EDITO: The big reset goes to fossil fuels

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Claims by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland that the global energy crisis is a reason to shift to so-called “green” energy faster are out of touch with reality.

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In fact, the “great reset” currently taking place around the world is headed in the opposite direction: towards fossil fuels.

Energy lawyer and blogger Andrew Roman accurately described it as “the great U-turn”.

This happens because wind and solar power are too unreliable and inefficient to power modern industrialized countries.

Much of Europe – led by Germany – has abandoned national energy security in the mad dash to green, leaving the continent vulnerable to the whims of dictators like Russian President Vladimir Putin.

European nations are now in the divisive position of arming Ukraine to fight Putin’s invasion, while simultaneously funding Putin’s invasion because they are so desperate for natural gas and oil from Russia. .

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Because their leaders foolishly ignored domestic energy security, Europeans are now vulnerable to the twin dangers of soaring energy prices and severe energy shortages this winter, should Putin decide to turn the screw on the Europe’s energy supply,

Meanwhile, the United Nations’ ostensible goal of halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 – in less than eight years – and net zero by 2050, is a fantasy.

Last year, global emissions were the highest in history, surpassing the drop in emissions during the first year of the pandemic in 2020.

As far as Canada’s energy supply is concerned, the situation is not yet so dire.

But it is alarming that Trudeau and Freeland are doubling down on green propaganda and the nonsensical argument that renewable energy sources, given their current level of technology, are almost ready to replace fossil fuels, especially in a large region. cold, northern and sparsely populated. countries like Canada.

Canada could be a world leader in sound energy policies because we have huge domestic reserves of natural gas and safe nuclear technology.

Because nuclear power produces no greenhouse gases and natural gas burns at half the carbon intensity of coal, using them to replace coal-fired electricity around the world is the most efficient way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

But first, our energy policy should make sense. Under Trudeau and Freeland, this is not the case.