The No-brainer

Abstract

This chapter discusses the need for combined transition to renewable energy sources, reduction of non-CO2 greenhouse gases, and avoidance of any new emissions. Climate cannot be restored back to lower CO2 conditions than today if we don’t stop humanity’s enormous greenhouse gas emissions. But activating more and more emissions-reducing measures won’t suffice if we allow our total energy hunger and general consumerism, and thus emissions, to keep increasing year on year. Therefore, we also need strategies for avoiding addition of new emissions associated with the progressive growth and development of society, and with humanity's tendency for excessive consumerism. Finally, as with all large-scale developments, renewable alternatives have downsides and face challenges to their implementation. These are discussed in the final section of this chapter.