Real Feal: MORE DOOM

Saturday 18 October 2008

MORE DOOM

ENERGY PEAK

Here's a straightforward primer.

http://www.energybulletin.net/primer

Peak enters the mainstream

2 years ago, French government predicting peak by 2012 (many say it is already beginning to peak):
BBC NEWS | Business | 'Peak oil' enters mainstream debate
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4077802.stm

The Long Emergency - by James Howard Kunstler
http://www.energybulletin.net/node/4856

And it ain't just the newspapers / magazines and the internet:
http://www.grinningplanet.com/environmental-books/peak-oil-books.htm
http://www.amazon.com/PEAK-OIL-BOOKS/lm/26CCG716IZ4VC

If a picture tells a thousand words

Outside the middle-east, oil production is already in decline:

Oil / population comparisons:

This next one's a little tricky, but shows the energy 'per capita' (person) mapped over time. Note the peak in the US. happened in 1970... :

Slightly clearer version of the above for the global picture:

I'm sure you saw this one back in the 70's! .. from ecological science, the population 'overshoot':

Well, you gotta laugh - Human energy production / population over a longer stretch of time:

For the source of the above graph, see the Olduvai Theory, as proposed by Richard C. Duncan:

From "The Social Contract" [2005-2006 Winter] - provides information on the background to the precursors of theory from 19th / 20th Century scientists:
http://www.hubbertpeak.com/duncan/OlduvaiTheorySocialContract.pdf

A more recent take on it with the latest data confirming the trend:
www.warsocialism.com/duncan_tscq_07.pdf

Overview of the Olduvai theory, with steps humanity must take to avoid descent - What are the odds people and politicians will suss this one out in time? Don't rate them very highly myself. Iraq war, anyone?
http://europe.theoildrum.com/node/3565

Nice! Someone prove this stuff wrong for me, quick!