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Bill McKibben

What Bill McKibben thinks about energy

@bill-mckibben · 21 positions · 0 changes of mind

Writer and climate campaigner; wrote The End of Nature in 1989 and founded 350.org and Third Act.

Everything they publish, on ppll ↗

Bill McKibben did not write this page.

We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.

9 dated positions, 2026, in their own words. Our reading of what Bill McKibben has said — not written or endorsed by them.

  1. Our readingScaling up clean energy is more effective when it is paired with retiring fossil fuel infrastructure.

    infrastructure

    Their wordsBuilding clean energy is much more likely, and much more effective, if we're also shutting down dirty energy.

    ↗Facts on the groundbillmckibben.substack.com 3rd of 3 in this piece

  2. 6 days earlier

  3. Our readingElon Musk's political backing of anti-EV, anti-clean-energy politics has undone far more good than his earlier advocacy for electric vehicles did.

    politicselectric vehicles

    Their wordsWhatever good he did with his early advocacy for electric vehicles has now been undone a hundred times over with his advocacy for the people who hate EVs and all the other things we need.

    ↗Two Menbillmckibben.substack.com 1st of 3 in this piece

  5. Our readingSwitching to sustainable energy is the one effective, scalable tool available to prevent catastrophic climate change.

    climate change

    Their words"Just switching to sustainable energy" is in fact the one good, scalable weapon we have to fight that

    ↗Two Menbillmckibben.substack.com 2nd of 3 in this piece

  6. 2 days earlier

  7. Our readingThe United States has become the world's biggest force pushing to keep burning fossil fuels even as the world shifts away from oil.

    America

    Their wordsin a world beginning to turn away from oil, the United States has become the biggest force trying to insure we keep pouring carbon into the atmosphere.

    ↗The growing rumblebillmckibben.substack.com 1st of 3 in this piece

  9. Our readingThe upcoming U.S. elections are the last real chance to shift fast enough from oil and gas to solar and wind to limit global warming.

    solarAmericaphysicsclimate change

    Their wordsBut physics is giving us very little time now, and so the next set of elections in this country will be, I think, our last real chance to make the sea change-replacing oil and gas with sun and wind-that is our best hope for limiting warming.

    ↗The growing rumblebillmckibben.substack.com 2nd of 3 in this piece

  11. Our readingExpanding North Sea oil drilling would not reduce UK energy prices, because oil prices are set on a global market.

    Their wordsThis would accomplish nothing to reduce energy prices, since oil prices are set on a global market and there's not enough crude left off UK shores to influence that number.

    ↗The growing rumblebillmckibben.substack.com 3rd of 3 in this piece

  12. 5 days earlier

  13. Our readingRapidly deploying renewable energy now would slow further warming rather than reverse it

    Their wordsAt this point it won't lower the temperature rapidly, but it could keep it from climbing rapidly.

    ↗Reality intrudesbillmckibben.substack.com 3rd of 3 in this piece

  14. 12 days earlier

  15. Our readingBattery storage is becoming the defining transformative energy technology of the second half of the 2020s, as solar and wind were of the first half.

    solarbatteries

    Their wordsBatteries are the transformative technology for the second half of this decade, as sun and wind were for the first half

    ↗Fun with numbersbillmckibben.substack.com 2nd of 3 in this piece

  17. Our readingThe 'intermittent power' criticism long aimed at solar and wind now applies more truly to other energy sources, including nuclear and natural gas.

    solar

    Their wordsthat charge long leveled at sun and wind-that they provide "intermittent power"-is probably truer now of other energy sources

    ↗Fun with numbersbillmckibben.substack.com 3rd of 3 in this piece