Planet: Critical

The "Energy Transition" is a Pipe Dream | Jean-Baptiste Fressoz


Listen Later

Civilisation always wants more energy.

The idea that our global society will merely switch from one energy source to another is fantasy masquerading as policy. Every time human beings discover a new energy source our overall consumption of raw materials increases. Whether that’s wood powering newly discovered coal mines in the 19th Century, or fossil fuels manufacturing renewable technology, the history of human energy consumption shows we have no precedent for the policy adopted by every single nation in the world.

So where did the idea come from?

Jean-Baptise Fressoz, historian and author of More and More: An All-Consuming History of Energy, joins me to explain this false history — that we have projected a story of technology onto a story of materials, explaining that raw materials never become obsolete. He explains how the phrase “energy transition” was coined by atomic scientists after World War 2, and only gained traction after being adopted by President Jimmy Carter, revealing how these fantastical notions were rubbished in the scientific discourse until the private sector inserted itself into the conversation, buttressed by the nonsense published by neoclassical economists.

Jean-Baptiste’s research is astounding, and this episode is filled with incredible insights and revelations, and he ultimately points to the same conclusion as almost every guest on this podcast: There is no such thing as “decarbonisation” or dematerialisation”. The only meaningful policy that will protect the planet is reducing our pollution and consumption.

Planet: Critical is 100% independent and community-powered. If you value it, and have the means, become a paid subscriber today.



Get full access to Planet: Critical at www.planetcritical.com/subscribe
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Planet: CriticalBy Rachel Donald

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

74 ratings


More shows like Planet: Critical

View all
Climate One by Climate One from The Commonwealth Club

Climate One

562 Listeners

For The Wild by For The Wild

For The Wild

1,155 Listeners

Novara Media by Novara Media

Novara Media

162 Listeners

The Dig by Daniel Denvir

The Dig

1,487 Listeners

Upstream by Upstream

Upstream

1,734 Listeners

Team Human by Douglas Rushkoff

Team Human

349 Listeners

Emergence Magazine Podcast by Emergence Magazine

Emergence Magazine Podcast

464 Listeners

Green Dreamer: Seeding change towards collective healing, sustainability, regeneration by kaméa chayne

Green Dreamer: Seeding change towards collective healing, sustainability, regeneration

604 Listeners

Drilled by Critical Frequency

Drilled

2,174 Listeners

Outrage + Optimism: The Climate Podcast by Persephonica and Global Optimism

Outrage + Optimism: The Climate Podcast

464 Listeners

Accidental Gods by Accidental Gods

Accidental Gods

110 Listeners

The Climate Question by BBC World Service

The Climate Question

170 Listeners

The Great Simplification with Nate Hagens by Nate Hagens

The Great Simplification with Nate Hagens

377 Listeners

Zero: The Climate Race by Bloomberg

Zero: The Climate Race

183 Listeners

Macrodose by Planet B Productions

Macrodose

27 Listeners