China: Not Doing So Well
BBC News reports today that China is failing to meet its own climate change-related goals. Not really a surprise, given that “Current plans call for the opening of a new power station every week, most of them coal-fired.” However, I’m going on record as saying that I expect the world to benefit one day soon from environmental tech advances made by the Chinese as they wrestle with the conflict between explosive growth and environmental degradation. Additionally, the Chinese know very well that the oil supply is OVER in the next two decades. This knowledge will propel them to finding alternatives. . . which may or may not exist.
On a somewhat related note . . . Not to get too Kunstlerian on y’all, but the odds are not good that the world be making a remotely smooth transition away from oil. Don’t forget to read Kunstler’s “The Long Emergency”. If you have kids, if you’re planning to retire - if you’re the type of person who like to, well, plan ahead, this is the one book that you are going to have to read. In the future, there will be those who are prepared for a radically different world, and those who are not. Kunstler’s vision may be too dark, but it’s a lot closer to the truth than the current bubble in which we are living. Don’t forget to think ahead, is all I’m trying to say. Don’t presume that technology and politicians are going to ’save us.’
Tags: environment, news, Ruminations