It is impossible to scan morning headlines without being faced with an opinion comment that ‘Society is unequivocally decoupling from the deathly embrace of fossil fuel.’
The big question is: “Are we really that naïve?” If so, examine China’s behaviour, for example. Their high dependence on coal is misrepresented. We continuously hear that they have an interest in net zero. And, to project his image, they install record amounts of solar and wind energy generators as part of the myth. China doesn’t care much about little fantasies and has large fleets of driverless mining trucks to fast-track their efficiencies. Despite the fact that both they and India are investing huge sums of money in turbines and solar panels, don’t mistake this for repudiation of fossil fuels, a stance we also hear from some European countries. They are hoarding every energy source they can while quietly constructing new coal-fired plants and importing more fuel for them. Meanwhile, climate doomsayers, including Canada, keep the ‘green’ agenda alive with their never-ending virtue signalling.
India’s target for net zero is set for 2070 – 100 years after the first designated Earth Day – along with others, while Canada, still moving the green myth forward, has backed off, saying: “Maybe 2030 is not realistic, but let’s target 2035 and achieve certainty by 2050.” All the while, some 120 oil and gas discoveries were made globally in 2024, with significant drilling continuing in Cyprus, Libya and South Africa to name a few, as well as an increase in offshore regions. Even Norway, the envy by many for their ‘very large resource savings fund’ are now back to conducting deepwater drilling.
CONTINUING READING MY FULL OPINION COLUMN | BUSINESS IN CALGARY MAGAZINE
