PARIS – Global warming activist and former U.S. vice president Al Gore called for shutting down all natural resource production in the Arctic Circle, which would outlaw continued operation of the Alaska pipeline. Gore voiced his demand to thunderous applause at the United Nations COP-21 climate talks taking place in Paris.
Gore brought UN COP-21 attendees to a frenzy of excitement and approval by demanding an end to all oil production, mining, and commercial fishing in the Arctic. Gore made no exception for the Alaska oil pipeline, which delivers large amounts of valuable domestic oil from Alaska’s Arctic north shore to distribution ports in southern Alaska.
The Alaska oil pipeline delivers more than 1 million barrels of oil per day to U.S. energy consumers, accounting for 15 percent of U.S. oil consumption. Oil production at the head of the pipeline in Prudhoe Bay employs thousands of Americans and provides an annual dividend of between $1,100 and $2,000 per year to each Alaska resident.
