world’s largest polluter, emitting roughly 22% CO2. From 2008, China has been rated the world’s largest polluter (with the US second). However, a quarter of China’s emissions are a direct result of production of goods exported to developed countries (particularly the US). The US still continues to blame India and China for developing too quickly in an attempt to contain and suppress its growth. Therefore what drives nation states to come to the table on such environmental issues is really more about securing their national interest than ethics or humanitarian concerns.

CO2 Emissions and Energy

Due to growing international pressure to comply with emissions targets, and talk of emissions penalties, rewards, and emissions trading; alternative energies which emit low levels of CO2 are being explored by developed countries. Nuclear energy is one such energy which has negligible CO2 emissions. Such countries who depend on Middle East oil are forced to find other means in order to secure self-sufficient and secure energy sources for future consumption and to continue to enjoy the ‘dominant nation’ status. Besides, the US war machines would become inoperable without securing energy sources for the future.

On 15/7/2008 In a Washington, DC speech entitled “A New Strategy for a New World” Obama stated five main foreign policy goals:

a) Ending the war in Iraq responsibly;
b) Finishing the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban;
c) Securing all nuclear weapons and materials from terrorists and rogue states;
d) Achieving true energy security;
e) Rebuilding our alliances to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

The Obama administration recently announced the proposal of a $90 billion loan availability for renewable energy projects (hydro, tidal, wind, solar etc) and a controversial $50 billion from the stimulus package to go into building nuclear power plants. After triple-digit growth rates during the 1970s and 1980s, the nuclear industry virtually died after a series of massive accidents in Chernobyl (Ukraine) and Three Mill Island (US). The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that nuclear power generation will grow by at least 13% by 2030, and perhaps as much as 40% if politicians decide on a price for carbon dioxide emissions. Countries such as Iran and North Korea have become the subject of much speculation and scrutiny from international bodies such as the UN and IAEA through the intense pressure by the US for close monitoring and hampering. The US’ continued infatuation with Iran’s nuclear energy capacity currently has less to do with its fear of Iran’s ability to become a nuclear armed nation, and more to do with preventing Iran’s ability to be a self-sufficient nation with respect to energy. President Woodrow Wilson said in 1919: ‘Is there any man, is there any woman, let me say any child here that does not know that the seed of war in the modern world is industrial and commercial rivalry?’

What will determine the future strength of a nation has relevance to the energy self-sufficiency of a country. The CO2 emissions row has therefore been used by some nations to develop in nuclear energy, and abused by others to serve national foreign policy interests first and foremost.

Western Consumerism and its Impact on the Muslim World

80% of CO2 emissions are from developed countries post-industrialisation. Capitalist greed for profit and over consumption has caused catastrophic consequences to humanity and the environment. Take the example of US demand for oil. The US has 5% of the world’s population, yet consumes 24% of the world’s energy. Total crude oil imports averaged 9.3 million barrels per day in April ‘09, which is an increase of 0.057 million barrels per day from March 2009. The US Department of Defence (DoD) is the largest oil consuming government body in the US and in the world. According to the US Defence Energy Support Centre Fact Book 2004, in Fiscal Year 2004, the US military fuel consumption increased to 144 million barrels. This is about 40 million barrels more than the average peacetime military usage. That is 395,000 barrels per day, almost as much as the daily energy consumption of Greece. This greed and need for dominance of nations and resources by the US has displaced peoples, caused wars and occupied countries through privatisation of public resources, and the driven western foreign policy based on corporate and strategic national interests.

The Muslim Ummah can take pride in the abundant resources Allah سبحانه وتعالى has placed in Muslim countries. However, the impact of consumerist nations upon the Muslim world has been devastating. Muslim rulers not only have Muslim blood on their hands, but on the issue of protecting the Ummah’s resources, have failed miserably. They are responsible for squandering the resources of the Muslim Ummah to feed western demands. The top sources of US crude oil imports from the Muslim world for April ‘09 were Saudi Arabia (1.021 million barrels per day), Nigeria (0.673 million barrels per day), Iraq (0.479 million barrels per day) and Algeria (0.398 million barrels per day). Such abundant resources are therefore slowly being stripped away from the Ummah in an attempt to continue western hegemony over Muslim lands and prevent any type of self-sufficiency. The ‘British Raj’ of the imperialist era has emerged through an array of styles and means in this neo-colonialist era.

The Future of the Muslim World

Aside from the incompetency of the rulers; recent wars and the impact of globalisation has enabled the Ummah’s wealth to go into private hands through oil and minerals contracts. This is despite the hadith of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم: “Muslims are partners in three: Water, green pastures and fire based fuels (oil).” [Muslim]

Hence under the Islamic Caliphate it is haram to privatise commodities such as crude oil and its derivatives (e.g. petroleum, diesel etc.), the provision of gas and electricity. The Khalifah is delegated the responsibility of managing such public goods for the Ummah‘s consumption and benefit. Any profits gained are the right of the Ummah and not big business. The state treasury cannot charge the Ummah for the goods and can only charge for services the state provides in order to bring the commodity to the marketplace for sale or consumption e.g. the cost of pipelines, exploration, transporting of the commodity, national grid usage etc. This is done by utilising some of the revenue from such public commodities to build pipelines, power stations, national grid systems etc. Decisions on spending public funds are made by the Khalifah and must be to serve the needs of the Ummah to justify its spending. Allah سبحانه وتعالى narrates the story of Prophet Shuaib عليه السلام when he said to his people:

وَلاَ تَبْخَسُواْ النَّاسَ أَشْيَاءهُمْ وَلاَ تَعْثَوْاْ فِي الأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ
“Do not withhold from people the things that are their due nor commit evil in the land.” [Hud, 11:85]

This will help secure the interests of the Ummah by preventing private companies feeding the demands of consumerist nations and prevent the scarcity of resources having an impact on the Ummah. Furthermore, the Islamic state will also play a pivotal part in the pricing of oil in world markets and ensure continued research and development in novel energy sourcing to continue to remain self-sufficient. Part and parcel of the decisions re energy sources is to consider the impact/danger on humanity and the environment.

The Ummah has a wealth of knowledge, expertise and resources. What the Ummah needs is a single sincere leadership – unification via the Khilafah which can unify all aspects to ensure lasting prosperity in the Muslim world. May Allah سبحانه وتعالى grant us the status of the leading nation soon inshaAllah.

وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِّتَكُونُواْ شُهَدَاء عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا
“We have made you the leading nation (Ummatal Wassat) to be a witness over mankind. And the messenger is a witness over you.” [Baqarah, 2:143]