Energy Descent Scenarios: Integrating Climate Change & Peak Oil
Peak oil and climate change have the potential to shake if not smash the unstated assumptions of government planners. A simple scenario planning model can help.
Energy Policy
US Politics – Nov 17
How green will the 110th Congress be?
Next Congress will be greener, but not much
Robert Gates at the Pentagon gate
The Democratic conga line in the American House of Lords
Russia – Nov 17
The uneasy Russia-E.U. energy relationship
Video: Sakhalin’s Black Tears
Head of Russian oil fund shot dead in Moscow
Recent assassinations shake confidence in Putin’s system
Climate policy – Nov 17
Annan criticises US over global warming
Climate insurance urged for poor
The cost of climate change
White House sued for not doing report on warming
Avery and Singer: warming not caused by humans
Blair faces revolt over C02 targets
UK climate bill to balance environmental and energy concerns
Economics – Nov 17
Bush’s Chernobyl economy
Ex-energy secretary sees further rise in oil prices
U.S. energy chief: high oil prices could wreck economies of many countries
1927-1933 Chart of Pompous Prognosticators
Peak oil – Nov 15
New study: Oil depletion in the world /
November ASPO Newsletter online /
TOD:UK to become TOD:Europe /
Report on the Energy Institute (UK) oil depletion conference /
Energy Independence: Kunstler’s advice to the Democrats
The peak oil crisis: the studies
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).
Peddling PetroProzac: CERA ignores 10 warning signposts of peak oil
CERA seeks a sober dialogue to identify “clear signposts that will herald the onset” of either the peak or their “undulating plateau” of world oil production. Here are ten reasons why this turning point is likely between now and 2015.
U.S. energy policy – Nov 14
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
Climate policy – Nov 14
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
Climate policy – Nov 13
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
Energy secretary on the future of oil and the need for alternatives
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.
