The Earth is a dynamic and dangerous place for most animal species. Only by active human impact have we fought back against a naturally inhospitable environment and prolonged human life from its historical average of 30 years and enabled mankind’s flourishing empowerment and security.
Pivotal to this advancement, particularly in the last 200 years, has been the harnessing of ultra-cost-effective, efficient, scalable and portable fossil fuels. It is an absurd view that fossil fuels’ negative side effects overwhelm their positive benefits.
The energy derived from hydrocarbons has allowed us to transform a menacing world where most heavy physical labor has been replaced by less stressful mechanical and mental labor; where deserts and drought-prone regions are transformed into irrigated, arable land; where shelters can survive and protect us from the most extreme weather; and where we divert excess power to establish a digital economy.
Alarmists have been catastrophizing the downsides of fossil fuels without evaluating a rational cost/benefit analysis. These “benefit-deniers” cannot be taken seriously until all the issues are on the balance scale.
