This Month's REQUIRED READING

I hope that Ted Nordhaus is correct. He writes, 

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Ted also states, "the post-Ukraine energy emergency is likely to accomplish much that the climate emergency could not. The environmental movement's fetishizing of regulatory solutions and it arbitrary technology preferences have always hobbled its ability to advocate for effective climate politices at the scale needed to have much effect on warming. Ironically, decentering climate and centering energy security, particularly in the West, is likely to do far more to address climate change than the climate movement could have have accomplished."

Amen, amen!!

While a bit long, the article makes many excellent points. It long past time to get serious about energy production and engage in a crash program to install nuclear and, where practical, hydro power across the United States. We also need to "drill, baby, drill."

I have two quibbles with Ted's article:  1) it is storm warnings that are saving lives in extreme weather much more than recent better constructed homes*, 2) it is true that the Biden Administration has put pressure on fossil fuel producers to extract more energy. What Nordhaus does not mention is that Biden raised the tax paid to the federal government, which is a strong disincentive to increase production. 

* In the survey of the damage of the major Andover Tornado that occurred April 29, the more recently constructed homes faired much more poorly than older construction.