213
It is important to recognize that the magnitude of the crisis is so huge that the
massive changes required to make a major switch in energy technology must come
from the top, and must be world-wide. This means electing and supporting people
in charge of national governments and international agencies who are willing to
face reality, trust the science, pass the necessary regulations to force change, and
stand up to the inevitable resistance and pushback from companies and individuals
who have a stake in maintaining the status quo. Everyone on the planet who is concerned about the climate must find and support leaders who will adopt these badlyneeded policies. To be blunt, politicians and other leaders who can’t or won’t
address the issues of fossil fuel and climate change are working against the interests
of the people they are supposed to be representing and ought to go find other careers.
We can’t wait for the Earth to “heal itself.” It will do so over time of course, but
that will require geologic time. It is cold comfort that the Earth will heal itself a
million years after humanity has gone extinct, and there will be no trace of our foolishness left on the planet. For the sake of our survival, we need faster solutions.
Some people think we should give up technology altogether and go back to a
simpler way of life. There are two problems with this: the first is that the simpler
way of life was not as grand as some romantics wish to believe. The only anesthetic
for dental care in the 1700s was whisky. Surgery was performed on fully-conscious
people with a bone saw. Women routinely died in childbirth and infant mortality
was sky-high. Heating and cooking required firewood to be cut, split, and carried by
hand. Food was either hunted, or raised on farms with a great deal of physicallyexhausting manual labor. Everyone worked, including children. Transportation was
by horse on land or sailing ship by sea, and it took weeks or months to get anywhere.
People suffered from horrible diseases that are unheard of today. A little historical
research is recommended for anyone pining away for the “good old days.” Keep in
mind that most of the technology we have today was invented for a reason.
The second problem with eliminating technology is that a lot of people would
die. Far more humans are presently being supported by technology than the planet
can sustain naturally. The production and delivery of sufficient food, clean water,
housing, transportation and the manufacture of everything from clothing to medicine depends on technology and ultimately on energy. Pulling the rug out from
under this will quickly lead to famine, disease, and death for a significant part of the
human population.
If we intend to maintain a technological civilization and keep it running with
adequate energy supplies without ruining the habitability of the Earth, what can be
done? Fortunately, many things. The suggestions below include some options for
technology, economics, and policy to reduce or even eliminate the impact of fossil
fuels on climate change. New technology to replace fossil energy is addressed in
Chap. 12.
Carbon Capture and Storage Nearly every study of energy futures concludes
that humanity is not going to stop using fossil fuels overnight. In fact, these are
considered to be important energy resources for at least the next 30 years.
Nevertheless, the emissions of climate-changing GHG cannot simply be allowed to
11.3 Energy and Climate Sustainability
It is important to recognize that the magnitude of the crisis is so huge that the
massive changes required to make a major switch in energy technology must come
from the top, and must be world-wide. This means electing and supporting people
in charge of national governments and international agencies who are willing to
face reality, trust the science, pass the necessary regulations to force change, and
stand up to the inevitable resistance and pushback from companies and individuals
who have a stake in maintaining the status quo. Everyone on the planet who is concerned about the climate must find and support leaders who will adopt these badlyneeded policies. To be blunt, politicians and other leaders who can’t or won’t
address the issues of fossil fuel and climate change are working against the interests
of the people they are supposed to be representing and ought to go find other careers.
We can’t wait for the Earth to “heal itself.” It will do so over time of course, but
that will require geologic time. It is cold comfort that the Earth will heal itself a
million years after humanity has gone extinct, and there will be no trace of our foolishness left on the planet. For the sake of our survival, we need faster solutions.
Some people think we should give up technology altogether and go back to a
simpler way of life. There are two problems with this: the first is that the simpler
way of life was not as grand as some romantics wish to believe. The only anesthetic
for dental care in the 1700s was whisky. Surgery was performed on fully-conscious
people with a bone saw. Women routinely died in childbirth and infant mortality
was sky-high. Heating and cooking required firewood to be cut, split, and carried by
hand. Food was either hunted, or raised on farms with a great deal of physicallyexhausting manual labor. Everyone worked, including children. Transportation was
by horse on land or sailing ship by sea, and it took weeks or months to get anywhere.
People suffered from horrible diseases that are unheard of today. A little historical
research is recommended for anyone pining away for the “good old days.” Keep in
mind that most of the technology we have today was invented for a reason.
The second problem with eliminating technology is that a lot of people would
die. Far more humans are presently being supported by technology than the planet
can sustain naturally. The production and delivery of sufficient food, clean water,
housing, transportation and the manufacture of everything from clothing to medicine depends on technology and ultimately on energy. Pulling the rug out from
under this will quickly lead to famine, disease, and death for a significant part of the
human population.
If we intend to maintain a technological civilization and keep it running with
adequate energy supplies without ruining the habitability of the Earth, what can be
done? Fortunately, many things. The suggestions below include some options for
technology, economics, and policy to reduce or even eliminate the impact of fossil
fuels on climate change. New technology to replace fossil energy is addressed in
Chap. 12.
Carbon Capture and Storage Nearly every study of energy futures concludes
that humanity is not going to stop using fossil fuels overnight. In fact, these are
considered to be important energy resources for at least the next 30 years.
Nevertheless, the emissions of climate-changing GHG cannot simply be allowed to
11.3 Energy and Climate Sustainability