Part 1: Natural Resources
Many of the key natural resources that humans depend on are running out, largely due to more people wanting more things. There is less top soil, less fresh water, less arable land, less forest cover and less fish in the sea. Population size is the key deciding factor on the amount of resources that we use. The world’s population jumped from 2 billion people in 1930 to over 7.7 billion in 2020, and the world’s middle class population tripled from 1.2 billion in 2000 to over 3.8 billion in 2018.
This part starts with Malthus Was Wrong. Is He Still Wrong? in which we explain why Malthus, writing in the late 1790s, got his predictions of widespread famine caused by population growth so badly wrong. In Standing On The Shoulders Of Toddlers- Why We Have Never Grown Up And What This Means For Our Future we look at some of the fundamental issues that confront our planet and how we ignore them at great risk. In Feeding 9 Billion: Is It Possible? we ask a simple question about our ability to feed our ever increasing population and in Drying Up. What Happens To Farms If There Is No Water? we look at the shocking dependency of aquifer water, a non renewable resource, on food production. In the next article, Why Land Deals In Africa Could Make The Great Irish Famine A Minor Event, we compare British policies in Ireland in the run up to the Great Irish Famine in 1845 to the purchases of land in Africa over the past decade. In Dealing With The Consequences Of Climate Chance Inaction: The Impact Of Food we look at the impact of climate change on global food dynamics, which will significantly affect world trade in food, requiring a higher level of national self sufficiency. Sticking with food production, we then move on to Vertical Farming: the electrical convergence power, transport and agriculture and look at the way vertical farming could help to feed the world as costs drop thanks to improvements in renewable energy and battery technology.
We then shift focus to look at changes in energy markets in Who Are The Losers In The Energy Revolution?, Establishing A Price Floor For Energy and Big European utilities are facing an existential crisis. We finally look at The Renewables and Battery Revolution and how mobility, in the form of battery electric vehicles, and energy, in the form of battery back ups to renewable energy, are having a revolutionary impact on the energy industry.
We finish off by asking why conservatives are so suspicious of the environmental movement and climate change policies in Green Is Not Red, But Blue: Environmentalism And The Mystery Of Right Wing Opposition and Roots: A Historical Understanding Of Climate Change Denial, Creationism And Slavery – 1629-1775. Finally, in Cassandra: Time To Give Up On Predicting Climate Change? we look back at Cassandra, the daughter of King Priam of Troy, who had the gift of prophesy but was cursed by the god Apollo who ensured that none of her prophesies would be believed.
Vertical Farming: the electrical convergence power, transport and agriculture
The transport sector is moving towards battery electric vehicles while the power sector is moving towards renewable energy plus batteries. They are converging. The agriculture sector has the capacity to join the club, as vertical farming takes off.
Cassandra: Time To Give Up On Predicting Climate Change?
Knowing that Climate Change is a fact is incredibly frustrating in a world where too many politicians think that it is a problem to be solved by other people at some point in the future.
Roots: A Historical Understanding Of Climate Change Denial, Creationism And Slavery – 1629-1775
What do black slavery, creationism and climate change denial all have in common? In the US, at least, a biblical justification and a fascinating geographic overlap. We look at the issues and then try to understand their historical roots, looking back to the early waves of British immigrants to the US between 1629-1775.
Green Is Not Red, But Blue: Environmentalism And The Mystery Of Right Wing Opposition
To many conservatives environmentalism is just socialism in disguise. They are right, but there are good reasons for conservatives to embrace environmentalism too.
Establishing A Price Floor For Energy
There are good reasons for a price floor for sources of energy from fossil fuels.
Who Are The Losers In The Energy Revolution?
If you own shares in energy companies that do not focus on solar energy, you should consider selling now. Steal a march on people still half asleep, and start buying into energy companies that do focus on solar. There is an energy revolution that is taking place and most of the incumbents in the energy sector won't make it.
Dealing With The Consequences Of Climate Chance Inaction: The Impact Of Food
There is next to zero chance that we will be able to stop climate change from accelerating. We need to learn how to adapt.
Why Land Deals In Africa Could Make The Great Irish Famine A Minor Event
Chinese land grabs in Africa have obvious parallels in history, including the British occupation of Ireland which resulted in the Irish Famine. The likelihood of this ending well are remote.
Malthus Was Wrong. Is He Still Wrong?
Malthus wrote his seminal book on population just as the world was entering an agricultural revolution. To many he seemed flat wrong. But his ideas have merit and predict an unpleasant outlook for civilisation.
Standing On The Shoulders Of Toddlers- Why We Have Never Grown Up And What This Means For Our Future
The problems that we face as a planet, as a nation, as a city, as a village, as a family and as individuals are real. It is time to grow up and face reality.
Feeding 9 Billion: Is It Possible?
The challenges to feed an expanding population and rising middle class are huge. Can we do it?
Drying Up. What Happens To Farms If There Is No Water?
Few people know how reliant we are on aquifer water for food production. Even fewer know that that aquifer water is a non renewable resource and is about to run out.
Big European electricity utilities are facing an existential crisis. How did this happen and what should they do?
For most consumers, the revolution that is taking place in the energy markets has been hidden from view. They still get reliable electricity from the grid. Behind the scenes, however, the world is changing rapidly and electricity utilities and grid operators are reeling like battered boxers in round 9 of a heavyweight boxing championship. Some will make it. Others will be knocked out.
The renewables and battery revolution. What history teaches us about the future.
The advent of cheap renewable energy and battery storage has already started to change the world. It is not an exaggeration to call this change a “revolution”. Some companies and countries will make it through this revolution stronger and better. Many will fail.
The immorality of climate change, a reflection on slavery and the Civil War
For a long time slavery was seen as an economic necessity and its abolition would result in catastrophe. Today, the burning of fossil fuels is also seen as an economic necessity. It will also be abolished and its abolition will also be good for humanity.