Bristol – Tuesday 17^th April

Less is a Four Letter Word is the title of Paul Mobbs' forthcoming book on energy, economic growth and climate change. The book continues from where his previous book, Energy Beyond Oil finishes: If we are truly to find the solution to energy depletion and climate change then we must tackle the driving force behind both – economic growth.

At the heart of our economic policy there is a serious inconsistency between public policy and the Laws of Thermodynamics: Public policy, and the position of all our mainstream political parties, suggests that inexorable economic growth is not only attainable, but essential to our well-being; this is in contrast to the Laws of Thermodynamics which state that energy is constant, that our use of energy merely degrades its quality, and hence that human society must, as some point in the future, meet the absolute limits of the Earth's environment.

In this sense, Peak Energy, climate change, water shortages and environmental pollution should be looked at as a problem that is inherent within a system that strives for continual growth. In the past we have used dense energy source, especially fossil fuels, to stave off the problems of environmental limits (e.g., by pumping water further, transporting natural resources further), but the advent of Peak Energy precludes the option to solve environmental constraints in the future. Consequently any solution that might bring our use of finite natural resources must first resolve the conflict between Earth systems science and economics – the human species must learn to live within the Earth's natural limits, and ultimately this means that we will have to abandon the concept of continual growth.

Presenter: Paul Mobbs

Contact:   01295 261864 (no mobile), or email mobbsey@gn.apc.org (best option)