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Transition Gathers Momentum The world is starting to see the panic that will inevitably result during the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energies. The use of fossil fuels has peaked and the world has started the transition to renewable energy, but decision makers has failed to understand that fossil fuels must be used to help that transition. Even if another major oil discovery is made, that would only extend the global dependence on fossils by another five or ten years. The last time panic was demonstrated was during the OPEC crisis of the 1970s, when the United States was forced to adopt emergency laws to prevent car owners from filling up prematurely and causing long lines at gasoline service stations. There is a lack of understanding by people about climate change. Critics who say that global emissions of carbon are relatively trace amounts, ignore that the human body contains trace amounts of many minerals which cannot get out of balance without forcing a response by the body. The increase in global emissions will demand that the Earth respond, but there is no history to predict what the response will be. An average car emits its own weight in carbon every year, and he says every measurement indicates that the atmosphere is being impacted by the use of fossil fuels. The energy that comes down to earth must remain stable with the energy going out, or Earth will become either a Venus or a Mars. A doubling of carbon emissions is inevitable, and the Kyoto Protocol was designed to avoid a trebling of emissions in the near future. The Kyoto agreement is part of the United Nations process to oblige 39 developed countries to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases below 1990 levels. There are promising applications for technologies which use solar energy to heat water and air in the industrial, commercial and institutional market. Despite significant improvements and lower costs, industry would not have survived against contentional energy sources without the support of government subsidies. Support for renewable energy will not grow until there is a fundamental shift in how the economy is measured. We need a different measure than the standard Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a blunt instrument that identifies the total quantity of goods and services produced by a society. It is the difference between the politics of resource efficiency and resource consumption that makes it difficult for many people to understand the need to shift from fossil fuels to renewable energies. The more quickly we deplete our natural resources, the more rapidly our economy will grow. The Exxon Valdez accident contributed more to the US economy by spilling oil in Alaska than it would by delivering the cargo. The faster we burn fossil fuels, it makes our economy grow. We are all part of the conspiracy, it's not just the politicians. Society must measure value based on durability and lifecycle costs. Global warming is potentially the most catastrophic challenge facing the world and there is no reason why solar energy should not be receiving huge investments. The New Zealand government may wish to consider developing new strategies and approaches to accomplish its stated objectives for investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency. .
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