Asking the City of Richmond to adopt the Oil Depletion Protocol

The Oil Depletion Protocol is an international agreement that will enable nations of the world to cooperatively reduce their dependence on oil. It was proposed by Dr. Colin Campbell, a prominent petroleum geologist and founder of the Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas (ASPO), in 1996.

By agreeing to reduce oil imports and exports by a specified amount each year, about 2.6 percent, signatory nations will help mitigate the negative consequences of an over-reliance on cheap oil and help prepare for a global decline in the world’s oil supply. The premise of the Protocol is inherently straightforward: oil importing nations would agree to reduce their imports by an agreed-upon yearly percentage, referred to as the World Oil Depletion Rate, while oil producing nations would agree to reduce their rate of production by their National Depletion Rate. This simple and sensible formula will produce, in effect, a global rationing system. If the entire world adopted the Protocol, global consumption of oil would decline by almost 3 percent per annum, thus stabilizing prices, preserving the resource base, and reducing competition for remaining supplies.

The Oil Depletion Protocol is a document and a policy that provides for a sensible energy future through conservation and cooperation. It has been adopted by nations, states and municipalities around the world. I'd like to suggest that we ask the City of Richmond to pass a resolution adopting the Oil Depletion Protocol. This would include asking for:

* the endorsement of the Oil Depletion Protocol
* Peak Oil to be considered a serious issue
* a city-wide assessment

You can read the text of the protocol itself or more about other communities adopting the protocol at the municipal level (including Bloomington, Indiana).

If you're interested in helping petition the City to pass a resolution endorsing the protocol, please contact me or post your comments here. --Chris