In this issue:
- What’s wrong with Steven Pinker’s analysis of climate and energy
- My Best CERAWeek So Far
- Read my comments on the “Clean Power Plan” at Master Resource
What’s wrong with Steven Pinker’s analysis of climate and energy
I am generally very excited about Steven Pinker’s new book Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress. Unfortunately, the book’s treatment of climate and energy is deeply problematic.
A few nights ago I recorded a 20 minute analysis of the climate section of the book. You don’t need a copy of the book to follow along since the text of the book is in the video.
I hope you find my analysis useful. I think the principles involved apply to many smart people who get this issue wrong.
Bonus: At the end of the video I defend “the Koch Brothers” from Pinker’s smearing. I haven’t spoken much about them publicly so I was glad to get the opportunity.
My Best CERAWeek So Far
Last week was CERAWeek, one of the most important energy conferences of the year. It is hosted by Daniel Yergin and Jamey Rosenfield.
The conference is full of interesting content. Most interesting to me this year were the comments by Secretary of Energy Rick Perry about the immorality of restricting poor people’s access to fossil fuels. Sound familiar?
As interesting as the content was I spent much of my time meeting and sharing ideas with influencers spanning across industry and government. I met with CEOs of oil and gas, coal, and nuclear companies, energy attorneys, energy investment bankers, and members of all the energy-related government agencies.
One of my big goals during the conference was to get connected with high-level events outside the core energy industry–such as energy investor events, YPO events, public policy donor events, auto events, electric power events, etc. If you can recommend me to any of those events, please do. I promise you I can make an impact on any audience that’s even slightly open minded, even if most expect in advance to disagree with me.
Read my comments on the “Clean Power Plan” at Master Resource
Last week I shared a video of my comments at an EPA listening session in San Francisco on the proposed repeal of the so-called “Clean Power Plan,” as well as a video featuring Kentucky Coal Association president Tyler White’s comments.
Robert Bradley, Jr. was kind enough to run transcripts of our comments on the Master Resource blog. And if you missed the original videos, here are my comments and here are Tyler’s.