Why Some Smart People Endorse a Business-As-Usual Approach to Energy and the Environment

Reader Upgeya Pew offers a very plausible explanation for why Ian Bremmer, a person of incredible intelligence, could posit that one of the benefits of climate change is creating easier access to Arctic oil.  Pew notes: Bremmer is well paid to have views like this. The people he consults for are resistant to change and are enriched by business as usual. So he has to provide them with the “opportunities” in the disaster their exploitation is creating.

Thanks for this very interesting insight, and I think it’s very likely that you’ve nailed it.  Sadly, this is the case with a great number of top consultants to moneyed interests.  I recall hearing a lecture given by top-flight energy consultant Daniel Yergin (pictured) at UCSB of all places, during which he didn’t mention a word about climate change or the many other dangers associated with the continued reliance on fossil fuels.

I was annoyed, needless to say.  Had there been a Q&A period, I would have liked to ask: “You must be aware that the extraction and consumption of fossil fuels is ruining this planet at break-neck speed.  With the approach to energy you’re espousing, we won’t have a civilization in 50 or 75 years.  So here’s my question: Don’t you care?”  That would have drawn a few gasps.  🙂

It’s both strange and sad, given that many of these bright people are going to live long enough to see the horrors they have imposed on our civilization. They’re not going to be too happy with themselves and their life’s work, but it will be far too late.