Peak Oil

Jason Bradford of the Reality Report talks with economist Nate Hagens, an editor for the Oil Drum website, about the public reaction to our energy crisis. Finally, they discuss what the Maximum Power Principle implies for how societies may chose, and be forced, to adapt to energy decline.

Richard Heinberg, author of “Peak Everything”, reviews the accelerating events since mid-2007, including the credit crunch and fossil fuel price volatility, noting that we’ve missed most of the best opportunities to manage collapse. He asks, “how far down the staircase of complexity will our global civilization have to go until we’re sustainable?” His answer: when managed properly, with deliberate simplification, not as far as we might otherwise. In addition to long term efforts to relocalize our economies, he advocates developing community “resilience” to withstand short-term catastrophic events like food shortages or extreme weather. Noting that healthy fear can move us into action, he encourages an attitude of clarity, concern and informed action in this “calm before the storm” that he feels is soon coming to an end. Episode 115.

The Reality Report interviews Jeffrey J. Brown, an oil exploration geoscientist, primarily in Texas. We discuss the rapid rise in the price of oil, how this is being covered by media, political reactions, and the need to transform from an economy of mass global consumers to one of local producers.

Daniel Lerch, author of Post Carbon Cities: Planning for Energy and Climate Uncertainty, describes some of the short and long term challenges that peak oil will create for local governments. Peak oil will have very local repercussions, but prompt planning can take the edge off of some of the negative effects.

Post Carbon Institute's Julian Darley and Richard Heinberg present the facts and relevance of peak oil for policymakers at all levels. What is peak oil? What's the evidence? Why don't we just drill for more? How does this relate to climate change? And what can policymakers do in the face of these daunting challenges?

If the peak oil balloon really is going up, we should expect to see world leaders, politicians, business chiefs and the mainstream media in general realizing and admitting that something new is happening. But are we really at the tipping point for peak oil? Julian Darley answers: Yes, no and maybe.

Richard Heinberg: No one knows the long-term carrying capacity of planet Earth for humans, absent cheap fossil fuels, but it’s likely a lot fewer than seven billion. The implication is not just sobering; it’s paralyzing. So what to do with such traumatic knowledge?

A listener from New Zealand asks James Howard Kunstler what peak oil holds in store for his island nation. The picture isn't pretty: Kunstler says the Kiwis had better watch their backs. China, Japan and even Australia could all pose threats to New Zealand as they face shortages in the new energy future. At the end of the program, a cast of listeners sounds off. Episode 16.

A listener from Canada asks if small cities will be willing and able to absorb more people after peak oil makes big city life problematic. James Howard Kunstler believes that many small cities across North America are waiting to be reactivated. These places would benefit from having more people living in them. But in order to prepare for returning populations, they will need to return to a much smaller increment of development. Episode 15.

As a mom of two teenagers, Deborah Lindsay is deeply concerned about their future. As a peak oil educator, she paints a vivid picture of a post-petroleum world, with an emphasis on preparedness. With teens she talks about career choices and practical life skills. With parents, she focuses on safety, economic and energy contraction, and steps to begin now. In 2006 she began the daily talk radio show "Tomorrow Matters - Giving a Voice to a Better Tomorrow" to amplify her message. Episode 110.