Originally published on the CGS blog on May 25, 2015.
This is the first of three planned blogs to focus on three crucial levers to a sustainable and ample life for our children and grandchildren.
Over their lifespans—the next 70 years—they are going to need to negotiate three major transitions in human civilization:
- The transition to large-scale sustainable energy flows
- Managing the massive impact of human civilization on the environment which created and sustains us
- Maintaining global governance systems that enable humans to meet these challenges
Regarding energy, there can be little doubt that only solar energy is large enough to sustain a growing and more widely prosperous human civilization, though solar can be supplemented by wind, nuclear, some biomass, and possibly geothermal energy sources. But the transition to this sustainable regime will leverage off the fossil fuel foundation and will take a few decades.
For further information check out:
- Energy Transitions: History, Requirements, Prospects by Vaclav Smil
- Publications by the Rocky Mountain Institute
- A projection of solar energy potentials in replacing fossil fuel use in electricity supply.
We must maintain a significant amount of fossil fuel use for some time without producing massive harm to global and local ecosystems. This means controlling the levels of greenhouse gas emissions even as we use fossil fuels. There are proposed geoengineering’ solutions, but they have major issues with scope and effective implementation over decades.
With public support such as research facilities and state or local clean energy promotion agencies, major renewable energy technologies seem to be rapidly approaching cost levels competitive with fossil fuel energy. We need to continue to smooth the way for solar and other renewable developments while removing or diminishing subsidies for fossil fuels.
What can a CGS member do? The opportunities for useful activities will change and evolve over time. But today has some opportunities.
Much solar energy development is linked to the electricity supply system. Participants in this system see the big changes coming, with traditional electric utilities at something of a crossroads. You can encourage development in useful directions by:
- Letting your local and state utility commissions know that you want to see ample scope for energy conservation (including measures like distributed generation, microgrids, ‘‘smart” grid management, solar energy, and battery backup deployment).
- Supporting federally funded research into the technologies of the future, including solar, wind, and battery systems, and federal efforts to encourage states and localities to lower the costs of solar and wind energy.
In the climate change area, you can continue to support:
- Innovative ways in the United States to lower emissions, such as Representative Van Hollen’s “cap and dividend” proposal.
- Maintenance of Environmental Protection Agency emissions control authorities, regardless of which political party may have the Presidency or Congressional majorities at any given time.
- Worldwide efforts to target lower greenhouse gas emissions, and create programs in our government and others to meet those targets (for example, Kyoto Protocol, in which the US, China and India are major laggards). The United Nations Environmental program has recently released an informative report on pathways to limit and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
CGS will continue to alert you to developments in these areas, and seek your support for timely action opportunities as they arise.
