OIL SUPPLY 227
Agriculture in the oil-consuming world is heavily dependent
on crude oil, but this dependency could be reduced by a switch
to renewable sources of energy, such as solar and wind power.
However, that invokes the concept of a multi-year — perhaps two
decades — transition period. In short, the dependency played by
crude oil in the provision of food is almost non-negotiable and will
force consumers to continue to buy oil to the limit of their resources.
The need for crude oil to keep transport moving in the United
States will remain real and unavoidable for at least 25 years. The US
economy is organized on the assumption of cheap, long-distance
transport. As is already evident, in these times crude oil supply is
in decline, the United States is increasing its consumption. With the
daily lives of consumers locked into dependency on road transport,
it is already evident that the consumers are straining to cope with
prices and there are already signs of economic destabilization.
Governments are now in a dilemma and have to acknowledge
this problem with the implications that the economics of oil must
be taken seriously. If the barrier between rational thinking and
institutional complacency continues to hold, the energy future will
be bleak.
As governments eventually acknowledge the problem of oil
supply and demand and the various economic consequences, the
first step should be to establish a dialogue with their public and
no to pontificate. The government needs to inform the public of
the proposed actions since, by then (perhaps even now), the public will require political leaders who present themselves as moving
towards economic stability.
For example, governments must organize the quest for alternative energy sources and conservation technologies. However, an
energy system based on renewable sources is not capable at this
time of providing the energy needed for transport on the present
scale but, nevertheless, a meaningful (not a token) start must be
made and available technologies, such as solar and wind technologies, need to be applied urgently.
In the interests of economic stability, there may be a case, despite
the climate change implications, for the United States and other
coal-rich countries to move to the use of coal as a source of transportation fuels (Chapter 9). The use of coal can help such countries
buy time in the form of a coal-based energy system that will allow
development future sources of alternate energy. During this time,
Agriculture in the oil-consuming world is heavily dependent
on crude oil, but this dependency could be reduced by a switch
to renewable sources of energy, such as solar and wind power.
However, that invokes the concept of a multi-year — perhaps two
decades — transition period. In short, the dependency played by
crude oil in the provision of food is almost non-negotiable and will
force consumers to continue to buy oil to the limit of their resources.
The need for crude oil to keep transport moving in the United
States will remain real and unavoidable for at least 25 years. The US
economy is organized on the assumption of cheap, long-distance
transport. As is already evident, in these times crude oil supply is
in decline, the United States is increasing its consumption. With the
daily lives of consumers locked into dependency on road transport,
it is already evident that the consumers are straining to cope with
prices and there are already signs of economic destabilization.
Governments are now in a dilemma and have to acknowledge
this problem with the implications that the economics of oil must
be taken seriously. If the barrier between rational thinking and
institutional complacency continues to hold, the energy future will
be bleak.
As governments eventually acknowledge the problem of oil
supply and demand and the various economic consequences, the
first step should be to establish a dialogue with their public and
no to pontificate. The government needs to inform the public of
the proposed actions since, by then (perhaps even now), the public will require political leaders who present themselves as moving
towards economic stability.
For example, governments must organize the quest for alternative energy sources and conservation technologies. However, an
energy system based on renewable sources is not capable at this
time of providing the energy needed for transport on the present
scale but, nevertheless, a meaningful (not a token) start must be
made and available technologies, such as solar and wind technologies, need to be applied urgently.
In the interests of economic stability, there may be a case, despite
the climate change implications, for the United States and other
coal-rich countries to move to the use of coal as a source of transportation fuels (Chapter 9). The use of coal can help such countries
buy time in the form of a coal-based energy system that will allow
development future sources of alternate energy. During this time,