Energy Realism (Monika Ehrman, University of Oklahoma School of Law)

“I think the [keep it in the ground] movement disregards the scale of how much energy and fossil fuels contribute to the American economy. … Not only is there a direct revenue side of oil and gas development [on public and private lands] … taken out of treasury and the economy. … [regarding indirect impacts] Colorado employs about 115,000 people in the energy industry. … We can’t just dismiss these impacts.  We need to at least know what they are and look at what is going to replace them …’

“If we remove 80% of energy that we consume, that has to be made up.  Energy has to come from somewhere.  There are real consequences to not addressing that in terms of social poverty and energy poverty …”

“Environment and climate change is science.  Science is numbers, a pure form of truth.  Energy consumption is also science and numbers. … Why the disconnect, then, between these two groups? … Each group is looking at the numbers through different lenses. … Maybe we are always going to have a subjective view of truth. … You either have to recognize that there is a truth maybe that we can’t perceive, but it requires both inputs in order for the conversation to be more fully formed. … These two groups just need to come together to understand that everybody is advocating a better future. We just need a dialogue between the two groups.”

Monika Ehrman is Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Law, where she is also and Faculty Director of the Oil & Gas, Natural Resources, and Energy Center (ONE C). Her research focuses on oil, gas, and energy law, including perspectives on environmental impacts and energy policy. Before her career in legal academia she worked as a petroleum engineer.