Energy Realism this past week focused on surging energy prices and the opening up of COP26. Dangerous climate hypocrisy swirls all around us. Kicking off this week, COP26 will once again illustrate just how bizarre the climate change discussion really is: no questions about “the science” ever allowed. Anthony Caso says that this anti-Western values attitude - one that seeks blame rather than collaboration - is part of what is destroying our ability to unite as a country. Now, based on current events in Washington, DC, it appears that some in Congress, too, are joining the ranks of the “cancel culture” movement. And Vijay Jayaraj is correct, that for Western climate alarmists, the absence of Xi and Putin at COP26 could be a lethal blow to the global anti-fossil fuel agenda. China and Russia account for nearly a third of the world’s CO2 emissions. We do know, however, that there is undeniable evidence that climate change policies increase the cost of energy (see Europe, California, Australia, and Ontario over the past decade). High-cost energy is particularly devastating for low-income Americans and communities of color, or the very same people that the Biden administration claims are helped by them. The exact opposite is true. Todd Snitchler knows that Joe Biden’s request for OPEC and Russia to increase their own production literally makes no sense. As a global energy crisis takes hold, and shortages proliferate, the administration should obviously be asking our own companies to lift output. Lars Schernikau does not believe that fossil fuel prices can remain so high for much longer but we need to move quickly to bring more supply online. We clearly, however, have a problem longer-term. That banks, governments, and institutions shy away from investments in many mining activities, especially if the investments have anything to do with fossil fuels, is a long-term trend and a growing problem for the world at large. Indeed, Larry Behrens sees the game for exactly what it is: Western politicians bought and sold by leftist billionaires. The new-fangled scheme is more sinister and more widespread than many of us could ever imagine. Our Senior Fellow Rupert Darwall concludes the week for us by noting that the ESG movement faces a very serious legal problem: either money managers do their job and try to make money for their clients or face lawsuit action for promoting left-wing climate activism over making money. In the News Ethan Howland, Utility Dive Kevin McKenna, The Herald Kayla Tausche, CNBC BBC News David Knowles, Yahoo News Reuters, Arab News Thomas Colson, Business Insider Yahoo Finance Robert Bradley Jr, Master Resource Allison Chinchar, CNN Mari Yamaguchi, AP Emma Boyde, Financial Times Brad Plumer, Nadja Popovich, The New York Times Samantha Subin, CNBC Paul DeNicola, HLSFCG |