The New York Times. (2023, July 12). The Energy Transition Is Underway. Fossil Fuel Workers Could Be Left Behind. Retrieved August 5th, 2023, from https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/12/us/politics/coal-gas-workers-transition.html
The U.S. is shifting away from fossil fuels and leaning towards new battery factories, wind and turbine projects, and other clean energy investments. With this undergo fossil fuel workers are losing their jobs. Along with taking away jobs, these new clean energy jobs could be devastating to counties that have relied on fossil fuels for their economic stability. The Biden administration is trying to reduce the impact by providing tax advantages for renewable energy projects in areas impacted by the energy transition. To help the people losing jobs and money, federal officers have vowed to create jobs in these hard-hit communities.
This transition from fossil fuels to clean energy is very related to environmental sciences, as it addresses environmental challenges like climate change and sustainable development. I believe that these changes are very good and people, like we have our whole life, should adapt to these changes and find new jobs. I do understand the decrease in pay from new jobs, and even not finding a job. I also support the efforts to help these hard-hit communities by being able to live the same way they were before these clean energy investments.
Bobby- I appreciate your sentiments in your follow up paragraph. The fossil fuel industry has some great paying jobs, and those people have families. So you can imagine how there’s push back about moving away from these energies… and how those county’s/state’s politicians go to bat for them in Washington.
The transition has to happen though. They talk about new jobs… can you imagine what that might look like to help these people out, so they can help themselves? Should they get hiring priority with govt jobs, for example? It’s a tough one for sure…. and urgent.
Great job with this abstract.
Thank you for your awesome feedback! Yes, I think that they should get hiring priority, although that could spark a whole new problem. I think that we could help these people by advocating with them and seeing what they need to make a safe and successful switch in jobs.