Analysis of U.S. Offshore Oil and Gas Leasing in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Introduction

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has announced the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the Gulf of America Regional Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Lease Sales. This action, part of a broader “American Energy Dominance” agenda, has significant implications for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning climate, environment, and energy.

2.0 Conflict with Environmental and Climate Goals

The decision to advance new offshore oil and gas leasing directly contradicts the objectives of several key SDGs aimed at protecting the planet and ensuring a sustainable future.

2.1 SDG 13: Climate Action

The initiative fundamentally undermines efforts to combat climate change and its impacts. Key areas of conflict include:

• Increased Emissions: Facilitating new fossil fuel extraction will lock in decades of greenhouse gas emissions, accelerating climate change.
• Policy Incoherence: The action opposes the global consensus on phasing out fossil fuels to meet the temperature targets of the Paris Agreement, a central component of SDG 13.
• Vulnerability: It increases the climate-related risks for coastal communities, which are already vulnerable to sea-level rise and extreme weather events.

2.2 SDG 14: Life Below Water

Offshore drilling activities pose a direct threat to the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources.

1. Pollution Risk: The plan elevates the risk of catastrophic oil spills and routine operational discharges, which can devastate marine ecosystems, harm biodiversity, and contaminate coastlines.
2. Habitat Destruction: Seismic surveys and infrastructure construction associated with drilling can damage sensitive marine habitats and disrupt marine mammal behavior.
3. Unsustainable Use: The policy prioritizes resource extraction over the long-term health and sustainable management of marine environments, as mandated by SDG 14.

3.0 Contradiction of Sustainable Energy and Economic Models

While framed as an economic initiative, the policy promotes an energy and economic model that is misaligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

3.1 SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

The focus on expanding oil and gas production is a direct impediment to achieving SDG 7, which calls for a substantial increase in the share of renewable energy.

• It diverts investment and policy focus away from clean energy technologies such as offshore wind and solar.
• It reinforces global dependence on volatile and polluting fossil fuel markets rather than promoting a transition to a sustainable energy system.

3.2 SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

The program encourages the continued unsustainable production of fossil fuels, running counter to the goal of achieving sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.

4.0 Conclusion

The advancement of the Gulf of America Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Lease Sales is in direct opposition to the core principles of the Sustainable Development Goals. By prioritizing short-term fossil fuel extraction, the policy compromises long-term environmental integrity, climate stability, and the global transition toward a sustainable and equitable future. It represents a significant setback for the achievement of SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), and SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy).

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed

The article on the Gulf of America oil and gas lease sales touches upon several SDGs, primarily through the lens of national energy policy, its economic drivers, and its environmental consequences. The following SDGs are relevant:

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 13: Climate Action
• SDG 14: Life Below Water
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Specific Targets Identified

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

1. Target 7.a: Enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology, and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology.
   • Explanation: The article discusses a national policy focused on oil and gas, which are fossil fuels. While the policy promotes energy infrastructure investment, it is directed at traditional fossil fuels rather than the “cleaner” or “renewable” sources emphasized by the target, highlighting a policy direction that is in conflict with the spirit of this target.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

1. Target 8.1: Sustain per capita economic growth in accordance with national circumstances and, in particular, at least 7 per cent gross domestic product growth per annum in the least developed countries.
   • Explanation: The “American Energy Dominance agenda” mentioned in the article is an economic strategy aimed at leveraging national energy resources (oil and gas) to foster economic growth.

SDG 13: Climate Action

1. Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning.
   • Explanation: The announcement of a “Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement” for oil and gas leasing is a direct example of a national policy and planning document. The decision to advance fossil fuel extraction is a significant action related to climate change policy, running counter to the goal of integrating mitigation measures.

SDG 14: Life Below Water

1. Target 14.1: By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution.
   • Explanation: The leasing of the “Gulf of America Regional Outer Continental Shelf” for oil and gas activities creates a direct risk of marine pollution from potential spills and operational discharges, which is a primary concern of this target.
2. Target 14.2: By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts…
   • Explanation: Offshore drilling activities can have significant adverse impacts on marine ecosystems. The article’s focus on expanding these activities in the Gulf of America directly relates to the challenge of sustainably managing and protecting these environments.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

1. Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.
   • Explanation: The article names a government institution, the “Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM),” and mentions formal governmental processes like the publication of a notice in the “Federal Register” and the release of an “Environmental Impact Statement.” These are all components of institutional governance and transparency.

Indicators for Measuring Progress

The article does not explicitly mention any quantitative indicators used to measure progress. However, it implies the existence of several potential indicators through the actions and documents it describes:

• Implied Indicator 1: The “Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement” itself is a document that would contain data and analysis used to measure the potential environmental effects of the lease sales. Its contents serve as a collection of indicators.
• Implied Indicator 2: The number, size (acreage), and monetary value of “Oil and Gas Lease Sales” in the Gulf of America can be used as direct indicators of the scale of fossil fuel expansion activities.
• Implied Indicator 3: The national energy policy, referred to as the “American Energy Dominance agenda,” can be analyzed for its alignment with climate and sustainability goals, serving as a qualitative policy indicator.

Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: oceannews.com