After looking at how the joint initiative by Qatargas, the Municipality of Environment and climate change, and Qatar University is relevant to the concept of scale, in this blog I will focus on its relevance to the concept of transitions. 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. Because of this element of change, the notion of transitions becomes crucial to examine, both to grasp what a transition means and some of the consequences that might result from these transformations. The book After-Oil delves deeply into the cultural and political changes required to support the transition away from fossil fuels. However, for the purposes of this study, I will concentrate on three important themes in this book: transitions, oil characteristics, and energy deepening.
Oil is more than just a physical resource; it shapes space, culture, habits, and even our beliefs and values (Petrocultures Research Group 16-17). Almost all of the ideals connected with contemporary life’s liberties are in some way tied to petroculture (Petrocultures Research Group 10). As a result, an energy transition is both social and historical in nature, which means a social framework is required for a shift that addresses basic human needs while also reflecting collective interests (14). Deeply entrenched within the characteristics of oil and capitalism is the concept of energy deepening. This refers to the propensity of capitalist modernization to use natural forms of physical labor to optimize, control, and discard human labor (Petrocultures Research Group 24). A concern with energy deepening and the concept of transitions is that “Once oil’s role as a modulator of economic and thus social relations is brought to the centre of the project of transition, the stakes, content, and form of what is in transition alter dramatically” (Petrocultures Research Group 25). But how does this connect to Qatar’s artificial coral reef initiatives?
Qatargas is a major energy company in Qatar and one of the three partners in this project. According to a website article, this initiative, as well as the present coral management program in general, “has been established as mitigation for the North Field Production Sustainability (NFPS) Project” (Qatargas). The goal of the NFPS project is to build numerous developments that will not only help sustain current gas output, but also aims to increase Qatar’s LNG production capacity by 23 million tons per year (Rani). This emphasizes the concern of energy deepening, underlining how the involvement of oil radically changes the purpose and form of transition. On the surface, this project appears to contribute to enhanced ecological awareness, a shift to higher biodiversity, and a culture that values nonhuman life. However, given the involvement of Qatargas, we may deduce that this initiative is largely motivated by selfish aspirations to ensure the continuation of this energy regime. Looking at transitions and the actions of energy companies, we notice a sense of “specification of nature” that can be paralleled to eco-Marxism.
Similar to class distinction in Marxism, capitalists, and often society as a whole, select which natures to care for and which to exploit. Improvements to specific natures (coral reefs) are met by degradation in another (oil sites immediately, and other natures through climate change). In this sense, particular natures are preferred above others for ecological reasons or convenience of access. We also see this with veganism and vegetarianism, where animal health and well-being are prioritized over plants which are also part of nature. Here, we may also see this as a point of convergence with eco-Marxism, with this division of nature paralleling the class distinction. In a capitalist society, the rich bourgeoisie are given preference over the destitute proletariat. In this way, the specification of nature is analogous to the division of labor, where the protection of select natures and not others represents the protection and prosperity of specific classes and not others.
Works Cited:
After Oil. Petrocultures Research Group, 2016.
Rani, Archana. “Saipem Receives $350M Contract from Qatargas.” Offshore Technology, 14 Apr. 2021, https://www.offshore-technology.com/news/saipem-contract-qatargas/#:~:text=The%20North%20Field%20Production%20Sustainability%20Offshore%20Project%20aims%20to%20sustain,annum%20(Mtpa)%20to%20110Mtpa.
“Qatargas Completes Landmark Environmental Project to Protect Qatar’s Rich Marine Biodiversity.” Qatargas, 19 Oct. 2021, https://www.qatargas.com/english/MediaCenter/Pages/Press%20Releases/Qatargas-completes-landmark-environmental-project-to-protect-Qatar%E2%80%99s-rich-marine-biodiversity.aspx.
