This was always going to be the case, and the unfounded optimism has always pissed me off.
Similarly, an extensive historical analysis of technological efficiency improvements has conclusively shown that energy efficiency improvements were almost always outpaced by economic growth, resulting in a net increase in resource use and associated pollution.
Jevons paradox and the rebound effect pretty much guarantee that we’ll continue consuming fossil fuels until their use is forcefully banned. Renewables haven’t even begun to reduce their consumption, and they won’t before it’s too late to even the prevent the <= 3C that’s currently locked in.
This was always going to be the case, and the unfounded optimism has always pissed me off.
GHG emissions are still at their greatest in history and ALL renewables to date have been completely absorbed by growth in consumption.
Jevons paradox and the rebound effect pretty much guarantee that we’ll continue consuming fossil fuels until their use is forcefully banned. Renewables haven’t even begun to reduce their consumption, and they won’t before it’s too late to even the prevent the <= 3C that’s currently locked in.