You forget to mention the flipside: we can’t sustain 8, let alone 10, billion with sustainable energy. The carrying capacity of the planet with sustainable energy is called the 18th century.
Sure, we can do it, who is ready for the consequences?
In the 18th century, we had the technology of 18th century. We did not have photovoltaics, electrical wind and hydro, batteries. We do have them now, and as things stand, renewables are already cheaper than the alternatives.
Energy-wise, we can sustain much, much more people.
And even agriculture can accomodate for more people than we have now. With modern green agricultural technologies improving the efficiency of green farming, as well as wider accomodation of vegetarian diets and alternative protein sources, we can provide food for much more people with much less fossils.
Besides, better logistics and organizational measures can lead to less food perishing before it reaches the consumer, and less of the perfectly good food being thrown away.
Yes, and without the discovery of cubic miles of oil, we wouldn’t have had the energy and power to get to the point we are now.
You are looking only at electrical energy, and we certainly DO NOT have the capacity to keep our little planetary civilization going without fossil fuels.
Think of it like this: Even if you could travel back in time to 1850 with the knowledge of GaNFETs, 30%+ efficient solar panels, and lithium batteries, how would you be able to do anything about it?
How would you mine the enormous amounts of copper and other materials needed with the infrastructure of 1850: wooden carts, horses, and a few steam shovels as advanced and precious as a modern-day aircraft carrier?
How would you feed the people that are now no longer working in the agricultural domain without inputs of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides?
The reason is that knowledge without energy is an abstract idea.
So, yes, short term, all the rich parts of world will be able to pat themselves on the back about solar energy, but as your everyday household appliances degrade, where and how will you get the materials and resources to say, make a new washing machine?
Please don’t tell me you think we got to 8 billion people because of vaccines? Or that we shouldn’t worry and just keep adding endless mouths on this planet?
The thing is, there’s no need to rebuild the world from the 1850s.
We already have the required machinery and energy. We can make use of what we have, even fossil-powered, to speed up the green transition. Our only goal is to keep it going at a growing pace.
As per agriculture, there are sustainable solutions that I addressed in my other response to you. There are green fertilizers, and there are also genetically modified plants able to produce their own pesticides. There are also innovations in logistics and food sharing initiatives to make less food rot without use.
We have the knowledge, we have the energy. What we lack is the political will to shut down those standing in the way for their own gain over our collective future.
You forget to mention the flipside: we can’t sustain 8, let alone 10, billion with sustainable energy. The carrying capacity of the planet with sustainable energy is called the 18th century.
Sure, we can do it, who is ready for the consequences?
literaly ceasing to throw 1/3rd of all food into dumpsters and shutting off data centers for AI enables all that budget
In the 18th century, we had the technology of 18th century. We did not have photovoltaics, electrical wind and hydro, batteries. We do have them now, and as things stand, renewables are already cheaper than the alternatives.
Energy-wise, we can sustain much, much more people.
And even agriculture can accomodate for more people than we have now. With modern green agricultural technologies improving the efficiency of green farming, as well as wider accomodation of vegetarian diets and alternative protein sources, we can provide food for much more people with much less fossils.
Besides, better logistics and organizational measures can lead to less food perishing before it reaches the consumer, and less of the perfectly good food being thrown away.
Yes, and without the discovery of cubic miles of oil, we wouldn’t have had the energy and power to get to the point we are now.
You are looking only at electrical energy, and we certainly DO NOT have the capacity to keep our little planetary civilization going without fossil fuels.
Think of it like this: Even if you could travel back in time to 1850 with the knowledge of GaNFETs, 30%+ efficient solar panels, and lithium batteries, how would you be able to do anything about it?
How would you mine the enormous amounts of copper and other materials needed with the infrastructure of 1850: wooden carts, horses, and a few steam shovels as advanced and precious as a modern-day aircraft carrier?
How would you feed the people that are now no longer working in the agricultural domain without inputs of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides?
The reason is that knowledge without energy is an abstract idea.
So, yes, short term, all the rich parts of world will be able to pat themselves on the back about solar energy, but as your everyday household appliances degrade, where and how will you get the materials and resources to say, make a new washing machine?
Please don’t tell me you think we got to 8 billion people because of vaccines? Or that we shouldn’t worry and just keep adding endless mouths on this planet?
The thing is, there’s no need to rebuild the world from the 1850s.
We already have the required machinery and energy. We can make use of what we have, even fossil-powered, to speed up the green transition. Our only goal is to keep it going at a growing pace.
As per agriculture, there are sustainable solutions that I addressed in my other response to you. There are green fertilizers, and there are also genetically modified plants able to produce their own pesticides. There are also innovations in logistics and food sharing initiatives to make less food rot without use.
We have the knowledge, we have the energy. What we lack is the political will to shut down those standing in the way for their own gain over our collective future.