Everyone on Planet Earth shares the same atmosphere. Therefore, atmospheric emissions from one location on the Earth are spread throughout the Earth’s atmosphere. Admittedly continual high local atmospheric emissions do produce higher levels of pollution in those locations, but they also contribute to the overall global atmospheric pollution. Of the major producers, the US has the most stringent environmental laws associated with the producing, refining and transporting fossil fuels. Other major producers, including Russia, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Iran have much less stringent laws. Therefore, production and refining in those countries contributes more pollution to the atmosphere than production and refining in the US. During the pandemic the use of fossil fuel was reduced dramatically. Short of another global catastrophe that extent of reduction will not happen in the near future. There is no way to totally transition to non-fossil fuel alternatives in the near future. Even if the governmental, corporate and individual investment needed were available at this point it will take years to make the transition. That is assuming the technology and materials needed were also available now, which they aren’t. Finally, global governmental commitment to the transition is lacking. Disincentivizing the production of fossil fuel in the US at this point in time only hurts those who need to use its products in the US. Oil, products produced from oil, and natural gas become more expensive. If they aren’t available to be bought in the US, we are forced to purchase them from other countries. When we purchase from other countries environmental pollution is increased!
Since 2021 the US has gone full speed ahead with policies which disincentivize the use of fossil fuels. Examples included, shutting down the Keystone Pipeline, reducing available drilling, eliminating leasing on some Government land, increasing environmental review requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act. All of these have increased the cost of oil and its products for the general public. Aside from contributing to the current inflationary environment these policies could not have been implemented at a worse time! With the current invasion of Ukraine by Russia, we and many of the nations in the EU are franticly looking for sources of oil outside of Russia. Unfortunately, because of our actions to disincentivize the use of fossil fuel the US is not in the position to provide oil or natural gas.
Instead of reversing the policies that are creating the high cost of oil, oil related products, and natural gas, preventing us from providing European nations with oil and natural gas rather than Russia and contributing to increased emissions associated with production in less environmentally friendly countries, we are not changing course. Instead, we are releasing strategic reserves, which will have to be replaced at a higher cost and will not be available for a real emergency. We are also asking those high emission countries such as Venezuela, Saudi Arabia and Iran to produce more oil! Finally, with two “breadbaskets” of the world, Ukraine and Russia, at war, we are eliminating some restrictions on the production of ethanol from corn and allowing more ethanol in gasoline. The least of our worries is the increased smog production from use of ethanol in the summer!
Strategically, environmentally, and economically all facts lead to the conclusion that the US should increase its production of oil and natural gas and become a world supplier. Strategically we would be insulated from global politics and wars, environmentally we can do it cleaner and economically we can provide it cheaper to our citizens. Artificial reduction of US or world-wide fossil fuels should not be used to promote the transition to alternative energy. That doesn’t mean alternative energies should not be encouraged. As technology, materials, infrastructure etc are available the transition will progress at a scientifically supported rate and the use of fossil fuels will naturally decrease. During the transition it just makes sense, strategically, environmentally and economically to implement US policies that promote the use of our fossil fuel resources.