I feel that you present a pretty gross and unsubstantiated mischaracterization of what Breakthrough is and does.

We don’t have an “army of self-referential bloggers” who shout anybody down (please show me an example of that). Rather than try to close down debate, we engage in frequent and open debates whenever possible.

We definitely do NOT disregard the communities most impacted by these issues, nor try to speak for them (again, please provide an example of this accusation).

We’re NOT neo-liberals or neo-cons, although we also NOT anti-capitalists. We’re progressives who argue for a major role in direct government investment in clean energy technology development, deployment and infrastructure (a decidedly non-neo conservative position!). In fact, we’re often shocked at how much environmentalists have bought in to an almost blind and strikingly neo-liberal faith in the invisible hand of carbon pricing to solve our climate crisis (e.g. the widespread support for cap-and-trade programs, aka cap-and-pray programs).

Nor are we banking on any future magical breakthrough technology (cold fusion, space-based solar or some other as-of-yet-unknown technology) to save us from the climate crisis. Rather, we argue for an all-out technology push to bring nascent and mature technologies to scale – from efficiency and conservation to wind and solar, plug-in hybrids and, yes, CCS – ensure breakthroughs in performance and cost for all of them, and work to break through barriers to their widespread deployment. We need clean and cheap energy, and we need it fast. That’s the only way we’ll solve the climate crisis while ensuring a new century of global energy justice and prosperity. (And to be clear, this technology push is about more than just techno-fixes, it’s about creating the material circumstances for the kind of cultural shifts we also need, while setting the conditions for global, sustainable prosperity and energy justice).

I’ll just leave it at that for now. I’d simply like to encourage you to read the thoughts and writings of the Breakthrough Generation team at http://www.BreakthroughGen.org. Incidentally, among our many writings already, you’ll find several open musings from the BT Gen fellows on our blog about how we can continue to offer the critical analysis and critique Breakthrough is known for and excellent at without “closing people off to our ideas,” as you put it.

I guess I would encourage you to take some time to read what the Breakthrough Generation fellows have to say (and what Breakthrough Institute actually has to say) and engage substantively with our ideas and our fellows, rather than making unsubstantiated accusations about Breakthrough. Sincerely,

Jesse Jenkins
Associate Director
Breakthrough Generation

I have a feeling that most of these Breakthrough Fellows have no clue what they are getting themselves into this summer. While Breakthrough has great poetic descriptions of this new “more powerful, intellectual, expansive youth progressive movement” their politics, tactics, and general arrogant attitude towards the rest of the movement reflect none of that.

The Breakthrough Institute continually seems to:

-make attacks on other parts of the movement in incredibly un-constructive ways

-claim to have the only “true” analysis of the problems we face

-disregard the communities most impacted by these issues (and often try to speak FOR such communities)

-reflect pro-corporate, neo-liberal (at times, neo-conservative) ideology

-seem to think that some future “Breakthrough” technology will magically solve the climate crisis, rather than challenging the political, economic, and cultural systems that are holding back the existing potentials for true solutions

-attempt to shout-down opposing viewpoints or opinions (with their small army of self-referential bloggers)

I really think Breakthrough is doing more to disrupt the current climate/environmental movement than actually bringing the much-needed, fresh, deeper, systemic analysis that they paint pictures of in their introductions. Schellenberger and Nordhaus display incredible arrogance and an amazing lack of tact when advancing their ideas effectively closing people off to their ideas simply by the way they present them and act. It’s no wonder many organizers, campaigners, and organizations who have worked with them in the past now keep at arm’s length.

Hopefully, bringing some incredibly smart youth into this Fellowship program will help counter the negativity that Breakthrough has now thouroughly branded themselves with. I just hope that these bright young folks don’t sully their name, let water get poured on some true visionary thinking, or adopt the close-mindedness and arrogance of some of their colleagues.