Carrying on the Legacy of Matt Simmons

Before his untimely passing in 2010, I knew of Matt Simmons, but only peripherally, as one of many prominent voices on Peak Oil issues.  Since becoming ASPO-USA’s executive director, however, I have been witness to the force of his legacy, and I have gotten to know Matt, indirectly, through the eyes of people who knew him as a colleague and friend.  There may be no greater testament to his life than the impact he had on so many others, and to hear the affection in people’s voices when they talk about Matt.

I have been inspired by my glimpses into Matt’s importance in our history, but I am equally interested in how his legacy informs our work going forward.  In particular, I have been struck by how he balanced grave warnings about Peak Oil and the need to articulate positive solutions.  There is a perpetual tension in the Peak Oil community—some people bristle at the slightest notion of a “solution” to Peak Oil, while others strive to be less gloomy, if not downright hopeful, about our post-peak future.

In my view, ASPO-USA and the Peak Oil community need a more “hopeful” message, and we need  more rigorous technical analysis of short-term and long-term “solutions” (I suspect there are people who disagree—as several replies to my Christmas message about hope indicated).  However, I also believe that we should not pull a single punch when describing how serious the consequences of Peak Oil may be.  But how do we, individually or as an organization, balance hope and dire warnings?

It is not easy, but it is possible.  To stay pointed in the right direction, we all might look to Matt Simmons as a model.  Matt was vigilant in seeking the truth about Peak Oil, and equally vigilant in speaking out about it.  At the same time, Matt’s warmth, humanity, and love of life were undeniable and contagious.  The words Matt spoke certainly could be frightening, but he never conveyed that one should just brace for the impending doom.  Through his work, and the core of his character, he conveyed that in action, there is hope.  That, in essence, is the underlying sentiment of ASPO-USA’s work—not a blind or ignorant hope, but a hope born of knowledge and action.

Matt Simmons is no longer with us, but in this way, and others, his legacy will continuE.

ASPO-USA