SPPI-TV Ep. 19: Electricity — Past, Present, and Future

Join us for an enlightening episode of SPPI-TV as we explore the world of electricity through the lens of history, current practices, and the road ahead. Hosted by Patrick M. Brenner, President of Southwest Public Policy Institute, and D. Dowd Muska, Vice President of Research, this episode welcomes Kenny Stein, Vice President for Policy at the Institute for Energy Research (IER).

In this episode, we'll delve into IER's recent report released on February 15, 2023, which provides a critical examination of restricting domestic oil and natural gas production in developed countries. It's a complex issue that calls into question the very methods we've employed to protect our environment.

The report unveils a series of contradictions and complexities:

A well-intentioned political movement aimed at halting oil and gas production in North America and Europe seems to have backfired, failing to eliminate the demand in developed nations; This movement inadvertently shifts production to countries with lower or negligible environmental standards, creating a net negative environmental impact; The U.S., with the highest environmental standards among major producers, faces a dilemma: Replacing domestic production with foreign supply would lead to overwhelmingly negative tradeoffs; With environmental scores 23.6% and 24.5% lower for the 20 largest non-U.S. oil and natural gas producers, the gap between ideals and reality is stark; Surprisingly, U.S. oil and gas production has shown that growth and environmental protection aren't mutually exclusive; emissions have decreased over the past 40 years despite increased production.

Tune in as we discuss these paradoxes and what they mean for the future of electricity. Is the current approach to environmental protection misguided? What can be done to align our goals with tangible outcomes?

Don't miss this thought-provoking episode, as we navigate the past, scrutinize the present, and envision a future where electricity production aligns more closely with our global environmental aspirations.

Relevant links:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWfOhReP96s
• https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/international-issues/ier-report-shows-restricting-domestic-oil-and-natural-gas-production-leads-to-negative-environmental-outcomes/
• https://southwestpolicy.com/report-a-bright-shining-disappointment/
• https://southwestpolicy.com/poll-7-of-10-new-mexicans-prefer-affordable-and-reliable-energy/
• https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenneth-stein-a514899/
• https://southwestpolicy.com/
• https://donate.southwestpolicy.com/