Your discussion of energy reminded me of this piece by Richard York from 2017, “Why Petroleum Did Not Save the Whales” https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2378023117739217. Because we tend to conceptualize systems as input-output models we miss that advances or shifts in one part often feedback into acceleration in others.
Adam Tooze isn't quite right to assert that the book only takes us up to the 1990s. The last few chapters do deal with recent events, including for example the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in the US.
Perhaps Fressoz can be criticised for excess pessimism over the continuation of fossil fuel growth in recent years. Yes, solar panels and wind turbines take energy and other resources to make - an example used in the book - but the 'payback' is a matter of months. We are a long way of reducing global emissions but renewable energies can and are replacing fossil fuels at a increasingly rapid rate.
Thanks as ever for these stimulating articles Andrew.
Your discussion of energy reminded me of this piece by Richard York from 2017, “Why Petroleum Did Not Save the Whales” https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2378023117739217. Because we tend to conceptualize systems as input-output models we miss that advances or shifts in one part often feedback into acceleration in others.
Adam Tooze isn't quite right to assert that the book only takes us up to the 1990s. The last few chapters do deal with recent events, including for example the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in the US.
Perhaps Fressoz can be criticised for excess pessimism over the continuation of fossil fuel growth in recent years. Yes, solar panels and wind turbines take energy and other resources to make - an example used in the book - but the 'payback' is a matter of months. We are a long way of reducing global emissions but renewable energies can and are replacing fossil fuels at a increasingly rapid rate.
Thanks as ever for these stimulating articles Andrew.