The Int’l Conference on Peak Oil and Climate Change—Paths to Sustainability took place May 30-June 1, 2008 at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI.  It was sponsored by Local Future and organized by Local Future founder, Aaron Wissner.

Peak oil and climate change are complex subjects.  It takes a patient, analytical mind and independent thinking to really understand what is going on.  Actually, scientific evidence on global warming, although very complicated, is fast becoming part of mainstream consciousness.  It has become a real concern, its root causes are known and we can all take action to mitigate global warming in small ways. 

Peak oil, on the other hand, is a newer concept.  Hubbard predicted peak world oil production.  And now the GAO (Government Accounting Office) confirms the situation.  The idea that there will be no more oil someday soon is a scary one.  Nobody really wants to believe that is true, and the facts are not readily available to the public, unless  you pursue sustainability issues. Surprisingly, there are enough studies available to reveal that our oil reserves are peaking, have reached a plateau, and will begin to decline, most likely in the next decade.  What we do with this information will become the most decisive factor in our future as a civilization.

The conference heard from international speakers including Dr. David Goodstein (author of Out of Gas), Megan Quinn Bachman, Julian Darley, Richard Heinberg (author of Power Down and Peak Everything), Stephanie Mills and Pat Murphy (author of Plan C).  Dr. Lidums and Dr. Schweitzer presented on the ethical dimensions of the problem, while many others presented in their field of expertise on solutions for sustainability.

The conference promoted deep understanding of combined global events that are peaking simultaneously. It recommended actionable solutions for individuals and communities.  And finally, it highlighted the critical timing of our choices.  We are in survival mode as a global society—the evidence is real to some, but unknown to people isolated from the reality by financial comfort.

This pooling of information and expert discussions gave each attendee actionable knowledge.  And although each person took away knowledge subject to their individual awareness, three things are evident.  Energy is the engine of development, fossil fuel energy is finite and soon to decline and unlimited consumption will inevitably become a thing of the past.

Click here to read the next part: The Oil Is Gone