Since everybody has gotten used to bad news about the climate and the state of the environment, it is nice to be able to bring some really terrifying news for a change. Sorry, but sarcasm and dark humor is the only way to cope with the situation.
The latest BP Statistical Review of World Energy is titled “Energy in 2018: an unsustainable path”. You know you should be worried when the chief economist of a major oil company is concerned about the rise in energy consumption.
The report concludes that energy demand rose by 2.9% last year, resulting in a 2.0% increase in CO2 emissions. Obviously, this is not in line with any emission paths compatible with the survival of humanity.
The truly horrifying part of the story is that the increase was largely driven by climate change. In order to cope with extreme heat and extreme cold, people used more energy. If anyone wanted to know what a tipping point looks like, you can look now. This is a perfect example of a positive feedback loop.
We need to reduce global CO2-emissions by at least 6% per year, starting right now. No conceivable international political process will make this happen. Just think about it: international treaties take years to negotiate and formulate and need to be ratified by national governments.
As I have stated for some years now, we have passed the political point of no return. So, stop buying and stop flying. It is the only chance we have.
