Post Carbon Cities Blog
Renewable energy has emerged as a serious issue among politicians at all levels in the United States. Peak oil is a different story, however. Federal, state and local leaders will continue to misunderstand the energy crisis we face if they ignore the new energy production constraints of the 21st century.
Renewable energy has emerged as a serious issue among politicians at all levels in the United States. Peak oil is a different story, however. Federal, state and local leaders will continue to misunderstand the energy crisis we face if they ignore the new energy production constraints of the 21st century.
In the last few years, climate change has emerged as a serious issue among politicians at all levels in the United States. State and local leaders across the country have addressed it for years through climate action plans and GHG benchmarking, and, more recently, carbon markets and even land use policy. At the national level, climate change now has a prominence unthinkable even four years ago, with both presidential candidates talking about the need to reduce carbon emissions (albeit not necessarily in the smartest ways).
Peak oil is a different story, however. Most people outside the oil industry hadn't even heard of peak oil until oil prices surged past 15-year highs in 2004. The issue has been practically non-existent at the federal level, with the exception of Maryland Representative Roscoe Bartlett and his lengthy presentations on the House floor. Things are more promising at the state and local levels where a growing number of officials are taking peak oil up as a serious concern (see our table of government responses). But given the urgency of the peak oil challenge, things are moving far too slowly.
It's disappointing that more candidates for office aren't talking about peak oil, but it's also not surprising given the risks involved in speaking frankly about reducing consumption. Huntington Beach (Calif.) Mayor Debbie Cook, running to represent California's 46th Congressional district, is one of the few candidates nationwide who's been outspoken on peak oil and energy decline. As might be expected, her opponent has criticized her for noting that low gas prices were "the worst thing that could happen" for efforts to move away from oil dependence. (Cook is a Board Member of Post Carbon Institute.)
Despite the challenges, candidates at all levels should not shy away from talking about peak oil. Not only do we need to consider the realities of energy depletion in long-term policymaking, we need to identify the new vulnerabilities that rising and increasingly volatile energy prices are already creating in our communities. Federal, state and local leaders will continue to misunderstand the energy crisis we face if they ignore the new and very real energy constraints of the 21st century.
