Insight and inspiration in turbulent times.
A few weeks before I left, John Michael Greer published a fictional story about America losing its hegemonic grip entitled How it could Happen. The opening…focused on a proxy war between China and the US in east Africa over oil rights following a discovery in Tanzania…I was on the lookout for evidence of its feasibility when I visited Kenya. I didn’t have to look far.
We could postpone healthcare reform a decade, and the cost would be terrible — all the suffering not responded to over those 10 years. But when we returned to it, the problem would be about the same size. With climate change, unless we act fairly soon in response to the timetable set by physics, there’s not much reason to act at all.
We are in the midst of an amazing energy boom, but by sweeping the idea of peak oil under the rug we are ignoring a significant fact: the relationship between hydrocarbon reserves and flow rates are not the same as they used to be—reserves have increased but flow rates are not as high or sustainable.
•Leaked IPCC Draft Report: Recent Warming Is Manmade, Cloud Feedback Is Positive, Inaction Is Suicidal •What leaked IPCC report really says on climate change •Why Climate Change Denial Is Just Hot Air •States Threaten EPA Over Petroleum Industry Methane Emissions •Ask Bill McKibben Anything
•Coming soon: 100% renewable power – Chris Nelder •How Data and Social Pressure Can Reduce Home Energy •Use Fatih Birol: Energy efficiency is one of last options after Kyoto •Solar Mamas – movie trailer
The announcement on Thursday that the government is lifting its moratorium on fracking held all the surprise of turkey on the Christmas menu. The decision, which allows the resumption of test drilling by Cuadrilla in Lancashire and opens the way to fracking across the UK, was inevitable following the government’s gas generation U-turn last week…
•Drilling spills reaching Colorado groundwater; state mulls test rules •Shale Shocked: Studies Tie Rise Of Significant Earthquakes In U.S. Midcontinent To Wastewater Injection •Ignore the doom merchants, Britain should get fracking •Shale gas is not a game changer •The fracking dream which is putting Britain’s future at risk
If last week’s energy bill announcement was about building the low carbon power system of the future, this week’s gas strategy and autumn statement felt like a blast from the past.
•Climate change: you can’t ignore it •2012: Record Arctic Sea Ice Melt, Multiple Extremes and High Temperatures •Study: Wealthy Nations’ Fossil Fuel Subsidies 5 Times Greater Than Climate Aid to Countries in Need •No sign of emissions letting up as climate talks begin •Forbidden Planet Arctic lost record snow and ice last year as data shows changing climate
The United States’ fiscal cliff is very much related to several changes we have been going through recently, and will likely continue to experience: 1. High oil prices (more than triple their level ten years ago).
Is Superstorm Sandy a game changer for the national conversation about climate disruption? In the wake of the hurricane, activist Bill McKibben and oil industry veteran John Hofmeister face off on the topic of global warming.
Thursday saw the long awaited UK energy bill finally presented to parliament. Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey described the bill as "good for the British economy, good for consumers, and good for the planet". So what is it good for?…
