The Keystone pipeline debate is sucking all the oxygen out of a legitimate North American discussion on energy. Notwithstanding the concern opponents of the pipeline are expressing, the real culprit in the emissions that are at the core of climate change is coal - and it is getting a free pass. The caricature of Canada's oil sands as the carbon devil incarnate misses the fact that emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from dominant coal generation in the US electricity mix wear the ugliest mask.

Within Europe, it seems to have become almost impossible to move forward on issues like Shale Gas Development (SGD). This is somewhat difficult to understand, because SGD has far more positive effects than negative consequences, especially when compared with alternative development paths toward distant decarbonisation of the energy economy. These positive factors include potentially lower CO₂ emissions levels globally in the short term, employment opportunities, development of local resources,…