Energy is a global problem and no matter what measures the US takes, countries like China and India will still impact us. These countries are also on the wrong energy track by relying too heavily on fossil fuels. So, among other things, Washington needs to work better with industrializing countries to get as many first-time car buyers into efficient vehicles rather than gas-guzzlers, and to help them avoid building coal-fired plants by the hundreds.
Obviously, achieving these steps will take time and cooperation but they’re doable. And, as long as they are executed sensibly, they could create lots of jobs that can’t be outsourced. They can help jump-start the US economy, while also enhancing American national security and decreasing the chances for severe climate change effects across the world.
Steve Yetiv is a professor of political science at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va. He is the author of “The Petroleum Triangle” and "Crude Awakenings," both by Cornell University Press.
