In between the fall of the Roman Empire and the birth of the Italian Renaissance, Western Europe economically stagnated and culturally declined in what are commonly called the Dark Ages.
This period, which lasted several centuries, has become known as the Dark Ages primarily because societal advancements and human progress generally ceased as sound science, facts, and the truth were disregarded by elites who sought power and control.
Sadly, Western Europe is treading down this road again.
A few days ago, Spain, Portugal, and parts of France and Belgium literally went dark for hours after a massive power disruption led to a system-wide grid collapse.
More than 50 million people were left without electricity. Traffic signals did not work, causing chaos on the roadways. Subway systems couldn’t function, leaving people stranded wherever they were. Stores and businesses closed, as payments were limited to cash only. Mobile phone service was spotty, rendering smartphones almost useless and making rapid communication impossible. Even some hospitals and medical facilities, which generally have backup generators, were left without power.
In other words, modern life nearly ground to a total halt for tens of millions of people in some of the most advanced nations and cities in the world.
The reason this dreadful event occurred is that Western European elites have rejected sound science, common sense, and the truth in favor of climate alarmism.
It is no great surprise that Western Europe is the undisputed world champion when it comes to pushing the so-called green agenda. From the Paris Accords to the UN’s heavy-handed role in supporting the climate alarmism narrative over the past several years, Western Europe is ground zero when it comes to climate-change zealotry.
Therefore, it should also come as no surprise that the cause of Europe’s biggest power outage in modern history occurred in Spain, which is a darling of the green movement because it generates more than half of its power from wind and solar.
Specifically, two solar power plants in southwest Spain experienced a sudden and steep reduction in power generation, triggering a systemic collapse of grid infrastructure that occurred almost instantly.
Put simply, it is absurd to assume that a modern nation like Spain can power itself primarily via renewable energy.
As everyone knows, the sun doesn’t always shine, and the wind doesn’t always blow. This obvious fact means that renewable energy sources have an Achilles heel in that they are intermittent by nature.
It is also true that there is not nearly enough battery storage capacity to keep extra power on hand when these sources are not providing reliable power.
Despite these clear shortcomings, European elites have insisted that renewable energy must be adopted as soon as possible. From net-zero madness to ESG scores, Europe has been at the vanguard of eliminating affordable and reliable energy in favor of unaffordable and unreliable so-called green energy.
What makes this whole climate alarmism narrative even more nonsensical is the fact that so-called green energy is not environmentally friendly. Scores of reports and studies show that huge solar panel fields and gargantuan wind turbines produce a host of environmental problems, such as habitat destruction, wildlife loss, etc. After these massive structures meet their shelf life, which is typically only a decade or so, they are also impossible to recycle.
I am more than confident that the very elites who have been pushing the green movement for the past many years are completely aware of these facts. However, they have chosen to forge ahead, undaunted by these pesky facts.
This leads me to believe that they do not intend nor desire to “save the planet.” It also makes me much surer that they are not interested in improving the lives of hardworking, middle-class Europeans. If that were the case, they would have abandoned the green energy nonsense long ago.
With that being said, I can’t help but wonder if their actual intent is to increase their power and control.
Europe, unlike the United States, has a very long history of wealthy elites wielding outsized power and control in a system rigged against the masses. In many instances, these elites have conspired to create zero-sum systems in which they win, and the rest lose.
Make no mistake, Western European elites are committed to forcing their climate alarmist agenda upon the masses, whether they like it or not.
As such, we must underscore the sheer stupidity of their ridiculous, yet sinister, plan to replace reliable, affordable, and abundant energy with unreliable, unaffordable, and environmentally destructive power sources that are wholly dependent on sunny and windy conditions.
The views expressed in this opinion article are those of their author and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by the owners of this website. If you are interested in contributing an Op-Ed to The Western Journal, you can learn about our submission guidelines and process here.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
