Saudi Oil Minister Calls Global Warming “Humanity’s Most Pressing Concern”
http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2012/01/31/415196/saudi-oil-minister-global-warming-humanity-most-pressing-concern/
Americans use the term Saudi Arabia of to describe an abundance of something usually energy. We are the Saudi Arabia of wind, the Saudi Arabia of coal, the Saudi Arabia of efficiency, and so on and on and on.
Ive come to jokingly use this term for anything really huge. (We are, after all, the Saudi Arabia of climate denial.) So in true American spirit, I am dubbing yesterdays speech by Saudi Arabias Oil Minister Ali Al-Naimi the Saudi Arabia of bold statements.
In a speech at the Middle East and North Africa energy conference in London yesterday, Al-Naimi who once called renewable energy a nightmare hailed energy efficiency and solar as important investments, global warming real and pressing, and explained that drilling for oil does not create many jobs.
We know that pumping oil out of the ground does not create many jobs. It does not foster an entrepreneurial spirit, nor does it sharpen critical faculties.
(snip)
Greenhouse gas emissions and global warming are among humanitys most pressing concerns. Societal expectations on climate change are real, and our industry is expected to take a leadership role.