Ending Fossil Fuels

Ending Fossil Fuels – Why Net Zero is not enough by Holly Jean Buck, 2021, Verso.

This book, “Ending Fossil Fuels: Why Net Zero Is Not Enough” by Holly Jean Buck, published in 2021, presents a critical perspective on the concept of “net zero” and argues strongly for a deliberate and planned phase-out of fossil fuels. Buck contends that while “net zero” has become a popular and seemingly ambitious goal in climate policy, it ultimately shifts the focus away from the crucial need to stop producing fossil fuels.. She suggests that the language surrounding net zero can be tedious and can transform the urgent work of our times into something numb and boring. Furthermore, a language that can distinguish between desirable and undesirable versions of net zero has not yet evolved.

The book is structured in three parts. Part 1, titled “The Cruel Optimism of ‘Net Zero’,” examines the origins and implications of net zero, arguing that it is an inadequate framework for the necessary climate action. Buck traces the emergence of the net-zero concept, noting its recent debut in the 2015 Paris Agreement. She highlights that key policy documents like the Paris Agreement and the European Green Deal strangely avoid explicitly naming and centring the need to end fossil fuel production. The book questions whose ambitions net zero serves and suggests that the “net” element crept into the discussion quietly.

Part 2, “Five Ways of Looking at Fossil Fuel Phase out,” offers a framework for thinking about the problem of ending fossil fuels by considering it through different lenses: culture, international relations, code, infrastructure, and building political power. Buck argues that phase-out is not just a technical or national issue but also a problem of cultural change, requiring the evolution of new values, beliefs, practices, and rituals. She discusses “petromelancholia” and the cultural attachment to fossil fuels, as well as the limitations of focusing solely on consumer behaviour. Through the lens of international relations, the book explores the geopolitical challenges of reducing demand and transitioning away from fossil fuels in a globally just manner. The “code” section examines the role of technology platforms and data in supporting or hindering phase-out, raising critical questions about data ownership and control.

Part 3, “A Phase out Tool box for the 2020s,” summarises suggested policies to actively wind down fossil fuel production. Buck discusses various tools such as moratoria and bans on exploration and extraction, refusal to finance fossil fuel projects, and the crucial need for subsidy reform. The book also delves into the idea of controlling permission to extract fossil fuels. Notably, Buck explores the concept of nationalisation for exit, suggesting that public ownership and control could be a viable strategy for managing the decline of the fossil fuel industry.

Throughout the book, Buck presents several compelling arguments for a planned phase-out of fossil fuels. These include public health and environmental justice concerns related to the toxicities of fossil fuel extraction and combustion. She also highlights the role of fossil fuels in supporting corrupt regimes and triggering violent conflict. The book argues that a narrow focus on climate change through “carbon glasses” often parcels out these other critical reasons to end fossil fuels.

Buck aims to provide a resource for those confused about net zero, as well as for those already passionate about ending fossil fuels, offering challenges to sharpen their arguments. She acknowledges that the transition needed is not just an energy transition but also a materials transition, given the widespread use of petrochemicals. However, the book deliberately focuses on the “ending part” – the deliberate decline of fossil fuels – as writing on this is comparatively scarce.

In conclusion, “Ending Fossil Fuels: Why Net Zero Is Not Enough” offers a thought-provoking and critical analysis of current climate policy frameworks. It forcefully argues that net zero is insufficient without a concrete plan to actively and deliberately phase out the production and use of oil, gas, and coal. By examining phase-out through multiple lenses and proposing a range of policy tools, the book encourages a more direct and comprehensive approach to tackling the climate crisis. It serves as a valuable resource for understanding the limitations of net zero and the urgent necessity of planning for the end of the fossil fuel era.