Climate Change

The depletion of oil and other finite resources is often forgotten when pondering environmental solutions.

Post Carbon Institute Executive Director Asher Miller and Tom Stokes, Coordinator of the Climate Crisis Coalition, explain why we cannot ignore peak oil.

The Reality Report talks to Bill McKibben, author of Deep Economy: TheWealth of Communities and the Durable Future and co-founder of the climate change group 350.org. With transcript.

The global crises of 2008 all relate to growth in debt, pollution and consumption reaching their limits, but will the incoming Obama administration recognize the new reality? This show discusses "Energy Realism and the Green New Deal" with Richard Heinberg of The Post Carbon Institute. Hear what message Post Carbon Institute is presenting to the incoming U.S. President.

Our 21st century nation’s dependence on 20th century fossil fuels is the greatest threat we face, far more so than the current financial crisis. A coordinated, comprehensive transition to an economy that is no longer dependent on hydrocarbon fuels and no longer emits climate-changing levels of carbon—a Post Carbon Energy Transition—will be the Obama Administration’s greatest opportunity to lead the nation on a path toward sustainable prosperity.

The peak oil message is slow to gain acceptance, says energy analyst Randy Udall, because it's at odds with our optimistic It's-Morning-in-America mentality. Politicians "Don't Do Depletion." Randy describes challenges, mitigations, and exciting opportunities to create a prosperous path to a lower-energy future. In an excerpt from his presentation at the Association for the Study ofPeak Oil (ASPO-USA) conference in September 2008, the co-founder ofASPO-USA points out cornucopian myths about energy that are beingshattered by reality. His concern is that the peak oil crisis, whileless known than the climate crisis, will impact us sooner, and is notbeing factored into climate policy decisions. Peak Oil may in fact helpmoderate the climate crisis. Episode 132.

Brian Magee talks with Dr. Craig Stockwell, professor of biology at North Dakota State University. Dr. Stockwell's research in contemporary evolution gives some clues as to what to expect as climate change advances.

If an economic system is built on myths that aim to defy the laws of physics and ecology we should not be surprised to see it fail. Perhaps we can use this crisis to begin asking the right questions and redesign with human needs and planetary realities in mind. The Reality Report interviews Professor Joshua Farley of the Gund Institute of Ecological Economics at the University of Vermont.

Recent reports on global coal reserves, surveyed in previous chapters, generally point to the likelihood of supply limits appearing relatively soon—within the next two decades (a contrary view is represented solely by the BGR report ["Lignite and Hard Coal: Energy Suppliers for World Needs until the Year 2100 – An Outlook," 2007]). According to this near-consensus, coal output in China, the world's foremost producer, could begin to decline within just a few years. MuseLetter 196.

A proposal for a fuel levy that could help reduce fossil fuel use - with a story that illustrates how important the structure of such measures could be to their eventual effectiveness.

Today's Reality Report is a call-in show. Jason Bradford talks about climate change and peak oil, our understanding of history, and other topics with call-in interlocutors from Ukiah and beyond.