Despite whatever we do - unless we get serious

New projections indicate that short of really trying a lot harder to implement alternatives (and if nuclear power isn't part of that effort, it's hard to see how in the globe there could be any seriousness to the effort), demand for oil is going to keep increasing. And that leads to the obvious question of what we, as a civilization, are going to do when we run out of the easily-extractable form of it?

Oil demand to rise for 25 years, despite green push

The IEA [International Energy Agency] thinks that Canadian oil sands might be part of the answer. At a significant cost to the local and global environment, I rush to add.

"In particular, the IEA noted that increasing demand would force oil companies to unconventional sources, such as oil sands and shale, which are not only costly and will drive up prices, but which also generally emit more greenhouse gases."

Yup -- but there is a way out:

"However, the IEA said that the commitment last year by Group of 20 industrialized and emerging market countries to rationalize and phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies "has the potential to, at least partly, balance the disappointment at Copenhagen."

It added that removing the subsidies which cost governments a hefty $312 billion last year, "could make a big contribution to meeting energy-security and environmental goals, including mitigating carbon dioxide and other emissions."

See my list of five things that could make America competitive again.

OH, and by the way -- if we don't get to it, it's going to be costly.

"The IEA estimated meeting climate change goals would shave 1.9 percent off global GDP in 2030, more than double its estimate last year of 0.9 percent."