Day one of the AEW 2023 conference and exhibition featured a Leadership Series session where Alex Epstein presented arguments for fossil fuels in the global energy landscape.
Renowned author and thinker Alex Epstein delved into the ethical considerations surrounding energy choices at African Energy Week (AEW) 2023 – the biggest gathering of energy stakeholders and policymakers on the continent – organized by the African Energy Chamber – where he emphasized the benefits of affordable and reliable energy sources for improving human well-being across the globe.Author of the New York Times bestseller, The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels, Epstein spoke during a special Leadership Series during this year’s edition of AEW 2023 and presented compelling arguments about why fossil fuels continue to play a crucial role in modern society.“I am not in favor of a just energy transition,” Epstein stated, adding, “There is no such thing as a just rapid energy transition to net-zero. What I am in favor of is a just energy expansion. That is what is actually justified.”In an era of complex and often polarized discussions about energy sources and environmental responsibility, the session served as a unique opportunity to explore the ethical dimensions of fossil fuel use. Epstein argued that every prosperous country in the world has developed using fossil fuels, and that even those countries that lack natural resources.Epstein spoke on Africa’s unique circumstances in the context of a global energy transition and advocated for the continent to exploit its immense endowment of natural resources to ensure electrification, industrialization, and sustainable economic development.“Africans can and should challenge the energy transition agenda,” Epstein stated.This year, Epstein joins a strong lineup of African energy and petroleum ministers, governments and policymakers, global investors and technology providers, as well as energy service companies, who have convened to promote the development of Africa’s energy resources.#AEW2023 takes place this week in Cape Town under a mandate to make energy poverty history by 2030. Keep following www.AECWeek.com for more exciting information and updates about Africa’s premier energy event.
