<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for Forbes’ ‘Energy Outlook 2007’ makes bracing reading]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by bookerly http://www.grist.org/article/bottom-line-fossil-fuels-rule/ Sun, 15 Oct 2006 19:57:56 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/bottom-line-fossil-fuels-rule/1 Scary Combinations


  Dear Tom,

     You are correct!  The idea that we might not hit "peak" oil in the immediate future but are definitely heading towards the tipping point on global warming scare me.

     Which is why I want to seperate them!!

     We need to stop global warming without waiting for peak oil to do it for us.

patrick

]]> Scary Combinations


  Dear Tom,

     You are correct!  The idea that we might not hit "peak" oil in the immediate future but are definitely heading towards the tipping point on global warming scare me.

     Which is why I want to seperate them!!

     We need to stop global warming without waiting for peak oil to do it for us.

patrick

]]> Comment #2 by Biodiversivist http://www.grist.org/article/bottom-line-fossil-fuels-rule/ Mon, 16 Oct 2006 01:36:20 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/bottom-line-fossil-fuels-rule/2 I don't see a repeat of the 1974 oil shortage

where we went back to normal after prices fell. One sign of an impending shortage will be increasingly unstable prices. With 2.6 billion Chinese and Indians pulling themselves out of poverty, we are entering unknown territory. A lot of energy is going to be consumed, a lot of minds will be working the problem. I'm comforted by the  fact that the future can't be predicted, leaving some hope.

In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Help acquire and protect ecological hotspots, give to a conservation organization: http://www.saveourbiodiversity.com

]]> I don't see a repeat of the 1974 oil shortage

where we went back to normal after prices fell. One sign of an impending shortage will be increasingly unstable prices. With 2.6 billion Chinese and Indians pulling themselves out of poverty, we are entering unknown territory. A lot of energy is going to be consumed, a lot of minds will be working the problem. I'm comforted by the  fact that the future can't be predicted, leaving some hope.

In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Help acquire and protect ecological hotspots, give to a conservation organization: http://www.saveourbiodiversity.com

]]> Comment #3 by Jason D Scorse http://www.grist.org/article/bottom-line-fossil-fuels-rule/ Mon, 16 Oct 2006 07:34:02 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/bottom-line-fossil-fuels-rule/3 Peak oil will fade....

as yet another doom and gloom scenario that didn't play out- but the reality of ever-increasing fossil fuel use is real and the only solutions are either a cap and trade system, taxes on carbon, a move towards consumption taxes versus income taxes, or a massive investment in new CO2 reducing technology- everything else is window-dressing. And anyone who thinks that environmental pleas alone are going to prevent the Chinese and Indians from getting cars and refrigerators is in a fanasty world. We need to make room for billions of additional consumers and quick.

J.S.

Assistant Professor, Monterey Institute of International Studies

]]> Peak oil will fade....

as yet another doom and gloom scenario that didn't play out- but the reality of ever-increasing fossil fuel use is real and the only solutions are either a cap and trade system, taxes on carbon, a move towards consumption taxes versus income taxes, or a massive investment in new CO2 reducing technology- everything else is window-dressing. And anyone who thinks that environmental pleas alone are going to prevent the Chinese and Indians from getting cars and refrigerators is in a fanasty world. We need to make room for billions of additional consumers and quick.

J.S.

Assistant Professor, Monterey Institute of International Studies

]]> Comment #4 by Bart Anderson http://www.grist.org/article/bottom-line-fossil-fuels-rule/ Mon, 16 Oct 2006 09:01:06 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/bottom-line-fossil-fuels-rule/4 peak oil - ocmplicated links

There is a growing consensus that conventional oil production will peak within the coming 20 years. Even more economists and oil specialists agree that we have reached the end of cheap oil. The current drop in prices is just a blip in the long-term trend.

All the alternatives (tar sands, ethanol, coal-to-oil, photovoltaics) are much more expensive than oil prices of the past.  

The influence of peak oil on climate change is not straightfoward.

As Patrick and George Monbiot say, peak oil will NOT save us from climate change. In fact it may make things worse, if we seek to replace oil with coal.

