Gov. Glenn Youngkin recently spoke about his energy plan for Virginia. He spoke intelligently about the need for natural gas to fuel Virginia’s growing economy. The Virginia League of Conservation Voters responded to Youngkin’s speech by saying it was “bold to call people who are working to solve our largest environmental threat — climate change — ‘small-minded.’”
Like most Democrat front groups, they are sorely misinformed. Virginia Republicans, on the other hand, should pursue a much better path. I believe there are four pillars to support Republican energy policies in Virginia:
1. Realism. Stop doing what isn’t working. The world needs to follow the U.S. example of how the U.S. became the world leader in reducing emissions. Net zero can only be achieved when technology advances over time, it is accepted by the public, the new technology is affordable, and market forces — not government mandates — lead the way.
Democrats always measure success by how much they spend, never by results. There is no comprehensive report published by a credible governmental organization that concludes net zero will be achieved by 2050. Today’s Democrat policy prescriptions are not only ineffective, but can succeed only in Communist China, not in free democratic societies.
2. Any energy transition will take a long time. You can’t change a worldwide energy system that took 150 years to build and change overnight. We can only move as quickly as engineering, physics, economics and science allow.
The public needs to hear from industry and business leaders that any transition will take a long time; most importantly, it needs to hear it from the federal government. Weening the world off fossil fuels in the near term is pure folly. This idea was developed by radical environmentalists to justify keeping it in the ground.
3. American leadership on the world stage. The world needs Republican leadership, not the European Union, China or the Democrats, for they have failed. The United States is the world’s largest energy producer and has decreased emissions more than the next five countries combined.
The U.S. is the natural leader to show the world how it can be done. Natural gas is responsible for 58% of all emission reductions in the United States; natural gas reduced more emissions than renewables. The same can be accomplished worldwide by U.S. liquified natural gas exports. Dictating and limiting developing nations’ energy options is the modern era’s colonialism. It’s a moral imperative to end climate colonialism advocated by the global elite and forced upon the developing world. Leading a worldwide effort of an “all of the above” strategy will benefit developing nations and the U.S.
4. Innovation and technology. America has always solved complex societal problems. We have a proven playbook that works; it’s called technology and innovation. Republicans are for the possible. Democrats are against everything!
Solutions need to be affordable in both Indiana and India. If we want true change, governmental programs are not the answer; the solution is unleashing entrepreneurs and allowing the market to adapt and innovate. Worldwide use of coal reached a record in 2024, and the U.S Department of Energy has been developing near zero emissions coal plants of the future. We should export this technology. If we are to reduce both domestic and global emissions, it will require innovative technologies that not only reduce emissions but are also affordable, reliable and clean.
Lou Hrkman is the former deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Energy. He lives in James City County.
