Sal Nuzzo Pushes Back on ESG and Net-Zero Policies at 2026 Solutions Summit

Sal Nuzzo, Senior Fellow at the James Madison Institute and Executive Director of Consumer Defense, spoke at the Pelican Institute’s 2026 Solutions Summit about the growing fight over ESG and energy policy. He said ESG rules often bypass voters and lawmakers, pushing hidden regulations through state agencies. Nuzzo argued that supporters misuse the idea of diversity and that real diversity includes diversity of thought, not hiring quotas. He also challenged net-zero energy goals, saying wind and solar can’t replace fossil fuels without massive subsidies. As an example, he noted that each wind turbine needs 400 gallons of crude oil each year for lubrication. Nuzzo wrapped with a lighter story about using a Taylor Swift lyric during Senate testimony on the Ticketmaster hearing, which later went viral.