Mass Delusions

The real problem the world faces is not climate change, it is lack of sufficient energy for the developing parts of the world. In this age of instantaneous communication, how much longer will a world with a per capita power use of 5 kW for OECD countries, and 1 kW per capita for the rest of the world be acceptable and sustainable? But to bring the rest of the word up to OECD standards by midcentury would require about tripling the rate of power increase above what BP predicts will happen. Solar and wind cannot do this. At this point, despite inspiring, no pious lectures from the west, large parts of the world are turning to coal. Nothing can stop this. A turn to nuclear power as rapidly as possible, supplemented ultimately by breeding is the best long-term hope. This book has one of the very few descriptions of fusion breeding.