Wol

From the Arlington Institute:

>> Economic Collapse : Fragilities in the current global economy could tip the developed world into conditions not seen since the 1920s.

• Peak Oil : Petroleum has powered the modern world for almost 100 years; today, many industry insiders say the we may be reaching a permanent peak in oil production.
• Global Water Crisis : Over the last 50 years the human population has nearly tripled, while industrial pollution, unsustainable agriculture, and poor civic planning have decreased the overall water supply.
• Species Extinction : Certain species that human beings depend upon for our food supply are going extinct; if their numbers fall too low we may face extinction ourselves.
• Rapid Climate Change : While the debate rages on about the causes of climate change, global warming is an empirical fact. The problem is both a curse and blessing, in that people from different cultures will either have to work together or face mutual destruction.<<

The Arlington Institute may be outside the political box, but I would agree with its arguments. We are going to live (hopefully) in very interesting times.

Burbage

What's a "permanent peak" when it's at home?

The climate warmed rapidly from 1985 to 2002, since then it hasn't warmed at all.

But there is no doubt that climate change as a natural process is something that has been almost absent for the last 200-300 years. If anything has been unusual it's the fact that the climate was so stable during this time.

Centurion

The political box seems to reside in a room where everyone ignores the elephant. It's a shame there is a herd of them coming over the horizon. Interesting indeed.

Wol

>>What's a "permanent peak" when it's at home?<<

Without attempting to put words into their mouths, I would imagine it means that, although new resources will be found and existing ones will become economically viable, we have passed the point where we can assume there will always be an excess of reserves over demand. Loose words but a reasonable assumption.

Wol

I think it's because there really is no political answer, practically. Miss Universe always says she wishes for "World Peace" but it ain't going to happen, and neither will agreement on food, energy, climate change and the rest.

At some stage the population will collapse and equilibrium may be achieved. "May" being the operative word - animal populations go through this cycle but our "intelligence" has allowed us to expand beyond sustainability and there's no guarantee the same thing couldn't happen again and again.

Amazulu

We're all doomed.

Amazulu

It's the end of the world as we know it......







.....but i feel fine

Amazulu

Nuclear
Wind
Solar
Wave
Geothermal
Hydroelectric
Gas to liquid
Coal to liquid
Hybrid
Plug-in hybrid
Electric
Increased fuel effiiciency
Fusion one day maybe
Etc

We'll make out.

renth

Check this out from The Independent....

Swerv-o

Yes, I noticed that the cuts were something akin to a bubble rising in an ocean of debt. I doubt it will stop folk complaining when they did in though. The UK economy has got a very long way to go before it can even consider itself remotely stable again.

But on the plus side, at least the nu-labour spendathon experiment seems to be over (for now, at least...)


S

ABCDiamond

We hit peak oil in 2002 according to the graph on page 18 of this: http://www.peakoil.net/Publications/...zburg_2002.pdf

Burbage

Peak oil is the moment when we have burned more oil than there is left in the ground and reserves. As soon as someone lights a kerosene lamp, peak oil has been passed. Hardly very permanent.
Sounds like doublespeak to me.

Wol

We know what peak oil is - we were just talking about the word "permanent" and what was meant by that.

Burbage

It's an adjective to the word peak. Permanent peak is a bit like saying 'dry water'. It's gibberish.

Wol

It mhgit be gisbberih but in eevdyary temrs eoyevrne knwos what was inendted.