The false idea that fossil fuels’ climate impacts are an “emergency” that requires us to rapidly eliminate fossil fuels has caused an energy emergency. The “climate emergency” movement must be held accountable. The world is experiencing the worst energy crisis since the 1970s… (- Alex Epstein, October 20, 2022)

May this thinker have the last word on today’s energy and environmental debates on all media platforms. Daniel Yergin, hand the microphone to Alex Epstein at the next CERAWEEK. Energy companies, broadcast this speech live in your board rooms and employee conference rooms. It is his turn. (- RLB, below)

Energy philosopher/realist Alex Epstein (Center for Industrial Progress) might well be the leading voice in his domain today. (Robert Bryce is in the race too.) His stock is rising, while voices of climate alarm/forced energy transformation are falling.…

Ed. Note: Back in May 2012, David Boaz of the Cato Institute reminisced about Robert Bradley’s 1996 treatise on oil and gas. His post follows:

At MasterResource, a free-market energy blog, Alex Epstein posts a glowing tribute to the 1996 Cato book Oil, Gas, and Government by Robert L. Bradley, Jr. (who happens to be a co-blogger at MasterResource). Oil, Gas, and Government is surely the longest book Cato ever published, and nobody knows better than I do—well, Rob Bradley does—how much work went into researching, writing, editing, and publishing it.

In these days of blogs and tweets, we’re used to consuming information in very small bites. But one of the fundamental roles of think tanks is to produce long-form research, not just talking points and congressional briefings. And Oil, Gas, and Government is very long form—1,997 pages in two volumes.…

[Editor Note: Advertising for the premier energy conference CERAWeek 2020 (March 9–13) is in full swing. Several years ago, Daniel Yergin was urged to invite Alex Epstein to present the moral case for fossil fuels. Today, with fossil fuels on the ascent, and a distracted industry engaged in greenwashing, it is past time to feature the world’s leading energy philosopher. My post from four years ago on this subject is updated below.]

“If good and evil are measured by the standard of human well-being and human progress, we must conclude that the fossil fuel industry is not a necessary evil to be restricted but a superior good to be liberated.”

“We don’t need green energy–we need humanitarian energy.”

– Alex Epstein, “At CERAWeek Fossil Fuel Leaders Should Make A Moral Case For Their Industry,” Forbes.com.,

“On behalf of our communities, and the estimated 5.4 million Californians who live within a mile of one or more oil and gas wells, we ask you to take the next step in bold climate leadership: phase out fossil fuel production in California by ending the issuance of permits for new fossil fuel projects, instituting a 2,500-foot public health setback for oil and gas facilities, and committing the state to 100% renewable energy.”

 – Elected Officials to Protect California, “Urge Governor Brown to Commit to Phasing Out Fossil Fuel Production in California,” August 2018.

The climate crusade is losing badly. But in California, where emotions trump reason and Statism trumps economic freedom, it is double-down time.

Frustration is at an all-time high with the keep-it-in-the-ground climate crusade encountering marketplace and multi-level political problems. …