Friday, November 05, 2021
No Free Lunch
The governor of the Bank of England has warned that prices will rise as world economies turn carbon free to hinder global warming. It is not a message the public wants to hear. Citizens want a painless transition that doesn't require them to change their lifestyles. But, there is no free lunch. Coal and oil are root energies and getting them out of the system will cause massive dislocation for a long time. Governments, activists, scientists and others will need to pound the message that pain is for our good. Look for pushback and division with segments of societies going along and segments opposed. Look for politicians to lose their jobs over the issue and for stalling the shift. It will happen because it must but it will be messy and it might not occur in time to prevent the world from warming more. It might be the publicity issue of our time -- how to persuade citizens to accept expensive carbon-free energy without revolting.
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