Oil depletion & climate change: Linked phenomena

Thursday, December 22, 2005

The Energy Bulletin site includes a review of British geologist Jeremy Leggett’s new book Empty Tank, which links oil depletion (peak oil) and climate change. Book reviewer Shepherd Bliss explains the linkage this way:

Leggett links oil depletion to climate change by noting that the simultaneous heightened demand for energy (especially by China and India), coupled with the diminishing supply of petroleum, will lead to “a rush to coal.” Burning coal, unfortunately, is even worse on the environment and climate than oil. It increases carbon dioxide emissions more than oil for the same fuel yield.

. . . it is renewables that Leggett sees as the main solution for both oil depletion and climate change. He is a major solar promoter.

The site also hosts a second excellent article by James Howard (of PowerSwitch.Org.Uk) who concludes:

The Climate Change movement has been saying for a long time that we should change, Peak Oil means categorically we have to change. Fuse them together and hopefully we’ll get more momentum moving us in the right direction.