There was a time when oil wasn't being used, and the world got along fine without it. The world has advanced so much since those days. So let's not act like it'll be the end of the world if oil were to run out. Oil didn't really become a major thing until the late 1800s and early 1900s. Besides, we have plenty of natural sources that we can get oil from. But of course you don't hear about those sources because there's no money in those sources when you compare them to the profits made from fossil fuels.
Oil will run out by 2050 . It will start being impractical as a energy source by 2030 . Most of us will live by then . The battle against global warming is just begun to spread . If by 2020 we don't turn the tide it might be to late , hopefully we'll manage to mobilize .
If it hasn't been mentioned already, Kunstler's blogs and books are fantastic thought-pieces on a post oil society, and in case this also hasn't been mentioned already, all we have to do is hit "peak oil" (e.g. get halfway through our supply, and have this info be public knowledge) before the world changes forever. Which may have already happened.
Thats why we need to concentrate on electric vehicles, renewable energy sources from now ..... use of EVs is the best solution.
Oh ya how are you gonna power the EVs ? Fusion ? A focus on fuel efficiency is for start and alternative fuels like biodiesel and ethanol could provide the solution for a large part of the future vehicles .
I work for Statoil AS (google it ) and i can assure all of you that the oil will not end not even in the next 500 years
@john.mcclane.inc : Worry , worry a lot and do even more . The battle for global warming is 40% lost . The planet is 0.8 C more then it should be . Hy I'm a certified expert in Geography & Geology and I would like to tell ask you to stop posting stupid lies . Even if you magically extract 100% of the oil in the crust you will still run out in 100 years .
There will be an other way to get energy out of resources so i don't believe there will come a world war 3 because of oil.
Not a lie. First you are counting with only reported reserves, then there is the fact of the mega technological evolution the oil industry has more and more that allows it to extract oil from deeper areas, new areas like the Poles, etc (trust me the company i work for is World Leader on it) among other things that is not revealed to the public eyes. If it is like you say answer me something then: As you know basically all our society is based in oil, with out oil is bye bye western life style. Is not only no fuel but also everything that uses plastic, chemical, so on so for You really believe that if oil would about to end as soon as they predict they wouldn't be desperately and seriously trying to change things?
Before it runs out, countries will have most likely developed alternative sources of energy. They're already funding researching on how to extract oil from algae. I'm assuming solar panels and wind power will be cheaper by then since China is investing heavily into these energy sources therefore reducing the overall prices of using and developing those technologies.
I think this is the biggest consideration for the scientist and they are continuously looking for some safe, better and more eco friedly source of energy. and hopefully in next couple of years there will be many.. as when this is need there is new invention.