An oil spill is much less destructive than a ‘successful’ oil delivery

Sir, – Your investigation, “Exponential environmental risks’: Decaying Russian oil tankers threaten Irish west coast” (November 7th), exposes an appalling risk to Ireland’s coast and marine environment. But there is greater environmental danger, even when these vessels complete their journeys without incident. An oil spill may well devastate marine life, fisheries and coastal communities. But consider what happens if the tanker arrives safely and its cargo is put to its intended use.

For illustration, a very large tanker carrying 300,000 tonnes of crude oil carries the potential to release almost a million tonnes of carbon dioxide when that oil is fully burnt in the normal course. The carbon combines with oxygen from the air, and the additional weight comes from that oxygen. The damage from a spill is geographically concentrated, and affected ecosystems can, and usually will, recover eventually. On the other hand, atmospheric pollution helps intensify heatwaves, droughts, floods and rising seas.

As emissions accumulate and warming increases, so does the risk of crossing tipping points beyond which changes become irreversible on human timescales. We are risking damage we cannot undo. There is no coastline beyond the reach of climate change and no clean-up crew coming afterwards. We might recoil at the prospect of oil being dumped into the Atlantic, yet delivering it safely so that its carbon can be dumped into the atmosphere passes for business as usual.

If the tanker sinks, we call it an environmental disaster. If it reaches port, we call it a successful delivery. – Yours, etc. PAUL O’SHEA, Planet Before Profit CLG, Shankill, Dublin 18.