“Beyond Petroleum” BP needs to own up to the facts that it is a fossil fuel company and fossil fuels are inherently good compared to dilute, intermittent, non-scalable alternatives. Instead, it takes the moral low ground and wonders why it is losing the PR war against the critics of economic growth and prosperity.
Try to find out what the global market share of oil, gas, and coal is today. It will not be easy. You have to hunt and compute it yourself in many cases. I did.
Take BP’s Annual Statistical Review for 2019. In the front summary, simple market shares for each fossil fuel are not stated, just changes in growth rates and country-by-country statistics. This hides what could be the most relevant statistic of all: the global market share of fossil fuels.…
[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.,
” … for the first time in over 40 years, today we are issuing a proposed new rule under the National Environmental Policy Act to completely overhaul the dysfunctional bureaucratic system that has created these massive obstructions. Now, we’re going to have very strong regulation, but it’s going to go very quickly. And if it doesn’t pass, it’s going to not pass quickly.”
“… our new One Federal Decision policy — it’s called “One Federal Decision” — requires agencies to work closely together to promptly deliver one decision. Yes. The entire process will be completed; the entire federal government approval process will be done.
– President Donald J. Trump, January 9, 2020
The most free-market President in US energy history has added to his winning ways. Last week, he put into play a powerful proposal to depoliticize infrastructure spending under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1970 (NEPA).…