Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Keith Danner's avatar

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2022/05/01/magazine/01mag-talk-01/01mag-talk-01-master675.jpg

Who is that sponsoring this talk by Professor Smil?

Why, look at that, it's a methane company!

Expand full comment
Andre's avatar

I value the work and arguments presented by Dr Smil. He asks uncomfortable questions that climate activists usually skip over. The obstacles to implementing renewables or electrifying the economy are far more dauting than generally acknowledged. Just consider the transformation of cities required to go from 5% EV to 90% EV, with regards to bringing and distributing electricity, installing private and public charging stations, as well as increasing non-car alternatives. This is a massive, 5-10 year undertaking. From that standpoint, Smil correctly defines current reality.

What he does not acknowledge is that climate disasters will precipitate change, change that is inconceivable in our current reality. The economic pain from climate disasters - hurricanes, floods, megafires, heat waves and droughts - will soon reach a global breakpoint. At that time, global economies will be mobilized on an unprecedented scale and the impossible will become feasible. In this regard, Bill's view is correct: a shift is inevitable. As someone once said before: you don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.

Expand full comment
13 more comments...

No posts