Editorial: Don’t go to oil dealers for climate policy

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 21, 2022

Rapidly cutting the emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases to avoid the worst impacts of climate change requires a pair of transitions: Electrify everything that we now power with oil and gas, including transportation and heating; and generate the bulk of that power from wind and solar, with backup from other carbon-free sources like hydro and possibly nuclear. Making the transition as quickly as possible would be best for the planet and would be a good deal for consumers. But it’s not good for the 5,000 or so Mainers who deliver liquid fuels to consumers. A recent article in an industry newsletter offered “anti-electrification messaging” for dealers. We shouldn’t ignore the needs of the oil dealers, but we shouldn’t let them design energy policy.