Final answer:
Oil shale and bitumen are sources of oil requiring extensive water, chemicals, and heavy equipment for extraction, with environmental impacts and CO2 emissions comparable to coal.
Step-by-step explanation:
Oil shale and bitumen potentially contain vast quantities of oil; however, their extraction requires significant water, chemicals, and heavy machinery. Additionally, when these resources are utilized, the CO2 emissions are on par with those from coal, contributing significantly to environmental concerns such as climate change. The environmental toll includes contamination of water sources, air pollution, and disturbances to local ecosystems.
Oil extraction, particularly from unconventional sources like oil shale and tar sands (bitumen), is also seen as highly energy-intensive and having a troubling environmental footprint. Major oil spills, such as the Deepwater Horizon disaster, illustrate the risk of drilling for oil offshore and its potential to cause extensive ecological harm. Environmental impacts of utilizing fossil fuels for energy must therefore be carefully weighed against the pressing need for transitioning to cleaner forms of energy production to mitigate negative outcomes.