With the increased global demand for oil and gas, undiscovered areas of the world should be opened up to access more resources. To what extent do you agree?

Thanks largely to our power-hungry lifestyles, we are running out of non-renewable

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sources at alarming speed. It is predicted that by the middle of

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century, supplies will be dangerously low. One option would be to exploit pristine areas of wilderness where large

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and gas deposits remain. Whilst seeing the need for action, I share the concerns of conservationists, who oppose

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so-called progress. Nobody could deny that something needs to be done to avert the looming

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crisis. Digging for

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in The Arctic might increase available

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stocks, giving experts time to create long-term solutions to our dependence on carbon-based fuels.

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is vital because if gas and

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become scarce, many foresee a subsequent disruptive period of global instability and social unrest. If damaging a few areas of natural beauty enables us to avoid

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nightmare scenario, the price might be worth paying.

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, environmentalists point out just how high

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price may be. Drilling for

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in areas of outstanding beauty could lead to the extinction of species and the disruption of lives. It would leave a permanent scar on the landscape, ruining it for future generations, who may not forgive our vandalism. Perhaps an even more salient point is that our current way of living is unsustainable. The globalised world would be incapable of functioning without non-renewable

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sources. Postponing the moment when the

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-wells

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run dry by mere decades is a short-term, short-sighted approach. We need to fundamentally re-assess our interaction with our environment. If we seek desperately-needed supplies of power in areas previously untouched by exploration, it must be done with care, causing the minimum damage possible. From my perspective, and that of any right-minded individual, it would be infinitely preferable to confront the underlying issue and make profound changes to the way we live.