Our politicians, elected officials and government are supposed to do what’s best for the people of Hawaii, not for a pet special interest group or their own ideology. That’s why it is so hard to understand the City of Honolulu pursuing a lawsuit that aims to punish companies for “causing” climate change by using fossil fuels.
This politically motivated suit is wasting taxpayer funds and should be thrown out by the courts. Worse, it would be an unmitigated disaster for our economy.
Remove fossil fuel energy from Hawaii? Hawaii residents rely on coal, oil and gas for nearly 70% of their power. Petroleum products account for 80% of our energy consumption, the highest share of any state in the union. And even with that we have the highest energy costs in the nation, three times the average. Imagine our energy costs without fossil fuels.
Wind and sun are free, right? No. According to a National Renewable Energy Laboratory study, transitioning Hawaii to 100% renewable energy would require a substantial investment in new infrastructure, including solar panels, wind turbines, energy storage systems and power transmission lines. And you thought building the rail was expensive. These investments would increase consumer electricity costs dramatically while not even providing us with reliable, dependable power, no matter how costly.
How come? Well, the sun doesn’t shine at night, the wind doesn’t always blow, and let’s not even talk about hurricane season and other extreme weather events. In a Hawaii dependent on green energy, we will face sky-high costs for unreliable energy, rolling blackouts, power rationing … and forget about running your air conditioner or plugging in your electric car.
Fossil fuels (petroleum, natural gas, coal) have been the power behind the greatest increase in worldwide prosperity in history. American energy companies have been the worldwide leader in developing ever increasingly efficient, clean power and have reduced emissions dramatically, unlike the rest of the world. That was and is their job, not warning us about climate change.
In fact, the hysteria around carbon emissions is undergoing severe reexamination and reconsideration. For just one example, mining lithium for car batteries is far more environmentally damaging than American clean coal mining.
Hawaii residents are reasonable people. And a reasonable approach to the possibility of climate change should not include attacking the people and industries that have provided us with the reliable, efficient energy that Hawaii depends on.
As green energy develops more consistent, cost-effective energy solutions, they should be integrated into our Hawaii way of life. That doesn’t mean we want to see an ocean of wind turbines covering our beautiful coastlines. And while the home solar panel that provides hot water for our after surf shower is much prized, we don’t want solar farms replacing our lovely landscape. Particularly when they can’t be depended on to give us the consistent, affordable energy we need.
And of course, the tourist industry — love ’em or hate ’em — is dependent on fossil fuels. They don’t get here by foot. And we’re dependent on them for our economy.
The environmental activists’ dreams of a green energy Hawaii could get a dramatic boost from this Hawaii Supreme Court case … and the people of Hawaii could face a harsher hotter future, with limited power to run our cars, cool our houses, power our TVs, keep the lights on at our keiki’s football games, keep the lau lau fresh in the refrigerator … the list goes on and on … just so some environmental extremists and progressive politicians can feel good about themselves.
Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono (the life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness). Let us hope the Hawaii Supreme Court does the righteous thing for the people of Hawaii and toss this ridiculous lawsuit. Otherwise, we will face a dimmer, hotter, more limited future … with righteous anger.
Andy Blom, the president of Hawaiian Values, is a longtime Hawaii political analyst.