[ExI] Peak wood? Overcoming energy crises

[Tom Nowell]

What the article doesn't mention is the long-term environmental consequences. In the 21st century, the UK still has the least tree cover of any country in Europe, centuries after coal came into use. Also, the old nicknames of London - "the big smoke" and Edinburgh - "Auld Reekie" (that's Old Smokey in English) show that even in the 19th century the consequences of all that coal-burning were clear.

If better fission technologies, or De-T fusion, are the non-fossil technologies that are hard to deplete and cost-effective to implement, the early adopters will probably be left with the serious amounts of nuclear waste generated. (The UK has a plutonium stockpile vastly out of size in comparison to any nuclear arsenal it had, mostly from attempts at breeder reactors).


There are consequences to our energy decisions, the problem with peak oil/gas/uranium/etc. is that they force our hand and may make us rush into changing energy supplies quickly without thinking the consequences through.
(Also, as the article points out, they may force us into constraining energy consumption by ill-thought out laws or subsidies)

Tom