On Green Energy, Now They Tell Us

Emissions are growing faster than ever, and more pollution may be the answer to global warming.

By Holman W. Jenkins, Jr. Excerpts:

"it turns out reality can’t be suppressed forever. In the very bible of the blob, Foreign Affairs magazine, a peak Obamaist, former White House budget chief Peter Orszag, discovers the truth, aided by co-authors including the energy sage Daniel Yergin: An “energy transition,” in the sense of displacing fossil fuels, isn’t happening. “Energy addition” is happening."

"“Rather than replacing conventional energy sources,” they write, “the growth of renewables is coming on top of that of conventional sources.”"

"Total energy output is growing and so are emissions even as renewables are also growing."

"The only force working to moderate emissions is the age-old human quest for efficiency. That quest is undermined by green-energy subsidies for a simple reason: When you subsidize something—say, energy consumption—you get more of it."

"subsidy to mine the necessary battery minerals, creating emissions that otherwise wouldn’t be created. It’s also a whopping subsidy to every other user in the global economy to consume the gasoline American EV drivers are being paid not to consume."

"Last year emissions reached an all-time high of 40 billion tons. This CO2 is expected to have a 100-plus-year half-life in the atmosphere"

"a recent global agreement to reduce ocean-shipping pollution is allowing more sunlight to reach the surface, accounting for almost half the warming since 2020."