Yes, I know it seems like an unpopular thing to say, but the truth is, if we are stand any chance of stopping the planet rise in temperature by the crucial 2 degrees (as it is, highly unlikely because it has already risen by .7° and forecast to go up another .7° shortly) then we have to end our reliance on the carbon-polluting energy sources â and end it soon.
Thereâs not much we can do about alternatives to aircraft fuel, sadly, apart from hike the prices up to their ârealâ levels and make people fly less (particularly when there is a land (London to Edinburgh) or virtual/web-conferencing (that hour long meeting in the US office) alternative.
We can do something about all other forms of energy. Bio-fuels are of limited use because of the quantities in which they would be needed. I forget where I read this, but apparently in order to fuel all the cars in Britain, you would need to carpet every inch of the UK in oilseed rape.
Renewable energy should play its part, and we should look to developing all forms of this but at a local level. Estuary barriers and huge escarpments of wind farms are not the answer, but wind farms around and on industrial centres or local solutions for local needs should be highly encouraged. We should be aiming to power all forms of electricity by non-carbon means. And then there are cars. What can we do about cars? Clearly renewable energy (in its current form) canât solve the problem entirely, and so we have to revisit nuclear. With nuclear energy, yes it has its downsides, but it isnât carbon-polluting, and its reliable. It can also produce hydrogen fuel cells. And with hydrogen fuel cells we can power all our cars, buses, lorries, trains.
Quite simply, it might be leave a sour taste in the mouth, but nuclear is (at the current) time, our only option. And itâs not just me that thinks so.
