When Risk Assessment is Risky: Predicting the Effects of Technology

By David Ehrenfeld, originally published by Post Carbon Institute/Foundation for Deep Ecology

June 13, 2013

NOTE: Images in this archived article have been removed.

This essay comes from the book ENERGY: Overdevelopment and the Delusion of Endless Growth Published by the Foundation for Deep Ecology in collaboration with Watershed Media and Post Carbon Institute.

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When Risk Assessment is Risky — David Ehrenfeld

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David Ehrenfeld

David Ehrenfeld is a proffessor at Rutgers University and a leading conservation biologist. He was the founding editor of the journal Conservation Biology, was a longtime columnist for Orion, and is the author of several books, including Becoming Good Ancestors: How We Balance Nature, Community, and Technology and The Arrogance of Humanism.

Tags: Deepwater Oil, Energy Infrastructure, energy-reality, risk management, Technology

It’s the end of growth as we know it

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Beyond living standards, economic growth has shaped how societies cope with shocks and distribute gains. As growth weakens, these less visible functions may prove just as consequential as its economic effects.

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UN Climate Change Conference 2026: Latest global climate talks end with little progress amid deep political tensions

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Two weeks of tense UN climate talks in Bonn, Germany, have produced few tangible outcomes as diplomats faced “gridlock”.

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Richard Heinberg: Why building resilience should be our top priority

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In this presentation for The Climate Dialogue Group, Richard Heinberg shares his insights into why a world of climate disruption and energy volatility demands a shift from maximizing growth to strengthening community resilience.

June 12, 2026