Contrary to popular belief, the environment is not a constraint to economic development but a pillar of its sustainability. Until now, respect for nature has been the least of our concerns because of our inability to project ourselves in the long term. While we have avoided respect for our environment during the last century, we are now forced to take action to deal with the problem of global warming. As you now know, the bill will be a heavy one…
To illustrate this, imagine an intelligent society:
Composed of individuals who systematically measure or question themselves on the consequences of their actions with the leitmotiv of respecting essential values such as living in harmony with our environment, other living species… This society then becomes aware of the need to control its own development (economic, social, demographic – maximum 2 children per family – see why in the paragraph ” Demography ” at the very end of this page below – exploitation of resources) in order to avoid any imbalance that could harm future generations, those of the next 1,000,000 years. When one understands the need for such an approach and the intellectual well-being it provides, one understands that a resource such as oil is not at its true price. The intelligent society then reflects on the question of this same oil considering the millions of years necessary for its long manufacturing process. It is then that this virtuous society looks at the scheme we are currently carrying out, namely that of the organized plundering of our fossilized energy reserves over a period of about two centuries. The intelligent society then carries out a clever calculation to determine the level of consumption to be respected in order to offer indefinitely to future generations these magnificent resources:
A (Duration of oil stock manufacture in years) / B (duration of organized plundering in years) = C (coefficient of reduction of our current consumption).
Either with the figures we know:
5.000.000 / 200 = 25000
As a result, we would have to divide the current annual global consumption by 25,000 for a sustainable system.
The true price of oil: to know it, you would just have to gradually reduce the valves of the oil fields and you would see the barrel of oil ignite and reach new heights (a bit like today… well, well, well!!!). This price would be such that the use of oil would be limited to advanced technologies, those truly useful to mankind…
By way of comparison: 1 litre of oil corresponds in energy terms to 2 weeks of human labour. This puts the level of balance at more than 800€ per litre considering our French minimum wage (including social security and employer’s contributions).
Conclusion: in the face of this organized looting, it is imperative that all our political decisions take into account a necessary long-term projection. This is why respect for the environment must be at the heart of our economy: making daily efforts to avoid waking up with a hangover, or rather, with our backs to the wall…
For economists and other sceptical financiers: being at the forefront of the environment means being at the forefront of technology in all areas and therefore gaining market share… The more pragmatic Germans have understood this and are rubbing their hands in selling us heat pumps, wind turbines, solar panels, insulation materials… all with 10 years of techno advance!!!