Eliminating fossil fuels seems like a smart solution to the problem of climate change, but what is the right fuel? Wind, solar, hydrogen, electric vehicles, carbon capture, nuclear, geothermal, heat pumps, hydropower?
It is like a doctor treating a patient without addressing the cause of his symptoms.
“When many remedies are prescribed for a disease, one can be sure that the disease is incurable.”
-Anton Chekhov, The Cherry Orchard (1904)
Climate change poses a serious threat to civilization, but it is a symptom of a larger problem: overdrafts.
This means that humans are using natural resources and polluting the environment beyond the planet's ability to regenerate.
The main reason for the overdraft is the extraordinary growth of human civilization thanks to the dynamics of fossil fuels. As the human enterprise grows, it requires more and more energy to maintain its complexity and continue to grow. The carbon dioxide emissions that cause climate change are nothing more than a byproduct of energy consumption.
State overdraft – 2023
Have a map to combat climate change
Thanks to fossil fuels, humanity has made butter on roofs in recent years. But it's time to reconsider the mess we've made. Everyone wants solutions, but first we need to understand the current situation and how to fix it. Without a map of the territory we are lost. If we choose a destination without a route, we are likely to get even more lost. However, this is the current vision of society.
Both ecology and economics have their origins in the Greek word “oikos,” which means “house” or “home.” Ecology is what we know and say about our home. Economics means how we measure and manage our homes. I find it strange that economics largely excludes the ecosystems and nature we call home.
People who take climate change seriously say they care about the planet, but what they really mean is that they care about themselves and perhaps future generations of people. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's also a narrow view.
This is the problem with our approach to the human condition. This bias is reflected in the wording of the last sentence. People talk about a “human problem” when in reality it is a planetary problem that affects everyone on earth, our ecosystems, our homes.
What the solution to the problem of climate change offers invites you to try another restaurant… Replacing fossil fuels with wind and solar energy, new green agreements, zero-carbon roadmaps, taxes and carbon credits are all lovely fantasies. Ignore them the fundamental problem: the world needs to reduce its energy consumption.
The idea of clean energy is absurd. All energy is clean and pure before it is converted into work. The conversion of energy into work creates waste. When you work, CO2 is released and sweat is produced. When a society functions, it produces CO2, heat and all sorts of byproducts. This is inevitable. Of course, some technologies are not as dirty as others, but once we go down this path, we are already at the second or third level of solving first-order problems.
Energy is the economy and almost everything else. Energy consumption is a major cause of climate change and overdrafts. We have to reduce energy consumption. We need a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. Once this is done, we can rest a bit and consider what to do next. All other approaches and solutions are illusions.
It is difficult for society to stop the bleeding because reduced energy consumption means little to no economic growth and a significant decline in population. These are unacceptable outcomes for most governments and citizens. Since we are unlikely to take the necessary measures to stop the bleeding, we must accept the resulting damage.
Have a plan B
That means having a plan B. How can we and our communities – including the natural communities to which we belong – prepare for this world?
People hate this. They want answers, a solution, a set of guidelines and rules. But the solution is this: drastically reduce the consumption of all types of energy (fossil energy, renewable energy, nuclear energy), everything.
People also hate this situation because they know they have to change their behavior and learn to survive with a much lower standard of living. Surely there will be a technology that will fix everything and allow us to continue with the carbon party, but without coal. Sit down and keep waiting.
Plan B is not for everyone. Most people do not want to face the difficult reality we are heading towards.
However, this is where we should start.
Solutions come later.
With information from: