Global Energy Experts Agree:  We are Facing the End of Oil as We Know It
Speakers at ASPO-USA Conference Urge Government Action Now

WASHINGTON (October 12, 2010):  Economists, activists, technical experts and policymakers from across the political spectrum gathered here, October 7-9, to discuss the global energy crisis.  After 150 years of oil extraction; most major oil exporting nations are well past their supply peaks, defined by scientists as “Peak Oil.” At the Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas’ (ASPO-USA) sixth annual conference speakers offered a single, coherent picture of a world unprepared to encounter energy limits, petroleum scarcity and the inevitable—and possibly unprecedented—rise in prices. 

 “We are on the brink of a major energy crisis,” stated Jim Baldauf, President of ASPO-USA.  “The era of low-cost, easy to get oil has come to an end.  Yet, our society is heavily dependent on oil and we have no contingency plan.  It is our goal every year to bring together the world’s best global energy experts to grapple with solutions to this catastrophic situation and discuss the future.”

Rear Admiral Lawrence Rice, former Secretary of Energy Dr. James Schlesinger, and former Green Party Presidential Candidate Ralph Nader each addressed  the need for political change to meet the peak oil crisis, expressing concern that current leadership has failed to adequately address the problem.  As Dr. Schlesinger remarked, “Can our political process face up to the challenge?  I see absolutely no reason for optimism.”  Congressman Roscoe Bartlett, leader of the Congressional Peak Oil Caucus, observed that China’s strategic response to energy depletion was considerably more advanced than that of the United States.

Speakers also covered the geopolitical and environmental ramifications of the crisis.  Former CIBC chief economist Jeff Rubin talked about the dangers to globalization and a stable world economy that tight oil supplies represent.  “Peak oil is not a geological issue, it is an economic issue,” stated Rubin.  Petroleum geologist Art Berman argued that U.S. oil shale reserves may be wildly overstated, and international environmental advocate Bianca Jagger drew connections between climate change and Peak Oil. 

ASPO-International President Dr. Kjell Aleklett concluded the conference with a plea to the audience. “Take your expanded understanding of what’s at stake in our energy future and use that knowledge to make informed decisions about your own lives.  Use this information in your advocacy efforts to influence policymakers at the local, national and international levels to protect global energy reserves.” 

About ASPO-USA

The Association for the Study of Peak Oil & GAS – USA is a non-profit, non-partisan research and public education initiative to address America’s Peak Oil Energy Challenge. ASPO-USA encourages prudent energy management, constructive community transformation, and cooperative initiatives in an era of depleting petroleum resources. Prudent energy resource management must include conservation and  efficiency, ecologically responsible energy production and consumption, and the development of alternative energy resources. For more information, please visit http://www.aspousa.org/. 

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ASPO-USA's 6th Annual Peak Oil Conference will honor its traditional core focus with a full agenda and world-class speakers who understand the global peak oil energy crisis and its complex socioeconomic and geopolitical impacts.

Speakers include Jeff Rubin (Former CIBC Chief Economist), Rear Admiral Lawrence Rice (on the military's Peak Oil Report), Congressman Roscoe Bartlett, Dr. Bob Hirsch, Dr. Roger Bezdek, Dr. Tad Patzek, Chris Skrebowski, Charlie Maxwell, Jeffrey Brown, and other prominent energy analysts.

As Peak Oil Moves into the mainstream, consumer advocate and policy expert Ralph Nader, Climate and Energy advocate Bianca Jagger and many others lend their voices and their support as we bring together energy experts, policy analysts, financial experts and activists to give you the full perspective on what lies ahead. View Full Speaker List

Register Today to take advantage of early registration fees; and join ASPO-USA to gain additional Membership Benefits.

In the wake of deepwater disasters, fear of fraccing and coal mine catastrophes, the whole world is focused on oil and energy. This environment provides Peak Oil watchers with some unique opportunities during this year's conference in Washington.

With a critical mass of peak oil experts at the Capitol Hill Hyatt, just a short walk from the U.S. Capitol itself, we have decided to launch a collateral campaign to take the conference to the elected officials down the street. Right now we're calling this effort "Conference Plus."

In addition to the conference from Oct 7-9, 2010, ASPO-USA is organizing a Senate Briefing, a Congressional Briefing, a major News Conference at the National Press Club, and a number of other activities designed to make our presence, and our message, impossible to ignore. To assist in this effort, we have consulted with some well-respected non-profit groups who know their way around The Hill, and are experts at getting government to do what it is not inclined to do.

“The very words “Peak Oil” seem to often conjure up a scaremongering vision of empty highways. When our UK industry group (ITPOES), after much independent and unbiased research concluded that the peak might come before the middle of the next decade we tried hard to explain what Peak, in our terms means. Globally, we are not running out of oil but our research clearly illustrated that it is going to get fundamentally more difficult to extract the black gold for political, technological and geological reasons and as a result the era of cheap oil is coming to an end. Governments around the world need to plan for this in order to ensure that the scaremongering vision does not to become a reality. Good luck with the ASPO-USA Peak Oil conference and sorry I cannot be there”

Best Regards,
Sir Richard Branson