Age of Sustainability

End of the beginning?

November 29, 2018 by Denis Pombriant

Perhaps now that 13 federal agencies have issued a major new scientific report on the dangers of climate change, “The Fourth National Climate Assessment,” we can get over diagnosing the problem and begin fixing it. I started following the climate issue in the 1970’s and at the time there was...

The permanent oil shock

November 27, 2018 by Denis Pombriant

Last week’s New York Times Magazine has a great piece that highlights what not to do to help solve global warming, “Palm Oil Was Supposed to Help Save the Planet. Instead It Unleashed a Catastrophe.” The article focuses on a boom in creating palm oil plantations in the last decade...

Green for go

November 22, 2018 by Denis Pombriant

It is encouraging to see so many outlets now offering ideas for solutions to global warming, city crowding and planning, and transportation. It has become too easy to jump on the emissions-are-hurting-us bandwagon and too often that’s as far as people take the issue. They define or diagnose the problem...

EGS, the new hydro-power

November 09, 2018 by Denis Pombriant

I was in a conversation the other day when the topic of hydro-power came up. Under different circumstances, I’d be all over hydro like a cheap suit—in a good way, that is. What’s not to like about hydro? The discussion was over how to make more renewable power and unfortunately,...

UK’s first geothermal plant

November 08, 2018 by Denis Pombriant

Renewable energy is becoming mainstream. CNBC reported today that “Drilling at the U.K.’s first deep geothermal electricity plant is to start this week.” The significance of this event can’t be over stated. Geothermal represents a renewable, safe and pollution-free energy source that can be directly converted into electric power. The geothermal...

Disruptive innovation drives economic development

October 04, 2018 by Denis Pombriant

[caption id="attachment_819" align="alignright" width="365"] Cover of AoS[/caption] The ideas in The Age of Sustainability are simple. Technology inventions drive economic advances and we’ve seen this play out repeatedly since the Industrial Revolution. Someone invents a low cost and efficient way to make steel and suddenly there are many new products...

Day Zero, You don’t really want to know this

February 01, 2018 by Denis Pombriant

Simply put, Day Zero is the day when the water runs out, the taps are dry, and city officials have to recon with how much violence zero water will inspire. Day Zero has already happened in places like Syria and Iran but at a city level, not for a whole...

Apres Davos

January 30, 2018 by Denis Pombriant

[caption id="attachment_790" align="alignright" width="581"] Sun setting on Davos[/caption] The just concluded World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, was a time for world political and business leaders to come together to think bigly. But it would be a mistake to think that a confab of leaders would produce the last...

4IR (wonkish)

January 24, 2018 by Denis Pombriant

[caption id="attachment_657" align="alignright" width="339"] The Age of Sustainability looks at an important inflection point in human history.[/caption] I’ve taken the lead from Paul Krugman who labels some of his blog posts wonkish if the subject gets into the weeds to make a point that might not be appreciated by the...

Happening in 2018

January 02, 2018 by Denis Pombriant

This will be an important transition year. Car makers are poised to bring to market scores of new electric models in 2019, so in the lead up to that moment, this year will be a time when we all become more familiar with the terms and conditions of electric driving....

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