Introduction & Argument
Having briefly analyzed Qatar’s artificial reef initiative from various environmental and theoretical angles, in this final post I will focus on what I consider to be its most critical aspect, its connection to transitions. With the growing frequency of climatic disasters and rising climate worries, the concept of transition—its structure, underlying values, and what characterizes one in general—has become particularly crucial in the field of environmental humanities. Not only is a transition necessary to economically shift away from oil and energy reliance, but it is equally required to break down the intricate social link between the freedoms offered by oil and the desire to continue relying on this type of energy. As a result, the concept of “transition” is not only critical to the goals of environmental humanities, but also to the general survival and prosperity of current and future generations because of its connection to climate change mitigation. Although not immediately clear, the artificial coral reefs project involves a transition: a physical transition in the form of relocating natural reefs and planting artificial coral reefs, but also a social transition that may invoke larger concern for ecology and biodiversity within Qatar, and the Gulf region. With this in mind, the focus for the final post is to explore the relationship between capitalism and the form that transition takes. Essentially, using the case study of Qatar’s artificial reef initiative, I argue that the involvement of capitalism, particularly through oil and energy firms, modifies the aim, form, and moral implications of a transition, making it less likely to survive or endure in the long run.
Energy dependence, Capitalist Aims, and Transition
In After-Oil, PRG discusses the notion of “impasse”, a point in time where we are stuck or unable to induce change. In addressing the root causes of the transition impasse, they argue that oil dependence, the capitalist economic system, and climate change are all key contributors to the current transition deadlock (Petrocultures Research Group 29). On the one hand, this is because capitalism’s growth-oriented and accelerationist nature is incompatible with a shift to decreased energy use (Petrocultures Research Group 35). On the other hand, our current freedoms provided by the capitalist regime are difficult to comprehend in a life beyond capitalist means (Petrocultures Research Group 35). Hence, all of this points to the idea that capitalism is at the root of the energy impasse that we are currently in. Highly relevant to the notion of impasses is the idea of a “transition without loss.” This transition narrative is frequently offered by energy firms, governments, and technology corporations, and it denotes a shift towards decarbonizing the present economy without sacrificing existing freedoms, or even resulting in an improvement in quality of life (Petrocultures Research Group 32). But how does this fit in with Qatar’s artificial reef initiative?
As noted in the second blog post, Qatargas’ involvement as one of the three partners is claimed to be in mitigation for another project they are currently holding, namely the “North Field Sustainability Project”. Since the North Field Sustainability Project aims to sustain current LNG production and increase LNG output in the near future, it effectively encourages a continued reliance on energy (in the form of natural gas) for the foreseeable future. As a result, we can definitively conclude that the artificial coral reef project is part of an energy transition toward greater reliance on natural gas. In this way, the involvement of capitalist energy companies modifies the goals of the transition; initially, the project might seem to invoke a larger concern for biodiversity, but now, it is understood to favor an increased reliance on non-sustainable energy forms, pushing us further into the current impasse. Similarly, capitalism does not only change the aims of a transition, but it also alters the form in a significant way.
The actions of Qatargas suggest a sense of contradiction. The motivations for both projects (artificial reefs and North Field Sustainability) are complex and legitimate. The artificial reef initiative genuinely seeks to improve biodiversity, demonstrating ecological concern. The North Field Sustainability Project aims to boost LNG production, which would certainly contribute to further environmental harm and so lacks ecological concern. This points to the artificial reef initiative becoming a fantasy of “transition without loss,” attempting to balance the competing objectives of high-energy modernism and environmental health. Hence, the type of transition has changed. Ultimately, Qatargas’ presence changes the major values at stake, from genuinely addressing biodiversity loss to a fiction of increasing energy reliance while maintaining or improving ecology. So, not only do the purposes of transition change but also the form of transition unavoidably alters with the participation of capitalist energy interests. However, the changes that capitalism brings about in the characteristics of transition are not restricted to form and goal; they also affect moral values, which inevitably undermines the transition’s long-term stability.
