Skyrocketing oil prices drive home the reality that relying on fossil fuels condemns us to a world that is more expensive, dirtier, more dangerous, and more insecure – and highlights the urgency to transition to a clean energy system that is affordable, sustainable, and safe.
Prices of a barrel of sunshine and a gallon of wind are holding steady at $0.
“The fastest path to energy security, economic and national security is clear: Speed up a just transition away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy.” – Antonio Guterres
We are now seeing in real time one more reason why continued reliance on fossil fuels is self-defeating. Disabling one country that is central to oil production resulted in a cut off a major supply of fossil fuels – and it has the potential to destabilize the world economy.
Energy profiteering and severe threats to struggling households
At the same time that consumers are experiencing a huge jump in household costs, fossil fuel corporations are reaping enormous benefits.
It’s estimated that US oil groups will enjoy a windfall of $63 billion because of the Gulf disruption. American producers will be among the biggest beneficiaries if crude prices average $100 a barrel this year.
At the same time, rising prices will impose disproportionate harm on households already struggling to get by. Estimates suggest that for every increase of $10 per barrel, additional fuel costs amount to roughly $560 per year per American household, including costs embedded in goods and services.
For example, if the price stays around $100 (double the $51 forecast for 2026), the added burden could reach $3,000 per household annually. This is an enormous jump for millions of people already struggling to keep up with increases in healthcare, food, housing, and more.
Clean energy technologies are now abundant, affordable, reliable, and secure
The transition away from fossil fuels and toward clean energy is now the clear path forward. It is now cheaper, easier, and safer to produce energy from the sun and the wind than to drill, mine, and extract dirty and dangerous fossil fuels.
Renewable energy options are cheaper and simpler to establish; do not emit greenhouse gases or pollute frontline communities; harness resources that are endless and available at all times; do not fluctuate in price; and the supply, once established, cannot be disrupted.
Solar: Solar panels harness the power of the sun, and store it in batteries. This can happen on a large scale; for example, in California, the leader in solar, there are 928 utility-scale solar farms producing 24,077 MW (28% of the state’s needs). It can also happen at a local level – on rooftops and balconies; and the technology has gotten so simple one can just set up the panel and plug it in.
Wind: Wind turbines capture the wind’s kinetic energy and store it in batteries. Wind power is the most cost-effective option, providing one of the lowest-cost energy sources. In California, there are 112 utility-scale wind farms, producing 6,530 MW.
The false trade off for cheap energy from fossil fuels
For decades, the sticker price of fossil fuels has not reflected the true price of the impact: climate disasters, pollution, damage to frontline communities, illnesses and premature deaths, and so much more.
It has remained artificially low, enabling politicians to claim that it is essential to continue investing in fossil fuels in order to keep energy prices low.
President Trump sold the future to the fossil fuel industry during his campaign, and he has delivered on his promises. Since he took office, he has taken countless actions to kill investments in renewable energy projects and to ramp up extraction and burning of fossil fuels.
This of course flies in the face of the overwhelming urgency to transition away from fossils and toward clean energy.
Now we are paying yet more of the price for this dependence on a resource that we cannot produce on our own.
Take Action
Despite President Trump’s dangerous rollbacks, the clean energy revolution is happening – and Dayenu is marshalling the full power of the American Jewish community to advance it as quickly, fully, and equitably as possible.
On the national/federal level
- No Kings Day of Action March 28. Sign up to join Dayenu at No Kings.
- Chutzpah phonebank shift to mobilize climate voters on April 15.
Send a message to Congress
- Oppose the SPEED Act: This legislation would gut public input and rig the permitting process in favor of costly, dirty energy projects over affordable clean energy.
- Oppose the SAVE Act: This legislation would make it harder (if not impossible) for millions of eligible Americans to vote.
In California
- Come to our next California Leaders and Volunteers Meeting (every other Wednesday). Check out our California page for more.
- Participate in our campaign to pass Make Polluters Pay / The Climate Superfund Bill!
In New York
- Join us in Albany on March 25. Join Dayenu at the New York State Capitol in Albany for a day of action to defend our leading climate law, the CLCPA.
- Join us for our next NY statewide leaders and volunteers meeting!
- Take action: Send messages to Governor Hochul and our elected officials to ensure that we continue making progress in a just and equitable way by funding programs that move us toward a clean energy future.