Thursday, December 7, 2017

Coal Magnate Murray Shames Fossil Fuel Industry For Being "Forward Thinkers" For Energy

Typically the fossil fuel industry has not been given credit for being "forward thinkers" into the future of energy.  Although, over the last few years, the news has reported on 'divestment' from corporations who had large assets of investment into the fossil fuel industry.  This caused outrage among  university students whose university had endowments with heavy investment into fossil fuels.  According to 'Inside Climate News', the year 2015 represented the spread of divestment went mainstream and caught fire to become a 'hot topic issue' in the news.  Still to this day, environmental organizations are still pushing divestment from supporting the fossil fuel industry among various countries (and Nations) around the world.  D12 is a protest which will unfold on December 12 in Paris (France) with the following mission:


On the morning of 12 December 2017, an artistic mobilization will take place in Paris to send the message that Climate Finance means ending subsidies and investments for fossil fuels. Two days before, people from around the world on the frontlines of fossil fuel projects and climate change will testify in a People's Tribunal on the edge of Paris.


The response among the fossil fuel industry has been to recognize publicly that climate change is real.  Furthermore, to be supportive of changes which move the nation toward a 'carbon tax' to motivate the move toward 'clean energy'.  That in no way means that the fossil fuel industry is going away.



Although, denial of climate change is over and these organizations need to start coming around toward supporting the investment into 'renewable energy' 'sustainable development' in the energy sector.  This was evident in the support letters I made available in the blog post earlier this year just before President Trump announced the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Agreement.



With this being said, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is still supporting businesses like the coal industry by repeatedly trying to repeal the Clean Power Plan.  Now, the coal industry is accusing the oil and gas industry of being 'enemies' of the fossil fuels for looking forward into the future.  Last Friday, I received the following message with the name "Murray Energy" incorporated into the e-mail from 'Politico Energy' as follows:



MURRAY LABELS OIL GIANTS 'ENEMIES' OF FOSSIL FUELS: Three of the major oil and gas corporations are "enemies" of fossil fuels because of their past advocacy for climate action, including a carbon tax, coal executive Robert Murray said Thursday at a conference hosted by the Heritage Foundation and the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Prompted by comments from TPPF's Brooke Rollins calling their carbon tax advocacy "so disingenuous," Murray declared BP, Shell and Exxon Mobil "our enemies," citing politics and shareholders. "They're not doing our grandchildren justice, those three companies. The other oil and gas companies, they realize that once our enemies get rid of coal, they're next," Murray said. "But those three companies are all about politics and shareholders and I don't buy those products." Oil and gas executive Bud Brigham agreed: "It's cronyism that they chose to have a seat at the table with the government and collusion with special interests a la Elon Musk, etc. It's very disappointing."
Murray math: The coal magnate dropped some eyebrow-raising stats during his appearance, including that he has met with EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt a whopping seven times so far this year. Murray also said he has received 71 death threats, "some serious," although he did not specify over what period those were received.



Coal Magnate Murray spouts out about the "unfairness" of tax reform -- especially when he admits that "Murray Energy" pays 'zero taxes currently' in the 'CNBC' video below (less than 2 minutes in length):



Murray Energy CEO: Senate bill a huge tax increase on capital intensive businesses from CNBC.



Wow.  Robert Murray admits that his corporation does not pay taxes currently.  The world is moving away from coal.  Unfortunately, part of the fossil fuel industry does not understand that the world is moving toward 'clean energy'.  Over time, the public is starting to understand the value of thinking about 'sustainable development' in all aspects of society.



The movement has started to gain momentum with examples of 'divestment' and will only increase over time.  Especially, as the prospect of 'clean energy' or 'renewable energy' becomes available by technology driving down the cost of transition from fossil fuels.  Time will define the road ahead which is filled with various obstacles.  Today, there seems to be considerable enthusiasm among businesses and investors which point toward a better (more sustainable) world ahead.




Related Blog Posts:


Environmental Entrepreneurs Weigh In On Repealing The Clean Power Plan



Paris Climate Agreement Is A Start Toward The Renewable Energy Future



World Goes Left, While Trump Leads Right - On Climate - Why?



Trump Goes Right On Paris Agreement, Part Of U.S. And World Head Left



President Trump's Understanding of the Paris Agreement



What Is Going To Be Discussed At The G-20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany?



A Good Start: Republicans Accept Climate Change As Real



There Is No Climate Debate -- Scientific Facts Have Settled The Issue?



How Is Our Environment (Climate, etc.) Becoming Politicized?



Republicans Endorse Carbon Tax For Climate Change? Wow






What Does Testifying Before Congress Look Like For Secretary of Energy Rick Perry?












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