The Western World’s Dilemma

Written by Dr. Matthew Wielicki on January 18, 2024. Posted in Current News

The Western world stands at a critical crossroads.

We face the seemingly impossible challenge of curbing global ‘GHG’s in an attempt at changing the weather, while simultaneously striving for equal global prosperity and development.

At the heart of this conundrum lies an uncomfortable truth: lowering ‘GHG’ emissions and improving living standards for a growing population appears to be locked in a difficult dance, one where progress in one direction seemingly fuels regression in the other.

The relationship between ‘GHG’ emissions, population stabilization, and wealth is a multifaceted and often misunderstood topic.

This article aims to explore the intricate connections among these factors, addressing the challenges of reducing ‘GHG’ emissions, stabilizing the global population, and the role of wealth in achieving these goals.

We will examine the role of ‘renewable’ energy in developing nations and the potential for decoupling economic growth from ‘GHG’ emissions.

A burgeoning global population exerts ever-increasing pressure on Earth’s resources, translating directly into higher ‘GHG’ emissions. The logic is simple: more people, more consumption, more emissions.

This correlation is evident in developing nations, where rapid population growth and rising aspirations for a better life lead to inevitable increases in GHG emissions.

For example, China’s remarkable feat of pulling nearly a billion out of poverty is undeniably intertwined with a surge in ‘GHG’ emissions. The economic boom propelled by ‘fossil fuels’ powered rapid industrialization, urbanization, and improved living standards.

This dramatic rise in energy consumption, heavily reliant on coal, translated into a staggering increase in ‘GHG’ emissions, making China the world’s largest total emitter.

Further complicating matters is the inextricable link between economic growth and emissions. Historically, a nation’s ascent to higher living standards (as recorded by GDP per capita below) has heavily relied on ‘fossil fuels’.

Cheap, abundant energy underpins industrialization, urbanization, and the expansion of modern conveniences, all of which contribute to rising ‘GHG’ levels. This “growth = emissions” paradigm presents a formidable obstacle to maintaining a small ‘carbon’ footprint, particularly in developing economies struggling to lift their populations out of poverty.

Adding to the complexity is the nascent stage of renewable energy deployment. While advanced economies are beginning to decouple emissions from economic growth through technological advancements and efficiency gains, the viability of this transition in developing nations remains largely untested.

The initial costs of renewable infrastructure, coupled with the required backup systems and unreliable production, pose significant challenges for nations struggling to meet basic needs.

Building massive structures like dams, airports, and mines requires a hefty amount of energy, often exceeding the capabilities of current renewable sources. The construction process itself involves heavy machinery, transportation of materials, and energy-intensive activities like excavation and smelting, often reliant on ‘fossil fuels’.

While promising advancements are being made in areas like ‘electric’ mining vehicles and ‘renewable’-powered concrete production, the full transition of these complex engineering projects to rely solely on ‘renewables’ is still in its earliest stages and remains largely unproven.

‘Renewable’ energy has the potential to play a significant role in reducing ‘GHG’ emissions, but there is limited evidence that developing nations can achieve high standards of living on ‘renewable’ energy sources alone.

The transition to ‘renewable’ energy requires substantial investments, technological advancements, and policy support, which can be challenging for developing nations with limited resources and competing priorities.

Developing nations are essentially being held hostage by the demands of developing with a small ‘carbon’ footprint and the lack of funds or technologies available to do so. Thus, they remain poor with high fertility rates.

Population stabilization appears essential for reducing ‘GHG’ emissions, as it directly affects the demand for energy and resources. However, achieving population stabilization requires addressing the root causes of population growth, such as poverty, lack of education, and limited access to healthcare.

Wealth plays a crucial role in population stabilization, as wealthier societies have lower birth rates due to increased access to education and family planning resources.

Wealth also enables the development of advanced technologies and infrastructure that can help reduce ‘GHG’ emissions. However, the creation of wealth is often associated with increased ‘GHG’ emissions, creating a paradoxical situation.

In summary, the science reveals a hard truth: ‘renewable’ energy’s promise to drastically cut global ‘GHG’ emissions, especially in developing countries, is hindered by current technological and economic barriers.

While ‘renewables’ hold potential, they are presently insufficient to significantly improve living standards in these countries.

We face a crucial decision: accept higher living standards, wealth, and population stabilization at the cost of increased ‘GHG’ emissions, or maintain the status quo with hundreds of millions in poverty, ongoing population growth, but a minor decrease in emissions.

See more here substack.com

Header image: Business Insider

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