Tweet Maybe you heard that climate activist Greta Thunberg testified before Congress on Earth Day. In her prepared remarks she said “We have to end fossil fuel subsidies, stop new exploration and extraction, completely divest from fossil fuels and keep the carbon in the ground.” But she was pessimistic as always and said that because so many people are ignorant lawmakers would continue to “contribute to the destruction of present and future living conditions.” Of course Greta herself is arguably relying on people’s ignorance. In 2020, about 60% of our electricity generation came from fossil fuels and nearly another 20% from nuclear power. That leaves just under 20% from renewable sources. So if we voted to “keep it in the ground” today, we’re still heavily depended on oil and gas. A sudden and sharp decline in production would necessarily result in a sudden and sharp increase in prices. Meanwhile, it could take a decade or more to replace that 60% of our electricity generation with renewable power. In short, what Thunberg is recommending here would be catastrophic for energy consumers and the U.S. economy. So when she talks about present living conditions, she really ought to tell people exactly the kind of present she’s recommending.