Fossil Fuel based growth has ended: This is the best place to learn about the future. In which localism prevails and power moves from the top-down to the grass-roots. Prosperity will decline and life will again be worth living.
by Artem Kirpichenokby Copied from Caliber.Az26 December 2024 15:05 “We have built a garden. Everything works. It is the best combination of political freedom, economic prosperity and social cohesion that the humankind has been able to build,” proclaimed Josep Borrell, the then EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, in October 2022. His remark drew widespread …
According to the Daily Telegraph, an area of Bedfordshire which has flooding problems is the site for a new city. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/property/buying-selling/village-350000-person-city-flooding-hotspot/ Tempsford, a village in Bedfordshire, is being considered for a significant housing development that could transform it into a major city accommodating 350,000 residents. This proposal aligns with Labour’s initiative to establish …
This is impossible in the UK now. Eventually, it may become necessary. In a rapidly evolving society, where the need for local adaptation increasingly challenges traditional regulation systems, opt-out permits offer a compelling solution. These permits allow individuals, communities, or organisations to opt out of certain formal regulations under specific conditions, fostering innovation and resilience …
byJohn Alexander Kemp https://jkempenergy.com/2024/12/11/rising-wood-fuel-consumption-shows-limits-of-energy-transition/ Wood and charcoal are among the most traditional sources of energy; they are usually presented as having been replaced by coal in the nineteenth century and then oil in the twentieth as part of the grand energy transition. Wood and other traditional biofuels accounted for just 6% of global primary energy …
The article, “The Perils of Extremes,” by Tim Morgan offers a thoughtful critique of modern economic and energy systems, emphasizing the risks inherent in polarized and unsustainable strategies. At its core, it highlights three interrelated issues: the overdependence on debt to sustain growth, the diminishing returns from energy resources, and the dangers of ideological rigidity …
Britain’s curtailment cost jumps as grid struggles to cope with power Matt Oliver Industry Editor, Daily Telegraph R 457 British bill payers have spent an “absurd” £1bn to temporarily switch off wind turbines so far this year as the grid struggles to cope
Review Professor Sir Dieter Helm’s essay, The Fracturing of the Net Zero Consensus (October 2024), offers a critical perspective on the challenges and shortcomings of current net-zero strategies, particularly in the UK. He argues that the existing policies oversimplify the complexities of decarbonization and underestimate the associated costs, leading to a fragile consensus that risks …
Introduction James Lovelock’s Gaia hypothesis transformed the understanding of Earth as a self-regulating, living system where the interplay of life forms and physical components work together to maintain conditions that support life. This profound perspective has implications beyond ecology, extending to how we conceptualise economies. As ecosystems evolve independently and sustain themselves through natural feedback …
(Written with the help of ChatGPT) If we want to prepare for potential shocks and disruptions, we must envision a future shaped by sudden, severe reductions in critical resources. What if tomorrow’s 50% cut to the UK’s electricity, petrol, and diesel fuel supplies coincides with an abrupt financial crash that renders formal lending systems obsolete? …
Further to my post on How Things Are this post on Tim Watkins’s blog “The Consciousness of Sheep” explains why discretionary doings are declining. … hospitality sector trade bodies are calling for nothing short of root and branch reform of the taxes and costs levied on them. In particular, the outdated business rates system – …
My current view of the UK economy. It is based on Tim Morgan’s explanation of how the UK economy works. Think of the formal economy as employed people undertaking discretionary and essential activities in a system where discretionary activities are declining. Discretionary activities are becoming increasingly unaffordable because the energy cost of obtaining energy is …
Homelessness has increasingly become a pressing issue in the UK, with visible impacts in urban centers and smaller communities alike. In cities, where thousands pass through train stations, shopping centers, and landmarks each day, the homeless population is more visible. But behind the scenes, there’s a hidden and worsening crisis. The YouTube video link offers …
For centuries, economic growth has been a cornerstone of human advancement. Industrialisation, urbanisation, and technological leaps have all promised to increase prosperity, improve lives, and shape a better world. But today, we are coming face-to-face with the unintended consequences of unchecked economic growth: environmental degradation, alarming inequality, and an economic system stretched to the breaking …
The latest post on Tim Watkins excellent blog The Consciousness of Sheep is very relevant at the present time. … hospitality sector trade bodies are calling for nothing short of root and branch reform of the taxes and costs levied on them. In particular, the outdated business rates system – which taxes businesses on the …
As the UK government prepares its upcoming budget with a focus on economic growth, energy expert Art Berman’s recent blog post, “This is How Oil Ends,” raises critical questions about the long-term viability of growth-oriented economic policies. Berman’s insights on the decline of the oil industry suggest that the traditional growth model may be increasingly …