Energy

Fossil fuels are essential for human flourishing

October 13, 2025

Jonathan Small

For decades, supposed “experts” have claimed the United States must curtail and eventually eliminate the use of fossil fuels, or we will face an ever-growing number of climate-change-related deaths.

But energy expert Alex Epstein has shown that claim is not only wrong—it is the opposite of reality. For humanity to flourish, fossil-fuel use must continue and grow.

We at OCPA were proud to host Epstein in Oklahoma earlier this month, where he highlighted the plain facts that show why fossil-fuel energy remains a necessary foundation for eliminating poverty worldwide and improving the quality of life for all.

Epstein has been raising these points for years now.

In congressional testimony in 2021, Epstein noted that the oil-and-gas industry, along with coal, is “the only industry that in the near future can produce the low-cost, reliable energy that 8 billion people need to survive and flourish—to live to their highest potential.”

Because solar and wind power are unreliable, they can’t replace existing fossil-fuel power plants. Instead, he noted they increase overall costs because now you have two systems in place—the “green” energy system and the fossil-fuel system.

For example, Epstein noted the price of electricity for households in Germany doubled in 20 years as that country increased its reliance on wind and solar power, and that Germany’s rates are now three times the norm in the U.S.

He noted that low-cost, reliable energy allows people to enjoy a much-improved quality of life, providing everything from home heat and air conditioning to job opportunities.

And, despite decades of experts predicting growing chaos and doom from a “climate crisis” created by use of fossil fuels, Epstein noted the rate of climate disaster deaths—deaths from extreme temperatures, droughts, wildfires, storms, and floods—has decreased by 98 percent over the last century.

One can acknowledge, as Epstein does, that there are some downsides to fossil fuels. But one must also acknowledge the upside. When it comes to fossil-fuel use, it is clear that the upside far outweighs the downside, and that the elimination of fossil fuels would produce greater poverty and human suffering.

Fossil fuels remain the dominant and growing source of energy around the world, not because foolish leaders refuse to transition to more affordable and cleaner sources, but because fossil fuels remain the cheapest and most effective source of energy. As such, fossil fuels are lifting people across the globe out of grinding poverty. That’s not something to be taken lightly.

Given that our state economy is heavily dependent on fossil-fuel production, Oklahomans have an incentive to embrace the industry. But even if that were not the case, the benefits of fossil fuels would justify our continued support.