Collapse

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This is the place for discussing the potential collapse of modern civilization and the environment.

Collapse, in this context, refers to the significant loss of an established level or complexity towards a much simpler state. It can occur differently within many areas, orderly or chaotically, and be willing or unwilling. It does not necessarily imply human extinction or a singular, global event. Although, the longer the duration, the more it resembles a ‘decline’ instead of collapse.

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Yes, Climate Change Is Probably Going To Kill You (predicament.substack.com)

submitted 1 week ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] -1 points 6 days ago (1 children)

The problem is that electricity is not substituting a large subset of total primary energy consumption. Like high-temperature industrial processes and reduction and synthetic equivalents for the materials and chemical industry. As they currently exist renewables are not autopoietic (self-building and self-sustainig) but merely extenders or multipliers of fossil energy sources. We currently lack the technology to change that and are unlikely to be able to as the time window to do that is closing. So that is the unhappy part.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago

In part, you are describing US policy to maximize oil dependence and rapid development expansion instigated by war and sanctions.

Like high-temperature industrial processes and reduction and synthetic equivalents for the materials and chemical industry.

It is true that this is slow, and slower in US, than China and EU plans. The catalyst for that is a carbon tax, and high renewables penetration such that green H2/electrochemistry is done from surpluses most days when every day renewables meet all electricity needs.

renewables are not autopoietic (self-building and self-sustainig) but merely extenders or multipliers of fossil energy sources. We currently lack the technology to change that and are unlikely to be able to as the time window to do that is closing.

The largest Chinese solar cell manufacturer has several 100% solar powered manufacturing facilities. Mining equipment is possible to electrify/H2 power. Medium heavy machinery is involved in solar and wind deployment projects, and I have seen "solar installing robots". It is unfair to put highly automated renewables production and deployments on a different standard than fossil fuel extraction.