The Trump administration is actively working to overturn a crucial 2009 Environmental Protection Agency finding that has been used to justify the majority of federal government regulations related to climate change. Currently, the EPA is pushing a proposal that would effectively undo the government’s longstanding “endangerment finding”, which determined that pollutants emitted from burning fossil fuels, including carbon dioxide and methane, can be regulated under the Clean Air Act. This finding has historically served as the backbone for a wide range of policies and rules aimed at addressing climate change. As it stands, the EPA’s proposal to revoke this finding is undergoing a thorough review by the White House Office of Management and Budget, sparking intense debate about the future of climate change regulations in the US.
The High Cost of the Green Illusion
As the world grapples with the complexities of climate change, a growing number of companies, businesses, schools, and hospitals are actively transitioning to clean energy sources, driven by the escalating demand to go green. Protests and tax penalties are increasingly amplifying the call to action, making it louder than ever before. However, a critical examination is necessary to determine the true cost of embracing green energy. What exactly are we sacrificing in the pursuit of cleaner energy, and who is shouldering the burden? Is the alternative really as clean as it seems, or are there underlying consequences that need to be exposed? Are we truly making a better choice, or are there hidden trade-offs that must be considered?
Challenging the Climate Change Narrative
Climate change alarmists are facing a backlash as experts like Alex Epstein, a renowned American philosopher and energy specialist, dare to challenge the status quo. Epstein’s latest book, “Fossil Future: Why Global Human Flourishing Requires More Oil, Coal, and Natural Gas—Not Less,” delivers a scathing critique of the so-called “climate emergency” and the much-hyped “renewable revolution,” exposing them as grossly exaggerated. The harsh reality is that fossil fuels remain the primary source of affordable energy globally, and misguided policies aimed at curbing their use are driving energy prices through the roof, triggering rampant inflation. A closer look at the past 170 years reveals that while CO2 emissions have contributed to minimal warming, they have also lifted billions of people out of poverty, thanks to the adaptive capabilities made possible by fossil fuel-powered technologies. As a result, the world has become a more liveable place, with weather-related mortality rates plummeting to an all-time low. The fact remains that fossil fuels are an unparalleled source of cost-effective energy, which is essential for human progress. Despite decades of subsidies, wind and solar energy still can’t compete with fossil fuels, which continue to power at least 80 percent of the world’s energy needs. Epstein’s provocative argument raises crucial questions about the true cost of abandoning fossil fuels and the very real benefits they provide to human societies.
Mining Critical to Renewable Energy Tied to Hundreds of Alleged Human Rights Abuses
A recent report by a UK-based human rights organization has exposed hundreds of alleged human rights abuses by over 90 corporations involved in mining critical minerals for clean energy production over the past dozen years. The Business and Human Rights Resource Centre reveals that these abuses are linked to the global mining of essential minerals such as copper, lithium, cobalt, manganese, nickel, and zinc, which are crucial for renewable technologies like solar panels, vehicle batteries, and windmills. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, thousands of artisanal miners, including children, are digging by hand to extract cobalt, a rare-earth metal that powers the mobile revolution. These miners lack basic industrial tools, protective clothing, hard hats, facemasks, and even shoes, putting them at risk of toxic dust exposure. Cobalt is a vital component of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, which power most electronic gadgets, including smartphones, laptops, and electric vehicles, making it a staple in many people’s daily lives, from their pockets to their investment portfolios. As a greener alternative to traditional lead-acid batteries, cobalt-rich batteries are smaller, lighter, and more energy-efficient, making them a favourite among tech giants like Apple and Samsung. However, the mining of cobalt in the DRC has been marred by the use of child labour, with estimates by the US Department of Labor suggesting that around 40,000 children, some as young as six years old, are working in the mines, highlighting the darker side of the mobile revolution.
Investigations are uncovering the dark side of the green energy revolution, revealing a trail of abuses linked to the extraction of critical resources, which the United States and other nations have failed to regulate. The alarming reports of assaults, child labor, arbitrary arrests, and detentions are just the tip of the iceberg, with a staggering 510 alleged violations documented, including environmental crimes that have polluted drinking water and ravaged natural resources, as well as blatant disregard for communities’ rights to be consulted about projects that affect their lives. A shocking 93 companies operating 172 large-scale mining sites between 2010 and 2022 are implicated in these abuses, sparking outrage and demands for accountability. Meanwhile, in the United States, the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act is injecting over $250 billion into the clean energy sector, including the procurement of critical minerals and metals, in a bid to meet the country’s commitments under the Paris Agreement and curb global warming. As the world scrambles to limit temperature rise to less than 2 degrees Celsius, the legislation is driving up demand for these resources, with the International Energy Agency warning that production will need to increase six-fold by 2040 to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 – a crucial milestone in the fight against climate change. The European Union and other nations are also introducing similar legislation, fueling a global surge in demand that is putting pressure on companies to prioritize profits over people and the planet, and highlighting the urgent need for tougher labor and environmental safeguards to prevent further abuses.
As the world accelerates its transition to cleaner energy, it’s imperative that we swiftly bridge the gaps in environmental and human rights regulations to prevent a surge in abuses. Currently, voluntary mineral supply-chain auditing and certification schemes, often led by the mining companies themselves, claim that their raw material supplies are free from any wrongdoing. However, the fact that auditors are sometimes paid by the very companies they’re auditing raises serious concerns. Take, for instance, the staggering $1.1 billion fine imposed on Glencore International A.G. and Glencore Ltd. in 2022, following a series of investigations by the US, Brazilian, and UK authorities that uncovered a web of bribery and corruption spanning multiple countries, including Nigeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Brazil, Venezuela, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The investigations revealed that Glencore had made clandestine payments to foreign officials through intermediaries, highlighting the urgent need for more robust and transparent regulations to hold companies accountable for their actions.
The debate over climate change is over. Climate scientists, driven by the desire for lucrative government subsidies and a lack of professional ethics, have helped to fabricate a grand lie that has now been exposed by core data. Their use of the tiny 140-year window of official temperature records is highly dishonest and their claims of a relationship between carbon emissions and temperature are easily dismissed. Trump’s reversal of EPA standards and deregulation will help the US economy. More importantly, it starts the much-needed process of removing climate change brainwashing from the federal government’s vernacular. It’s time for western civilization to abandon the climate hoax and move on.
Written By Tatenda Belle Panashae
