Fresno State professor: Ukrainian catastrophe may shake up the fossil fuel status quo

We must reduce carbon emissions. But the world is increasing its consumption of fossil fuels. Humanity is not too stupid to understand the problem. We know our addiction to carbon-based fuels is self-destructive. But we can’t seem to stop ourselves.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued a new report at the end of February. António Guterres, the UN secretary-general, summarized its findings in a powerful speech. He said: “Fossil fuels are a dead end, for our planet, for humanity, and for economies.”

Guterres continued, “Nearly half of humanity is living in the danger zone — now. Many ecosystems are at the point of no return — now. Unchecked carbon pollution is forcing the world’s most vulnerable on a frog march to destruction — now. The facts are undeniable. This abdication of leadership is criminal. The world’s biggest polluters are guilty of arson of our only home.”

These are strong words. You may have missed them among headlines filled with frightening news from Ukraine. And yet, the Ukraine war is connected to our oil addiction.

Russia’s power is linked to fossil fuels. War often involves oil. The U.S. invasion of Iraq provides a memorable example. If we could overcome our oil addiction, the global power structure would shift.

One promising wrinkle is the remarkable recent American choice to sanction Russian oil and gas. European nations are also reassessing their dependence on Russian fuel. The Ukrainian catastrophe may shake up the fossil fuel status quo.

But are we all willing to play along with this? Our wallets groan at the gas pump. And the price of consumer goods will reflect increased shipping costs. It is easy to imagine a consumer backlash.

Some environmentalists may be pleased to see fuel costs inflate. One strategy to wean people off fossil fuels is to raise the price. This is one of the strategies to combat cigarette smoking, a tax on cigarettes. In California, this inflationary strategy may explain one reason that gas is more expensive here than in places like Arizona. In theory, higher costs should encourage us to drive less or to switch to electric vehicles.

As with most issues, there are social justice considerations. Increased fuel costs hurt the poor the most. Rich people can afford inflated fuel. But the poor will be hammered by fuel inflation. Given our fossil fuel infrastructure, the working poor still need to buy gas to get to work.

In response, Gov. Newsom announced that he will look for ways to reduce the cost of gas in California. This seems benevolent, from the standpoint of social justice. But it leaves you wondering about our ability to create the kinds of incentives that would lead us to abandon oil.

Maybe we are not smart enough to solve our oil addiction. There is evidence that fossil fuels made folks of my generation dumber. A report this week suggested that the leaded gasoline of the 1960’s and ‘70’s contributed to decreased IQ. A summary explained, “people born in the mid-to-late 1960s may have lost up to six IQ points.”

That’s me — and Gov. Newsom. We could have been smarter, if it weren’t for our gas-guzzling childhoods. But the problem is also cultural. Our generation is addicted to automobiles. We were raised on the dream of the open road, family car trips, and tailgate parties. Our life stories revolve around our cars. Automobiles are sources of adventure and autonomy. Oil provides our generation with a sense of meaning, as well as a way to get to work.

Maybe younger, smarter people will solve this problem. We need the creative energy of a generation not yet hooked on oil. Young people seem less interested in cars. They don’t clamor to drive at age 16, as I did. Digital natives see no need for long commutes. They prefer video games over Sunday drives and tailgate parties.

Young people are also freaked out about the bleak future of the global climate. For this reason, they are open to the possibility of rehabilitating our fossil fuel addiction. Let’s pray they are smart enough to fix things, when we finally drive off into the sunset. And let’s hope they will forgive us for leaving them with an overheated world.