First Public World Database of Fossil Fuels Launches
2022-09-22
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1A database that follows the world's fossil fuel production, reserves, and release of carbon launched on Monday.
2The launch comes out at the same time as two important climate talks happening at the international level.
3One is the climate talks at the United Nation's General Assembly in New York which began on September 13.
4The other is COP27 in Sharm El Skeikh which begins in November.
5The database is called The Global Registry of Fossil Fuels.
6It includes data from over 50,000 oil, gas, and coal fields in 89 countries.
7That covers 75 percent of the world's reserves, production, and release of carbon into the atmosphere.
8And it is available for public use, a first for a collection of this size.
9Until now, there has been private data available for purchase, and research of the world's fossil fuel usage and reserves.
10The International Energy Agency also keeps public data on oil, gas, and coal.
11But it centers on the demand for those fossil fuels.
12This new database, however, looks at what is yet to be burned.
13The information could help environmental groups to pressure leaders for stronger policies reducing the amount of carbon they release.
14The database was developed by Carbon Tracker.
15It is a nonprofit organization that researches changes in energy use and their effects on financial markets.
16Global Energy Monitor also helped develop the database.
17It is an organization that follows different energy projects around the world.
18Mark Campanale is a founder of Carbon Tracker.
19He said he hopes the database will empower groups to hold governments accountable.
20Campanale said that civil groups need to have more information on what governments are planning to do in terms of giving permits for coal, oil, and gas.
21He said they need to, "... actually begin to challenge this permitting process."
22He added that it is very important that the world reduces carbon output.
23In the research, Carbon Tracker found that the United States and Russia still have enough underground and unused fossil fuel to go over the world's remaining amount of carbon budget.
24The carbon budget is the point at which the world will go over the set amount of 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming.
25Campanale said investors and shareholders should be holding the world's largest fossil fuel companies responsible when they approve new fuel mining projects.
26Campanale said the hope is the investment community will use the data to begin to challenge the investment plans of companies still planning to expand oil, gas, and coal projects.
27Rob Jackson is a Stanford University climate scientist who was not involved with the database research.
28He added, "We already have enough extractable fossil fuels to cook the planet. We can't afford to use them all - or almost any of them at this point."
29I'm Gregory Stachel.
1A database that follows the world's fossil fuel production, reserves, and release of carbon launched on Monday. 2The launch comes out at the same time as two important climate talks happening at the international level. One is the climate talks at the United Nation's General Assembly in New York which began on September 13. The other is COP27 in Sharm El Skeikh which begins in November. 3The database is called The Global Registry of Fossil Fuels. It includes data from over 50,000 oil, gas, and coal fields in 89 countries. That covers 75 percent of the world's reserves, production, and release of carbon into the atmosphere. And it is available for public use, a first for a collection of this size. 4Until now, there has been private data available for purchase, and research of the world's fossil fuel usage and reserves. The International Energy Agency also keeps public data on oil, gas, and coal. But it centers on the demand for those fossil fuels. 5This new database, however, looks at what is yet to be burned. The information could help environmental groups to pressure leaders for stronger policies reducing the amount of carbon they release. 6The database was developed by Carbon Tracker. It is a nonprofit organization that researches changes in energy use and their effects on financial markets. Global Energy Monitor also helped develop the database. It is an organization that follows different energy projects around the world. 7Mark Campanale is a founder of Carbon Tracker. He said he hopes the database will empower groups to hold governments accountable. 8Campanale said that civil groups need to have more information on what governments are planning to do in terms of giving permits for coal, oil, and gas. He said they need to, "... actually begin to challenge this permitting process." 9He added that it is very important that the world reduces carbon output. 10Carbon Tracker research 11In the research, Carbon Tracker found that the United States and Russia still have enough underground and unused fossil fuel to go over the world's remaining amount of carbon budget. The carbon budget is the point at which the world will go over the set amount of 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming. 12Campanale said investors and shareholders should be holding the world's largest fossil fuel companies responsible when they approve new fuel mining projects. Campanale said the hope is the investment community will use the data to begin to challenge the investment plans of companies still planning to expand oil, gas, and coal projects. 13Rob Jackson is a Stanford University climate scientist who was not involved with the database research. He added, "We already have enough extractable fossil fuels to cook the planet. We can't afford to use them all - or almost any of them at this point." 14I'm Gregory Stachel. 15Drew Costley reported this story for The Associated Press. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English. 16_______________________________________________________________________ 17Words in This Story 18reserve - n. a supply of something that is stored so that it can be used at a later time 19accountable - adj. required to be responsible for something 20challenge - v. to say or show that (something) may not be true, correct, or legal 21extract - v. to remove (something) by pulling it out or cutting it out 22_______________________________________________________________________ 23What do you think of fossil fuels? 24We want to hear from you. We have a new comment system. Here is how it works: 25Each time you return to comment on the Learning English site, you can use your account and see your comments and replies to them. Our comment policy is here.