Climate & Energy
Climate change, green energy, fossil fuels, and regulations
8 topics“Climate change is an existential threat to humanity. We need to act now or we're all going to die.”
Climate change is real and worth addressing, but 'existential threat' is not supported by the IPCC's own reports. Climate-related deaths have dropped 98% since the 1920s. The biggest threat to the developing world is energy poverty — which fossil fuel restrictions make worse.
“We need to ban fossil fuels immediately. They're destroying the planet and we have alternatives.”
Fossil fuels provide 80% of global energy. Renewables provide about 13%, and most of that is hydropower. An immediate ban would collapse the global economy, cause mass starvation, and kill millions — mostly in developing nations. Transition yes, immediate ban no.
“The Green New Deal is our best shot at solving climate change and creating millions of jobs.”
The Green New Deal's own FAQ mentioned eliminating air travel and 'farting cows,' plus guaranteed income for people 'unwilling to work.' Its estimated cost was $51-93 trillion over 10 years. It's not a climate plan — it's a complete economic restructuring using climate as the justification.
“Electric vehicles are the future. We should ban gas cars and mandate EVs to save the planet.”
EVs work for some people, but mandating them ignores reality. Average EV costs $55,000+, charging infrastructure is inadequate, the grid can't handle mass adoption, and battery production requires mining with devastating environmental and human rights costs — including child labor in cobalt mines.
“97% of scientists agree that climate change is real and man-made. The science is settled.”
The 97% stat is from a study that counted papers mentioning climate change, and most just acknowledged humans have some impact — not that it's catastrophic. The 'settled science' includes massive disagreement about severity, timelines, and policy. Science is never 'settled' — that's not how science works.
“Oil companies knew about climate change decades ago and covered it up. They're basically criminals.”
Oil companies' internal research largely matched publicly available science. The information wasn't secret — the greenhouse effect was in textbooks since the 1960s. It's like saying a tobacco company 'covered up' that smoking is unhealthy when every doctor already knew it.
“Renewable energy is already cheaper than fossil fuels. There's no excuse not to switch entirely.”
If renewables were truly cheaper, they wouldn't need $30+ billion in annual subsidies. The 'cheaper' claim ignores intermittency, storage costs, grid backup, and the massive land requirements. When Germany went all-in on renewables, electricity prices tripled. Cheaper on paper, expensive in reality.
“Scientists say we only have 10 years to act on climate change or it's game over for the planet.”
We've been hearing '10 years left' for 50 years. In 1989, the UN said we had until 2000. In 2006, Al Gore said 10 years. In 2019, AOC said 12 years. Every deadline passes with no apocalypse. Climate change is real, but failed doomsday predictions undermine credibility.