Addressing the Risks of Climate Change
Mike Sommers
Posted June 27, 2019
As we head into the second night of debate among contenders for the Democratic nomination, and another opportunity to hear how the candidates plan to address the risks of climate change, let’s take a moment to remember that the U.S. natural gas and oil industry is already developing energy solutions to help address the issue while ensuring that American families have access to the reliable and affordable energy they depend on.
No discussion about the need to reduce carbon emissions is complete without acknowledging the key role that natural gas has played and will continue to play going forward. America is leading the world in reducing carbon emissions largely because of clean natural gas. In fact, the U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that natural gas is responsible for more CO2 emissions reductions in electricity generation than renewables.
And thanks in large part to significant investments in production and innovation in natural gas and oil, and industry initiatives like The Environmental Partnership, natural gas is enabling the U.S. to reduce emissions while simultaneously realizing economic growth.
Our political leaders must consider the realities of this country when planning how best to address the climate challenge. Restrictive energy policies that prohibit fossil fuels could freeze the American energy revolution in its tracks. A report has found that the average American household could see its costs jump hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars due to increased costs for transportation fuel, electricity, home heating and other goods and services. Electricity prices alone could increase an average of over 50 percent.
Rather than pursuing solutions that limit and constrain choices for Americans, we must pursue solutions that reduce CO2 emissions and enable innovation, which will create more opportunities and pathways for Americans to enjoy healthier, freer lives.
About The Author
Mike Sommers is the 15th chief executive of API since its founding nearly a century ago. Prior to coming to API, Mike led the American Investment Council, a trade association representing many of the nation’s leading private equity and growth capital firms and other business partners. He spent two decades in critical staff leadership positions in the U.S. House of Representatives and the White House, including chief of staff for then-House Speaker John Boehner. Mike is a native of Naperville, Illinois, and a graduate of the honors program at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Mike and Jill Sommers, a former commissioner at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, have three children and live in Alexandria, Virginia.