Alex Epstein - Fossil Future: Why Global Human Flourishing Requires More Oil, Coal, and Natural Gas--Not Less

The climate debate ignores the reasons we burn fossil fuels in the first place. Alex Epstein reminds us that rich countries may be able to treat green lifestyles as luxury fashion, but for much of the world reliable energy is a matter of life and death.

Peter Thiel, entrepreneur, investor, and author of Zero to One

Fossil fuel is not our enemy; its our friend. Alex Epstein is an original and courageous thinker who explains this better than anyone. If you want to think clearly (and morally) about fossil fuels (and you must), you need to read this superb book.

Dennis Prager, founder of PragerU, bestselling author, and nationally syndicated talk show host

Few make a stronger moral case for the transition from energy poverty to energy wealth than Alex Epstein. In Fossil Future, Epstein shows we should be skeptical of utopian claims of transitioning away from fossil fuels any time soon, not least because such claims rest on anti-humanism, not to mention a denial of the physics of energy density. Fossil Future is a must-read for anybody trying to understand the current, and coming, energy landscape.

Michael Shellenberger, author of Apocalypse Never and San Fransicko

Fossil Future is a peerless, passionate, and essential wake-up call to recognize the moral and engineering imperative to embrace the fuels on which our civilization depends. If you think fossil fuels are destined to be obsoleted, you owe it to yourself to read this powerful refutation from one of this generations most important writers.

Saifedean Ammous, economist and author of The Bitcoin Standard and The Fiat Standard

At this strange time in history, with a mass movement demanding an end to the 80 percent of our energy provided by fossil fuels, Alex Epstein has the nerve to walk in the streets of New York City wearing a T-shirt that blares I Love Fossil Fuels. This book confirms the genius of his stance. Net-zero is suicide.

Patrick Moore, cofounder of Greenpeace and author of Fake Invisible Catastrophes and Threats of Doom

In this book Alex Epstein champions a humanity-centric alternative to the anti-fossil fuel climate hysteria that is disturbingly pervasive among todays elites. Policymakers across the political spectrum should heed Epsteins arguments and abandon the disastrous path we are on before it is too late.

Chip Roy, U.S. Congressman from Texas

Stepping in once again to the oftentimes divisive, but very consequential, energy and climate conversation is Alex Epsteins Fossil Future, arguing that fossil fuels not only have a place in our global tomorrows, but are a necessity to human flourishing. We need more, not less, voices in the climate marketplace, capable of thoughtful engagement and critical analysis. Alex proffers both in Fossil Future, and it is my hope that the amalgamation of his research, data, analysis, and rhetoric will yield a more constructive conversation about our energy and climate choices.

Scott Pruitt, former head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Epstein is the voice for Americas energy future. He takes a smart approach to the complex issue of energy policy and the need for reliable energy sources in order for humanity to flourish. The evidence he lays out is clear: the world needs energy freedom, including the freedom to use fossil fuels, to meet ever-increasing energy demands. Fossil Future is a must-read for policymakers around the world.

August Pfluger, U.S. Congressman (R-TX)

In the great debates about our energy future, Alex Epstein cuts to the heart of the issues persuasively and powerfully. Epstein frames everythingappropriatelyaround human flourishing and decimates the anti-humanistic outcomes of the anti-fossil-fuel lobby. In a tour de force of moral and economic reasoning, he takes us on his intellectual journey in pursuit of truths versus falsehoods and hyperbole.

Mark Mills, Senior Fellow, Manhattan Institute and author of The Cloud Revolution

Almost everybody now agrees that humanity should wean itself off fossil fuels and fast. But what if almost everybody is wrong, and that doing so would be very damaging not just to peoples living standards but to the natural environment as well? Alex Epstein is to be commended for making a brave, unfashionable argument and making it well.

Matt Ridley, author of How Innovation Works and The Rational Optimist

Alex Epstein continues his exceptional work in Fossil Future serving as an independent and transformative voice for the responsible use of fossil fuels. Alex presents the facts, not hypotheses; and it has made a great impact on my outlook as a regulator of the oil and gas industry. At a time when government, education, and financial institutions are attacking fossil fuels, Alex provides the ammunition to fight the myths and presents commonsense solutions that advance the cause for reliable sources of energy. Make no mistake, reliable sources of energy are under constant attack and Fossil Future presents the playbook to ensure the survival of our way of life.

Wayne Christian, chairman, Texas Railroad Commission

The debate about climate change, its severity and what to do about it, might be the most consequential political debate of our time. In Fossil Future, Alex Epstein completely reframes the argument and presents a new perspective on the state of humanity, our climate and our energy resources. He identifies human flourishing as the standard by which we should evaluate any climate policy and our attitude toward sources of energy. Our way of life, our ability to cope with changes to the climate, and the ambitions of poor people all over the world to rise up from poverty, all depend on a cheap and reliable source of energy. A policy misstep, guiding us toward expensive and unreliable energy sources, could be catastrophic for human life. With facts, logic, and moral clarity, Epstein illustrates that policymakers and the public at large need to rethink almost everything they think they know about the topic. All of our lives depend on it.

Yaron Brook, chairman of the board, Ayn Rand Institute and host of The Yaron Brook Show

Portfolio / Penguin

An imprint of Penguin Random House LLC

penguinrandomhouse.com

Copyright 2022 by Alexander J. Epstein

Penguin supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin to continue to publish books for every reader.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Epstein, Alex, 1980 author.

Title: Fossil future: why global human flourishing requires more oil, coal, and natural gasnot less / Alex Epstein.

Description: [New York, New York] : Portfolio/Penguin, [2022] | Includes bibliographical references and index.