Our present energy situation has a much more pressing aspect than those considerations presented by Paul Weisz and Albert Bartlett. By the end of this century, fossil fuels will likely be gone. Making the transition from our overwhelming dependence on oil will be a wrenching adjustment for our civilization.
The current emphasis on economic globalization, though, will unnecessarily and dangerously exacerbate that transition. That globalization depends on inexpensive transport and will require massive amounts of transportation fuels; its promotion at a time when we are already facing a worldwide energy crisis is irresponsible. We must consider how to limit the process of economic globalization to avoid making the transition at the end of the oil age even more horrendous.
