Energy security and climate change policies must be clear, effective and long-term. If we don’t adapt quickly to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels the lights will go off and Britain will stop producing. If we don’t cut global CO2 emissions dramatically we risk climate chaos. Right now it’s hard to see how Britain’s future can be secured without a new generation of nuclear power.
Peak oil may have already come, although the world recession has reduced demand and so far softened the blow. Peak oil has the greatest potential to destabilise our economy because of the sheer volume of processes oil is used for, from food and fuel to clothes and packaging, but other fossil fuels are running out as well. North Sea gas peaked in 2000. Our coal reserves are finite and should only be burned if we can develop foolproof carbon capture and storage capacity.
