The latest obnoxious climate protest at the Congressional Baseball Game last night was yet another waste of time that won’t change minds. But the counterproductive nature of the protesters’ temper tantrums is only surpassed by their unhelpful “solutions” that would lower our quality of life and, in fact, hurt the environment. The conservative approach to climate issues, by contrast, calls for innovative actions that would strengthen the United States and reduce carbon pollution.

If we heeded the calls of the leftist protesters who want to eliminate fossil fuel use immediately, we would destroy modern civilization as we know it. Alternatives to fossil fuels are simply not ready to take over the world’s skyrocketing energy demand alone. Taking this approach would plunge the world into extreme poverty. 

The sad truth is that these protesters’ climate solutions are as simplistic and silly as their chosen method of protest. For example, instead of forsaking fossil fuels without a way to replace them, wouldn’t it be wiser to call for making all energy sources cleaner? 

Many of these activists want to bury fossil fuels, but they ignore the fact that fossil demand isn’t vanishing — no matter how many priceless works of art they try to desecrate or how many charity baseball games they interrupt. If we shut down U.S. natural gas, for example, that would only raise global emissions. That’s because American liquefied natural gas exports displace foreign coal use and higher-emitting gas exports from countries such as Russia. Exporting less American LNG won’t cause more solar and wind energy deployment abroad; exporting less LNG will cause higher-emitting fuels to fill the void.

I am all for reducing carbon pollution. But I support policies that would accomplish this goal  while strengthening American energy security and economic prosperity at the same time.  

There are several common sense ways to do so that progressive environmentalists routinely reject, such as supporting pollution-free nuclear reactors, domestic mining to win the clean energy arms race with China, and permitting reform to meet rising power demand.

We must be able to build in America, whether that be clean nuclear energy facilities or any other energy project. And yet our federal government, at the behest of the Left, is actively standing in the way of energy deployment, no matter the source. It’s unacceptable. American energy is clean energy, and it’s time for climate activists and our leaders to admit it. 

Currently, we’re losing the clean energy arms race to China, which puts at risk not only our climate but also our energy security and economic prosperity. 

The Chinese Communist Party also has monopolized critical mineral supply chains, which are crucial for everything from solar panels and EV batteries to fighter jets and computers.

And Russia continues to dominate global uranium markets, which makes the country a clear obstacle to further build out of our nuclear industry. 

Reversing these trends is a sensible, smart, and popular move. Yet some want to continue down the road of performative protests and hope for sweeping policy change. 

That’s why the conservative approach to this issue is so important. Encouraging innovation and competition, instead of regulations and mandates, will help everyone. Making it easier for the U.S. to build nuclear reactors, mine for critical minerals, and deploy clean energy will lower energy costs and carbon pollution while catalyzing the economy. (By the way, 70% of young rural conservatives favor expanding clean energy solutions.) 

People are tired of counterproductive protests and their “solutions” that would harm our economy, security, and even the climate. We must support the conservative approach — one that will help all three.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Chris Barnard is the president of the American Conservation Coalition. Follow him on X @ChrisBarnardDL.