The Seventh Fold

Fellow Folders,

Thanks to fellow geographer, David Jensen (via Facebook), I am able to share this excellent 18 minute TED Talk given by climate scientist & oceanographer, Rob Dunbar. In his short presentation, Dunbar issues a compelling case for anthropogenic climate change via: 1) a very interesting analysis of sediments located beneath the Ross Ice Shelf, and 2) an equally interesting analysis of giant corals. He concludes with a discussion of ocean acidification, which is in my mind one of the horsemen of the apocalypse.

While I spend lots of time thinking about and explaining the evidence that we have reached the seventh fold of fossil fuel production – what I would call the gas tank side of the anthropogenic climate change issue – I spend comparatively little time thinking and writing about the exhaust side of the equation.

That said, Rob Dunbar does an excellent job of showing how the ability of oceans to support life in the face of rising atmospheric CO2 (which is absorbed by oceans causing them to acidify) has reached the seventh fold.

What Dunbar does not discuss is the fact that because we are reaching the seventh fold in fossil fuel production (oil, natural gas, and coal), we are collectively emitting more and more CO2 per unit of useful energy every day. This is due to the fact that EROEI is in irreversible decline.

As a consequence, the only solution to all of our seventh fold challenges is to be found in voluntary conservation and conscientious consumption.

Without further ado,