Insight and inspiration in turbulent times.
Two major studies of the prospects for world energy supplies are underway in Washington. The first, dealing with peak oil, is being done by the Government Accountability Office and is to be released on February 28. The second and what on the surface sounds the most in-depth study of world energy resources ever undertaken is being done under the auspices of the National Petroleum Council (NPC).
Congressional Peak Oil Caucus co-chairmen Reps. Roscoe Bartlett and Tom Udall say the CERA study of peak oil confirms the urgency for a crash mitigation program by the U.S. Government
Ex-CIA chief: ‘Oil dependence threatens US, Israel’ /
Ex-energy secty sees rise in oil prices /
Oil revenues fuel resistance to U.S. /
Bill allowing more drilling along coasts appears dead /
Environment, global warming seen as factors in ’08 elections
Australia PM Howard, Bush’s only big ally on global warming, shifts stand /
Australian drought: goin’ under /
Direct-action protesters in the U.K. /
French PM proposes taxing states that shun Kyoto /
Sweden tops climate change efforts, U.S. near bottom
Viscount Monckton: Climate chaos? Don’t believe it /
Monbiot: Believe it! /
RealClimate: Cuckoo science
Dr Paul Roth reports on a presentation by Mary McKeem, Director of Public Health Practice at the Marion County Health Department: “The effects of oil depletion on public health systems will be profound and we must plan to prepare for this impending crisis.”
In contrast to [peak oil theory], a new analysis by Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA) finds that the remaining global oil resource base is actually 3.74 trillion barrels — three times as large as the 1.2 trillion barrels estimated by the theory’s proponents — and that the “peak oil” argument is based on faulty analysis which could, if accepted, distort critical policy and investment decisions and cloud the debate over the energy future.
The modern equivalent of “the muck called gold” is a body of rock called, affectionately, the Canadian tar sands. In the rush to develop these resources, people are becoming “clean mad” (although the development is not so clean).
UN report to offer climate change evidence /
For sale: CO2 by the ton /
‘Obscenity’ of carbon trading /
Cash row looms at climate talks /
David Miliband at the UN climate change conference
A growing trend in corporations is to actively pursue plans and policies to address GHG emissions. This trend is not being driven by the widespread acceptance of the science behind climate change but rather by the business case for improving bottom-line results.
If we look two or three or four decades into the future, we know that hydrocarbons alone will not meet the needs of a growing world economy. Even with all the technical expertise the world could offer and all the political will it could muster, eventually, we will run out of oil. And, even before then, the price of a dwindling supply will be prohibitive. At present, our world is overly focused on, and overly dependent upon, one source of energy. And that path is unsustainable.
TOD: Why we (really) may have entered an oil production plateau /
Twilight in China /
Peak oil at Boston conference /
Dead Dinosaurs – todays’s WSJ coverage /
Peak oil guidebook for sustainable living /
More peak oil readership – Hello Kazakhstan and Mongolia!