On the other hand, as energy prices increase, economic activity will probably be depressed and serious conservation/efficiency will get a kickstart.

I agree whole heartedly with Jason's list of economic policies - especially a carbon tax. Also, I'd share Jason's opposition to direct subsidies, at least most of them.  Research in carbon sequestration, PVs and efficiency makes sense, I think. A perfect example of the wrong kind of subsidy is Rep. Pombo's proposed subsidy for shale oil.

I think it's counter-productive to get too hung up on the idea of peak oil when discussing climate change. For the most part, the strategies for dealing with one apply to the other.

Bart
Energy Bulletin (monitors coverage of peak oil, energy issues and climate change)

]]> peak oil - ocmplicated links

There is a growing consensus that conventional oil production will peak within the coming 20 years. Even more economists and oil specialists agree that we have reached the end of cheap oil. The current drop in prices is just a blip in the long-term trend.

All the alternatives (tar sands, ethanol, coal-to-oil, photovoltaics) are much more expensive than oil prices of the past.  

The influence of peak oil on climate change is not straightfoward.

As Patrick and George Monbiot say, peak oil will NOT save us from climate change. In fact it may make things worse, if we seek to replace oil with coal.

On the other hand, as energy prices increase, economic activity will probably be depressed and serious conservation/efficiency will get a kickstart.

I agree whole heartedly with Jason's list of economic policies - especially a carbon tax. Also, I'd share Jason's opposition to direct subsidies, at least most of them.  Research in carbon sequestration, PVs and efficiency makes sense, I think. A perfect example of the wrong kind of subsidy is Rep. Pombo's proposed subsidy for shale oil.

I think it's counter-productive to get too hung up on the idea of peak oil when discussing climate change. For the most part, the strategies for dealing with one apply to the other.

Bart
Energy Bulletin (monitors coverage of peak oil, energy issues and climate change)

]]> Comment #5 by BruceHodge http://www.grist.org/article/bottom-line-fossil-fuels-rule/ Mon, 16 Oct 2006 16:14:40 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/bottom-line-fossil-fuels-rule/5 Global Warming Mitigation Scenarios

The coming peaks in oil, gas, and coal production will all affect our mitigation of global warming. Significant use of non-conventional sources such as oil tar will only make mitigation even harder.  Visit Global Warming and the Coming Peaks in Oil, Gas and Coal Production to see a comprehensive presentation that models our future carbon based energy supply and looks at the impact of various mitigation scenarios using wedges described by Robert Socolow  et al.   Referenced by the Energy Bulletin (see post above).

]]> Global Warming Mitigation Scenarios

The coming peaks in oil, gas, and coal production will all affect our mitigation of global warming. Significant use of non-conventional sources such as oil tar will only make mitigation even harder.  Visit Global Warming and the Coming Peaks in Oil, Gas and Coal Production to see a comprehensive presentation that models our future carbon based energy supply and looks at the impact of various mitigation scenarios using wedges described by Robert Socolow  et al.   Referenced by the Energy Bulletin (see post above).

]]> Comment #6 by amazingdrx http://www.grist.org/article/bottom-line-fossil-fuels-rule/ Tue, 17 Oct 2006 00:05:08 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/bottom-line-fossil-fuels-rule/6 Economics

The fact is that minus market monopolizing subsidies, the best deals in energy are renewables.

Get rid of the corporate welfare and watch the world turn to the energy re-evolution.

For instance:  If oil corporations had to pay for oil wars, how long would we be able to afford gas for our cars?

This one huge foreign policy wrecking subsidy is enough to skew the market.  Similarly, what if the nuclear industry had to pay to protect the world from nuclear proliferation?

Public campaign financing would end corporatism and these corrupt subsidies.

http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog

]]> Economics

The fact is that minus market monopolizing subsidies, the best deals in energy are renewables.

Get rid of the corporate welfare and watch the world turn to the energy re-evolution.

For instance:  If oil corporations had to pay for oil wars, how long would we be able to afford gas for our cars?

This one huge foreign policy wrecking subsidy is enough to skew the market.  Similarly, what if the nuclear industry had to pay to protect the world from nuclear proliferation?

Public campaign financing would end corporatism and these corrupt subsidies.

http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog

]]>