The Negative Environmental Consequences of Banning Carbon Fuels and Synthetic Products

The Negative Environmental Consequences of Banning Carbon Fuels and Synthetic Products

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About the Webinar

Carbon fuels (coal, natural gas, refined petroleum products) and hydrocarbon-derived plastics have long been indicted as detrimental to the environment. Yet, their development had significant environmental benefits by reducing drastically the demand for fuelwood and animal feed along with various materials once manufactured from animals and plants (from lumber, leather and ivory to natural rubber, spermaceti and natural dyes and pesticides). Join Dr. Pierre Desrochers as he discusses how banning these products in the absence of superior substitutes can only recreate some of the very real problems they once solved, including threats to wildlife habitat and biodiversity.

This is a previously recorded webinar. The recording includes a 30-minute presentation followed by a 15-minute question and answer period by LIVE attendees. If you are interested in attending one of our upcoming webinars, look under the Upcoming Events tab.

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About the Speaker

Pierre Desrochers

Pierre Desrochers, Fraser Institute Senior Fellow, is an Associate Professor of Geography at the University of Toronto, Mississauga. His main research interests include economic development, energy, environmental and urban policy and food policy. He holds a Ph.D. in geography from the University of Montreal. He spent two years at Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, Maryland) as a post-doctoral fellow and in 2017 was awarded the Julian L. Simon Memorial Award by the Competitive Enterprise Institute in Washington, DC. He has published more than 50 academic articles and over 200 economic columns in various outlets. Prior to joining the University of Toronto, Mr. Desrochers was the Montreal Economic Institute’s Research Director, where he remains an associate researcher.

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