A Free-Market Energy Blog

Climate Malthusianism: James Hansen’s Latest

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- March 3, 2016

“In the United Nations Paris Accord last December world leaders promised to try to reduce future emissions. These politicians shamelessly clapped each other on the back, pretending they had accomplished something important. However, they had agreed beforehand not to even discuss the only action that could rapidly reduce global emissions.”

– James Hansen, “‘I am an Energy Voter’” February 23, 2016.

James Hansen is mad at the “I am an Energy Voter” campaign that encourages consumers to vote for their favorite energies at the ballot box, not only at the pump. Hansen, in fact, is mad at the free society where buyers voluntarily buy and sellers voluntarily sell. Ludwig von Mises called that consumer sovereignty.

Hansen wants otherwise. Renewables as savior is for the Tooth Fairy, he believes, so nuclear and forced conservation (conservationism) is atop his agenda — forced by a punitive carbon tax (or fee-and-dividend as he puts it).…

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National Defense Climatism: Dangerous and Myopic Thinking

By Donn Dears -- March 2, 2016

“The opportunity is for the next president to get the military focused on national defense, not climate alarmism and forced energy transformation.”

Just four years ago, retired Admiral Dennis McGinn said:

A nation that uses more than 20 percent of the oil that is produced globally every single year, that sits on (at best estimates) 3 percent of the known reserves, cannot drill its way out of the situation of energy insecurity that we’re in.

This quotation demonstrates shortsightedness and narrowness of thinking, similar to the Malthusian thought that has been disproved countless times. Today, the United States has the potential to become self-sufficient in oil, or, if not sufficient alone, then in conjunction with its strategic partner Canada.

McGinn also said: “At home, military bases that are self-sustaining are cheaper and more secure than those dependent on, say, natural gas pipelines or the local utility.”…

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Taylor at RFF: Don’t Assume the Problem, Debate It (why price carbon dioxide?)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- March 1, 2016

“With the RFF moment at hand, it is timely to give voice to the old Jerry Taylor to challenge the new Jerry.”

Will Jerry Taylor speak truth to power or power to truth at tomorrow’s seminar at Resources for the Future (RFF) on public policy toward climate change? This question was asked in yesterday’s post on the (ultra-strange) reinvention of Jerry Taylor to climate alarmism/forced energy transformation.

With the RFF moment at hand, it is timely to give voice to the old Jerry Taylor to challenge the new Jerry. These same questions should be asked of Ray Kopp, who has made a living of assuming rather than debating the fundamental issues surrounding climate change. And to the extent that RFF is a scholarly organization (it is not when it comes to climate change under the very partisan Phil Sharp), every staffer there should take the questions to heart and challenge authority.…

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Jerry Taylor: Climate Change as ‘Political Theater’ (so why become an actor?)

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- February 29, 2016
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The Windpower/Health Debate: Ground Zero in Falmouth, MA

By Sherri Lange -- February 25, 2016
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On Scientific Method: Comment on Hawkins

By Jon Boone -- February 24, 2016
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Science, Advocacy, and Public Policy (MIT’s ‘The Future of Solar Energy’ revisited)

By Kent Hawkins -- February 23, 2016
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Dear Daniel Yergin: Give Alex Epstein the Microphone at CERAWeek

By Robert Bradley Jr. -- February 22, 2016
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Whales: An Offshore Wind Issue

By Paul Driessen and Mark Duchamp -- February 18, 2016
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‘Peak Oil’ Over, Economists Study Climate Policy Costs

By -- February 17, 2016
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