Naomi Klein just doesn't understand the real world

We've had our differences with Ms. Klein before. We recall a central tale in her most recent offering: she complained that the WTO's insistence on lifting local content rules on Canadian solar power reduced in some manner the fight against climate change. When, of course, allowing people to install cheaper Chinese made solar panels rather than more expensive Canadian made ones will, presumably, increase the number of such panels installed.

That is, there doesn't seem to be a great knowledge nor understanding of the real world in her oeuvre. and so it is with this claim: 

“There is no clean, safe way to run an economy built on fossil fuels. There is no peaceful way to do it ... If nations and people are regarded as other, it’s easier to wage wars and stage coups,” she said.

“We are running out of cheap ways to get to fossil fuels. This sees the rise of fracking which is now threatening some of the prettiest places in Britain.”

Now it's true that we don't see the problem with fracking and Ms. Klein obviously does have some problem with the technology. But imagine that you are against fossil fuel use, as she is. The one and really important observation you would have to make about said technology of fracking is that it is incredibly cheap.

It is this cheapness which is driving out the use of coal for energy production in the US for example. Where fracking has been widely deployed, as in said US, it is the cheapness of fracking which is driving the conversion of LNG import terminals into LNG export terminals. It is the very cheapness of fracking which is leading to convention gas production plans being put on ice.

We're also really rather confused as to how drilling a few holes in Lancashire is going to increase the number of wars or likely to produce a coup or two.

There simply doesn't seem to be any connection between Ms. Klein's observations and the real world out there. We therefore don't think she or her pontifications are a very good guide to what we should be doing.