The end of oil?

Everybody knows that one day we will run out of oil. The trouble is that the consequences for society will happen far sooner than the time when the last drop of the stuff has been used up.

The theory of Peak Oil states that once peak (or maximum) production levels of oil has been reached the price of oil will rise dramatically causing untold economic problems for the world. This is simply the basic laws of supply and demand. Demand for oil is ever increasing especially as the 'developing' world is becoming more 'Westernised'. Many oil economists now saw we have reached 'peak oil' i.e. from now on the rate of oil production will decline.

There is compelling evidence that peak oil is either happening or will happen in the next few years. This is a big big problem. Demand is massively increasing whilst supply will start (or has started) to decrease. The result is escalating oil prices and detrimentally impacted economies.

I hear you say now we have to worry about peak oil and climate change - well the two are inextricably linked - it is the burning of all the oil and gas that has caused climate change!

If you want to read up more about peak oil there are loads of web sites and books - I can recommend the following:-

Web sites

The wolf at the door

The Hubbert Peak for World Oil

The Coming Global Oil Crisis

Books

Beyond Oil

The Party's over

However I really believe that the end of world is NOT nigh - we can do something about it if we act now. For example the Transition Movement is a grass roots movement actively trying to address these problems by planning for a future without oil. There are Transition Towns, counties and indeed countries working on this right now - so join in!!

We Transition Penwith as a good example of how you can take control rather than just being a victim.

I really recommend that you do join in because the UK is particularly vulnerable - North Sea Oil has already peaked and being an island means we are on the end of the supply train. Some say the economic and political impact will have bitten really deep in Britain by 2020 - the lights may have started to go out by then .....