I agree coal -> natural gas is almost exclusively good (the only real counter-argument is that coal -> natural gas precludes coal -> something better than natur

I agree coal -> natural gas is almost exclusively good (the only real counter-argument is that coal -> natural gas precludes coal -> something better than natural gas (nuclear, hydro, magic, etc.)). The "CO[2] optimization, but otherwise moronic and environmentally destructive" is most biofuels. They're arguably lower CO[2] output (since it's atmospheric carbon), minus the CO[2] used to grow them, but let's assume EROEI of 1+epsilon. You still destroy a bunch of land, use up water (including often fossil water), fertilizer runoff, etc., so the environmental harm outweighs the minor net CO[2] reduction benefit. Not true of things like the Brazilian fuels, I think. Mainly just that corn ethanol is at best stupid and most likely a crime.