Morality & Climate Action
To assess the morality of climate action, it is essential to examine Hourdequin’s principle of moral integrity. In “Climate, Collective Action, and Individual Ethical Obligations”, Hourdequin addresses the premise of moral integrity through the concept of harmonizing one’s political and personal values (Hourdequin 449). Here, she emphasizes that moral integrity necessitates the internalization and general coherence of ethical convictions; hence, for an individual to have moral integrity, their private commitments must be aligned with their political commitments (Hourdequin 449). Applying this to the involvement of Qatargas in the artificial reef initiative, we notice a clear conflict between individual and political values. If we suppose that Qatargas’ personal goals are targeted at increasing profits from LNG dependency (resulting in decreased ecological health) and their political values are intended at improving biodiversity (resulting in enhanced ecological health), then there is an obvious contradiction between personal and political commitments. Similarly, if we assume that Qatargas’ political values are aimed at increasing reliance on LNG due to it being a valuable source of profit for Qatar, and their personal values are aimed at improving biodiversity, there is still an inconsistency between personal and political values. Hence, by Hourdequin’s description, Qatargas’ actions lack moral integrity whichever way we look at them. Nonetheless, as previously mentioned, both initiatives (artificial coral reefs and the North Field Sustainability Project) have legitimate motivations, thus the question becomes: why does Qatargas’ lack of integrity matter, or how is this significant or relevant to the overall success of the transition?
In the same article, Hourdequin raises the notion of stable reform. Here, she contrasts coercive reform, which is superficial and unstable, with personal transformation, which leads to deep and stable reform (Hourdequin 454). She supports this with the idea that individual action arising out of personal transformation sends a message to others, effectively contributing to their personal transformation (Hourdequin 457). Hence, individual development serves as a foundation for further collective agreement and transformation. This points to a crucial moral dimension to the idea of transition or collective action. Even though Hourdequin focuses on coercion vs. personal development, her ideas about individual transformation may be extended to other crucial areas under the concept of transition.
Given we now know personal transformation and individual action arising out of personal transformation communicate to others, then individual action lacking moral integrity or a sound moral grounding is unlikely to communicate well or effectively to others. Therefore, the distinction is not only between coercive and personal transformations, but also between genuine (morally sound) and ingenuine (immoral or lacking integrity) transformations. And these contrasts effectively determine whether a transformation or a transition is likely to succeed or fail in the long term. So, the answer to the question of why Qatargas’ lack of moral integrity matters, is because it constitutes a critical deciding element in this initiative’s success or failure in establishing a social transition. When the actions of Qatargas, one of the partners in the initiative, are deemed immoral, it is unlikely to invoke personal transformations in others, meaning it is also unlikely to achieve the sort of changes necessary for long-term societal transformation in the form of increased ecological concern.
Conclusion
To conclude, the involvement of capitalist oil or energy companies inevitably changes several essential aspects of a transition. Through the case study of Qatargas’ involvement in the artificial reef initiative in Qatar, we can examine some of the elements that change. Since capitalist companies are growth- and profit-oriented, they are averse to a shift towards lower-energy use. Therefore, the aims of the artificial coral reef project change from being solely directed at protecting and preserving biodiversity to becoming part of an energy transition toward increased reliance on natural gas. Similarly, the form of the transition is also altered. Capitalist owners and companies spread the narrative that it is possible to achieve improved ecological health while increasing energy dependence. Qatargas is involved in an initiative that is aimed at improving ecological health but has simultaneously launched a project to increase LNG production and dependency on non-sustainable energy, implying that they participate in the fantasy of a “transition without loss.” Lastly, the changes in form and aim are accompanied by significant moral implications that directly undermine the transition’s long-term survival. The conflict of interests present in Qatargas’ actions demonstrates a lack of moral integrity, and since climate action is best led through personal transformations with a solid ethical basis, Qatargas’ actions are unlikely to communicate effectively enough to result in a genuine social transition toward a larger concern for biodiversity specifically, but also for non-human nature generally. All of this leads to the conclusion that the involvement of capitalism, via oil and energy, is detrimental to a transition’s form and aim, as well as its underlying moral values, inevitably threatening its long-term success in triggering change. So, is the artificial coral reef initiative in Qatar a transition for better or worse?
Works Cited:
Petrocultures Research Group. “After Oil.” Petrocultures Research Group, 2016.
Hourdequin, Marion. “Climate, Collective Action and Individual Ethical Obligations.” Environmental Values, vol. 19, no. 4, White Horse Press, Nov. 2010, pp. 443–64. https://doi.org/10.3197/096327110×531552.
