Cato Podcast Energy Realism: Climate Policy Meets Actual Economics
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Nov 25, 2025 Travis Fisher, a seasoned energy policy expert with two decades of experience, dives into the complexities of climate policy. He debunks the 'climate homicide' narrative, arguing that increased energy access, primarily from fossil fuels, enhances resilience against climate threats. Travis explores the true carbon impact of electric vehicles, revealing trade-offs in emissions based on energy sources. He advocates for permitting reform to streamline infrastructure projects, highlighting the need for market competition free from excessive mandates.
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Durability Requires Legislative Action
- International climate agreements lack durability when implemented by executive action without Congress.
- Travis Fisher argues that lasting policy requires legislative acts, not shifting executive decisions.
Energy Use Improves Climate Resilience
- The 'climate homicide' narrative links emissions to prosecutions, but Fisher finds it misleading.
- He cites falling climate-related deaths and argues abundant energy increases resilience and saves lives.
EVs Shift — Not Always Eliminate — Emissions
- Electrifying transport shifts emissions to power generation rather than eliminating them.
- Fisher warns that lifecycle emissions, mining, and grid fuels often make EV transitions less straightforward.