Team 6 Speaking and Writing Assignment: “The Future of World Energy, Health, and Happiness”

Friday, March 23

 

(1) Write a full abstract on your talk (single paragraph 250 word limit)

(2) Talk assignment

The main purpose of this talk is to discuss the per capita energy consumption that will sustain a healthy and happy world population within the limits of Earth’s ecological capacity.  The primary source is an article by Jess [2010].  You should also consider Heinberg, R. (2009) Searching For A Miracle, "Net Energy" Limits & The Fate of the Industrial Society which we read earlier this semester.

 

Please address the following questions or points, which your colleagues will contribute during Wednesday’s discussion as follows.

 

1) Every one:  What are the main questions being addressed by Jess [2010].

2) Team 1:  Point out some noteworthy facts about per capita energy usage, recent trends in world energy consumption, estimates reserves (especially how many more years of fossil fuel usage we have left at today’s consumption rate, i.e., “reserve-to-production ratio”)

3) Team 2:  How does energy consumption depend on GNP and how useful is GNP in terms of measuring the welfare of a country? 

4) Team 3:What is Human Development Index, how does this vary with per capita energy consumption, and what is learned from this analysis?

5) Team 4: How is human happiness measured, how does this measure vary with per capita energy consumption, and what is learned from this analysis?

6) Team 5:  What is the maximum energy consumption and mix of non- versus renewable source the Earth can sustain ecologically? 

7) How will the nations that are most wealthy today have to adjust?  What about the poorest nations?

8) Are mainstream projections such as that in Fig. 1 likely to be possible?  Are my future energy projections likely to be possible, especially when considering the prior talks we’ve seen (feel free to consult your colleagues if you can’t remember)?  If so (or if not), what are the implications of the trend in population and overall quality of life in the next century.