U.S. Congress Begins Peak Oil Discussion - The Global Energy Future is in Question and Many Fear Economic Collapse
In May, Rep Bartlett (R-MD) presented for a third time on the House floor a speech on Peak Oil which focused on our need to reduce our energy consumption and reliance on fossil fuels. Peak Oil awareness groups appeal to governments to address the looming energy crisis. A petition is started online @ http://www.petitiononline.com/EndofOil/petition.html
(PRWEB) May 13, 2005 -- The growing consensus amongst the Worlds leading petroleum geologists and geophysicists is that the peak of global oil production will occur at some point within the next 10 years (see the Association for the Study of Peak Oil & Gas at www.peakoil.net), after which there will be a permanent and ongoing decline in the global extraction of oil, accompanied by a similar peak and decline in natural gas production.
Most non-OPEC countries have already peaked. Thus the percentage of global oil production will be increasingly concentrated in the Middle East. Production in the Middle East will also peak soon. Global discovery of oil peaked in 1962 and has been declining ever since. Continuing this trend, most future discoveries of oil fields will be too small and/or much more challenging: hence, extraction costs will be extremely high.
Our current economic and social structure, and indeed our way of life, is dependent on cheap oil and gas in every way, from transport to medicine, and from agriculture to plastics - which so many jobs, and thus our economy, rely.
Technology and the market alone cannot provide a solution to this problem and leadership must be shown by the Government. The Peak Oil awareness movement advocates for pre-emptive action and believes leadership from the Government is needed to soften the impact of declining oil supply, and therefore call on the Government to:
Prepare a full, honest and major public awareness campaign on the future economic and lifestyle consequences of oil depletion.
Establish a set of national targets for clean, renewable energy self-sufficiency by the year 2025. Create a long-term plan to secure the well-being of every member of a low-carbon economy and society.
Establish measures and policies to encourage efficient use of energy throughout the economy within a framework of reducing total energy consumption, such as DTQs (www.dtqs.org).
Rethink and revise climate change policies and targets in the light of oil depletion data. Any solution to the global decline in oil production must take into account climate change.
Recognize the fundamental significance of declining oil and thus prioritize the budget allocation to scientific research, energy efficiency and other policy measures aimed at commerce, industry and individuals, designed to manage the transition to a low-carbon society as speedily and painlessly as possible.
Furthermore, recognize the importance of oil and gas in agriculture and therefore address how food will be grown and distributed in the future.
Pro-actively work on international cooperation on energy resource management and energy solution development - e.g. sign and follow the 'Rimini Protocol so as to cut imports to match world depletion rate.
Petition the U.S. Congress to address the Peak Oil issue: http://www.petitiononline.com/EndofOil/petition.html
For Further Information:
www.PeakOil.net
www.postcarbon.org
www.localpower.org
www.fromthewilderness.com
www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net
www.endofsuburbia.com
www.PowerSwitch.org.uk
www.odac-info.org
www.depletion-scotland.org.uk
www.drydipstick.com
www.hubbertpeak.com
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