It’s not surprising that so many want to mitigate the rising fuel costs by increasing fossil fuel production. No one enjoys paying increasingly high prices for fuel. But the war in Ukraine is also an opportunity. It’s a chance to double-down our commitment to reduce dirty fossil fuel use in favor of clean, renewable energy.
President Biden’s March 8 speech proved that he understands the pain we’re going through. I encourage everyone to watch it. Thankfully, we have a President who fully understands world events and how to respond by building coalitions. He is garnering support among our allies, and even our own opposition party. During the speech, he noted that the United States produces more fuel than it did during the first year of his predecessor. This was necessary to counter some of the lies and conspiracy theories put forth by the right-wing media. Most importantly, however, he understands that we can’t let up on renewables.
The conversion to sustainable energy will occur regardless of whether we want it to or not. The only question, of course, is the timing. If we invest now, we can guide the transition so that it will be less disruptive to our economy as well as the best solution for the climate. We can also help ensure our leadership in the global technological economy.
Some short term policies may help. A little. No matter what we do, it will be best for us to keep our eyes on the long term gain.
