Part 11/13:
The root causes of this crisis trace back decades of California political decisions favoring environmental virtue signaling over pragmatic energy policies. The state's refusal to develop its abundant oil resources, combined with aggressive refinery shutdowns and heavy regulation, has left it exposed to supply shocks.
The situation is exacerbated by a lack of pipeline infrastructure and reliance on ocean-borne imports, often from nations with less stable political climates. This petro-political dependency underscores the absurdity of California’s green agenda when global emissions from China and India continue unabated.