Fossil Future

Fossil Future: Why Global Human Flourishing Requires More Oil, Coal, and Natural Gas—Not Less
AuthorAlex Epstein
LanguageEnglish
SubjectFossil fuels
PublisherPortfolio Hardcover
Publication date
May 24, 2022
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint
Pages480 pages
ISBN9780593420416

Fossil Future: Why Global Human Flourishing Requires More Oil, Coal, and Natural Gas–Not Less is a 2022 book by Alex Epstein that argues in support of fossil fuels. The book also criticizes experts, who Epstein says have often been wrong in their predictions about climate change.

Reception

The book received mixed and contradictory reviews.[1]

Foreign Policy called the book a sequel to the "flawed" arguments of Epstein's first book, The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels.[2] Slate also criticized the book stating, "This New Style of Climate Denial Will Make You Wish the Bad Old Days Were Back."[3] The New Republic said of the book that, "We may all start hearing about [Alex Epstein] more often because the time is ripe for his particular brand of fossil fuel boosterism to become the GOP's mainstream climate talking point."[4] Vox stated that the book, and Epstein more generally, offers a form of "complacent optimism."[5]

Economist Tyler Cowen, writing in his blog Marginal Revolution offered a mix of praise and criticism, stating that "Why could he not have had the subtitle: “Why Global Human Flourishing Requires More Oil, Coal, and Natural Gas for a while, and Then Less”?  Then I would be happier.  In economic language, you could say he is not considering enough of the margins."[6] Roger Pielke Jr., a professor of environmental studies at the University of Colorado and someone who, like Epstein, is considered part of the community that rejects the scientific consensus on climate change, wrote a critical review of the book, saying that Epstein's arguments are based on faulty logic and that his observation that the Industrial Revolution was the result of fossil fuels does not support his conclusion that they are necessary in the future.[1]

Several conservative think-tanks and their publications praised the book, including the conservative non-profit organization Capital Research Center[7] and the libertarian Ayn Rand Institute.[8] A review in City Journal, a publication of the conservative think-tank the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, praised the way the book celebrated the achievements of fossil fuels but criticized it for creating a false dichotomy.[9] Sources from within the fossil fuel industry, meanwhile, were universally positive in their reception of Epstein's work.[10][11][12][13][14]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Terence Corcoran: New debate over the future of fossil fuels". Yahoo Finance. 2023-02-08. Retrieved 2024-01-29. On its release early in 2022, Fossil Future received contradictory pro and con reviews.
  2. ^ Chung, Suhaas Bhat, Connor (2024-02-06). "Should We Burn More Fossil Fuels, Not Less?". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 2024-01-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ Pahwa, Nitish (2022-05-31). "This New Style of Climate Denial Will Make You Wish the Bad Old Days Were Back". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  4. ^ Taft, Molly; Featherstone, Liza; Aronoff, Kate (2022-10-21). "The GOP Darling Who Claims Fossil Fuels Are Good for Humanity". The New Republic. ISSN 0028-6583. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  5. ^ Ritchie, Hannah (2023-03-13). "We need the right kind of climate optimism". Vox. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  6. ^ Cowen, Tyler (2023-01-31). "Alex Epstein's *Fossil Future*". Marginal REVOLUTION. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  7. ^ "Book Review: Fossil Future -Capital Research Center". capitalresearch.org. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  8. ^ "Fossil Future: A Powerful, Must-Read Defense of Fossil Fuels". 2022-05-27. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  9. ^ "Are Fossil Fuels the Wave of the Future?". City Journal. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  10. ^ "Today's high prices and shortages are a function of the global anti-fossil fuel movement | BOE Report". boereport.com. 2022-11-01. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  11. ^ "Alex Epstein- hydrocarbons and human flourishing "Hockey Sticks"". Oil & Gas 360. 2022-09-30. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  12. ^ "The Irrefutable Case for a Fossil Future - Alex Epstein". Energy News, Top Headlines, Commentaries, Features & Events - EnergyNow.com. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  13. ^ Kingston, John (2023-11-08). "Epstein lays out benefits — and morality — of fossil fuel use". FreightWaves. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  14. ^ Vaccaro, Nick (2023-03-09). "Taking a Philosophical Stance in Justifying Fossil Fuel Use - OILMAN Magazine". Retrieved 2024-01-29.
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