The renewables push is being driven by necessity
The push for renewable energy is being driven by urgent global challenges such as climate change, geopolitical conflicts like the Iran war, and fuel shortages. Historical precedents, such as the 1970s oil crisis leading to more efficient vehicles, are cited as parallels for current necessary shifts. Contributors emphasize the need for stronger government policies on vehicle efficiency and equitable distribution of renewable benefits. Some express skepticism about the pace and practicality of the transition away from fossil fuels.
- ▪Kevin Rudd's advocacy for renewables is framed as a response to climate change, the Iran war, and fuel shortages.
- ▪The 1970s oil crisis led to increased vehicle energy efficiency, a shift some argue must be repeated today.
- ▪Critics urge the Albanese government to strengthen vehicle efficiency standards and remove tax incentives for high-emission vehicles.
- ▪Some contributors highlight the importance of equitable economic outcomes from the renewable transition, including proposals for a gas export levy.
- ▪Skepticism exists about the readiness of EVs for all uses and the practicality of phasing out fossil fuels entirely.
Full article excerpt tap to expand
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","dateModified":"2026-04-28T08:30:00Z","datePublished":"2026-04-28T08:30:00Z","description":"The “oil crisis” of the 1970s triggered a paradigm shift toward more energy efficient vehicles. The same must occur in the current crisis.","headline":"The renewables push is being driven by necessity","keywords":"Letters, Opinion","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/the-renewables-push-is-being-driven-by-necessity-20260428-p5zrkk.html","@type":"WebPage"},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","height":"1322.6666666666665","url":"https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.5295%2C$multiply_0.7025%2C$ratio_1.777778%2C$width_1059%2C$x_0%2C$y_0/t_crop_custom/q_86%2Cf_auto/b7e30bd35c223dc154558411f417b75d1b4f473d","width":"744"},"isAccessibleForFree":false,"hasPart":[{"@type":"WebPageElement","isAccessibleForFree":false,"cssSelector":".paywall"}],"publisher":{"@type":"NewsMediaOrganization","name":"The Sydney Morning Herald","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","height":"628","url":"https://www.smh.com.au/metro-assets/assets/static/smh.png","width":"1200"},"url":"https://www.smh.com.au"},"isPartOf":{"@type":["CreativeWork","Product"],"name":"The Sydney Morning Herald","productID":"smh.com.au:webonly"}}{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","item":{"@id":"https://www.smh.com.au/national","name":"National"},"position":1},{"@type":"ListItem","item":{"@id":"https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw","name":"NSW"},"position":2},{"@type":"ListItem","item":{"@id":"https://www.smh.com.au/topic/smh-letters-1r7","name":"Letters"},"position":3}]}AdvertisementLettersThe renewables push is being driven by necessityApril 28, 2026SaveYou have reached your maximum number of saved items.Remove items from your saved list to add more.ShareAAAKevin Rudd’s push for increasing our usage of renewables in the context of climate change, the Iran war and fuel shortages reminds us that necessity is not only the mother of invention but also the driving force to capitalise fully on inventions that already exist (“Rudd hopes ‘terror’ fuels green energy”, April 28). However, we humans are slow on the uptake. German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer claimed that any important truth before acceptance is first ridiculed, then violently opposed and finally accepted as self-evident. Hopefully, most Australians are now at the third stage regarding climate change and the need to work on efficiency to enable a move to maximise the use of renewables and minimise hydrocarbon dependency. The issue now is how to make this transition equitable. Paul Casey, Callala BayKevin Rudd would like to have a word about renewables Leigh Vogel for AFRThe “oil crisis” of the 1970s triggered a paradigm shift towards more energy-efficient vehicles. The same must occur in the current crisis. The Albanese government should revisit its “watered down” New Vehicle Efficiency Standards and restore its original proposal while considering stronger settings. Labor should also unwind tax incentives for gas-guzzlers, which have driven an explosion in purchases away from standard vehicles. Additionally, it is irrational to consider changing the fringe benefits tax that would disincentivise EV uptake, while continuing to encourage the purchase of inefficient gas-guzzlers. Surely, the Coalition will be supportive. It would be irrational to be obstructionist. Carlo Ursida, Kensington (Vic)Just as political…
This excerpt is published under fair use for community discussion. Read the full article at The Sydney Morning Herald.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from The Sydney Morning Herald
