“The Stockholm Seminars” are organized by the “Stockholm Resilience Centre” that has the following research profile: “Research for Governance of Social-Ecological Systems”. They state that the Seminars have as a focus “the dynamics and stewardship of social-ecological systems”. I confess that it can sound a little involved, but that’s the way it can be if one summarises the advertisement for the next Stockholm seminar: (information about the seminar):
At the intersection of climate and energy security – scenarios of fundamental global challenges
Wednesday June 9, 2010, 09.30-12.00 The Beijer Hall, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Lilla Frescativägen 4, Stockholm
Summary: The world as we have known it is changing. The fossil fuels that have predicated the matchless expansion of the 20th century show difficulties in keeping up with increasing demand. At the same time continued use of remaining fossil deposits risks pushing the world towards catastrophic climate changes. Each of these fundamental issues – energy and climate – constitutes formidable security challenges for the global society. But the combination of the two may have consequences far beyond our imagination.
The purpose of this seminar is to explore how a combination of energy- and climate securities scenarios could be used to better understand the fundamental challenges that the world is facing, in order for us to be better prepared for a pallet of possible global and regional changes in the coming decades.
The seminar is arranged in cooperation with the Royal University College of Fine Arts, Stockholm, and the Global Energy Systems Group, Uppsala University.
Programme:
09:30 Welcome and introduction to four scenarios created from the uncertainties of peak fossil and climate change. Moderator: Karl Halling, SEI
09:45 Peak fossil: Energy and the global welfare equation Kjell Aleklett, Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Global Energy Systems Group, Uppsala University.
10:05 Climate Change: Consequences and uncertainties Johan Rockström, Professor and Director, Stockholm Environment Institute and Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University
10:25 What new insights and questions rise from an integrated analysis? Cross-cutting reflections from Kjell Aleklett and Johan Rockström
10:45 Break
11:15 Commentaries: Agnes von Gersdorff, Swedish vice-chief negotiator on climate Henrietta Palmer, Professor of architecture, Royal University College of Fine Arts, Stockholm Kerstin Nibleus, Chairman Stockholm Environment Institute Anders Wijkman, Tällberg Foundation
11:35 Open discussion
11:55 Closing remarks, Karl Hallding
Aleklett's Energy Mix 
Rolle
May 22, 2010
Om dagens kärnkraft.
Steve Kidd, director of strategy and research at the London-based World Nuclear Association, said fourth-generation reactors would be crucial if China was to avoid a serious bottleneck in uranium supplies in the coming decades.
http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-48619520100519
Ed
May 22, 2010
In parallel with the study of depletion a complementary study of the development of alternatives would be helpful. For example what is the time frame of and cost to deploy algae sourced oil, algae sourced hydrogen, hydrogen generation via the catalyst from GridShift company, the storage of hydrogen by graphene (RPI)? Carbon neutral solutions are all over the place. How long and how much is the question.
With the ability to write the DNA of the algae to order the algae sourcing of fuels should be made easier.
Ed
May 22, 2010
Interesting quote from Venter
Delivery Date
MR. MURRAY: When do they expect you to actually be able to deliver fuel?
DR. VENTER:Scalability is the biggest issue. There’s over 200 algae companies, I think, in the U.S. alone. If we can’t generate billions of gallons of fuel per year per facility, it’s not going to work. But I think with the Exxon engineering team and their money, we have a chance to scale it up. Our optimistic view is on the order of a decade before you would have gasoline in your tank made from CO2.
MR. MURRAY: If you look 20 years, 30 years down the road, how much of our fuel could come from this sort of algae?
DR. VENTER: Theoretically, all transportation fuels. There’s no shortage of areas with lots of sunlight and seawater. It is going to get down to the cost equation. And it’s too early to know.
tahoevalleylines
May 24, 2010
It always seems something is missing when the agenda is aimed solely at perpetuating the private vehicle for everyone on earth at puberty. At a minimum, the transportation mix must include a balance of modes to include standard gauge railway trunks and feeder lines to enable rail connection to all inhabited areas, suburbs, etc.
The tremendous striving to maintain auto mania is an obsession that needs a bit of reality check. As the governments of the planet are able to back away from the political-driven transport policies we shall have clarity. Cost per mile or kilometer including every single bit of pavement expense apparent and hidden, accident injury, runoff and groundwater impacts, stress level medication, etc has not come into the calculation of transport policy heretofore. This subject of hidden cost overhead is a very large thing, adding in the space to park and store vehicles in developed areas, taking away from downtown quality of life.
Another element never discussed in these energy quests is the inherent instability of the several world groupings of people that cannot accept a flow of human development without an inherent agenda of getting the advantage. Globalization is an extension of the Ponzi scheme, at heart a shift of dirty industry to places less developed and with cheaper labor. Getting a car in the hands of every last resident of these developing countries is a stated goal of the energy quest, but degrades the human soul along the way. Events will speak for themselves, this is not a hidden thing in diplomatic & military affairs, and constantly.
Hegemony is in play, and to ignore it is simply foolhardy. Maybe, the self-destructive path of humanity can in part be allayed by major countries beginning a policy of strict energy independence BEFORE the collision of cultures is too violent to survive. Wealth must snap out of reverie and reconsider the balance between patriotism and profit.
Academia has the enviable position, in it’s best nature, to think through scenarios and come to objective conclusions. It must be apparent that technologically speaking the EU, Russia, and the USA individually and collectively have ability to re-orient to zero import of fossil fuel as least so far as the transport component is concerned. This can be accomplished by trade in food and selected manufactured goods and resources, a more pure and sustainable expression of “Globalization”. China is in fact the single most diligent of all the world’s peoples with regard to seeking energy independence, even as the rush continues to secure resources around the world. China is better at making equitable dealings in places they wish to acquire resources, a lesson to the rest of the so-called more senior players on the world stage.
Even clean seawater itself is not limitless, in actuality. But that is not the real issue; we must bring some of the road gang IQ over to working on water supply and the railroad. Chinese example of development is worth noting, in particular their vast expansion of renewable generation, and absolute reliance on railway in the energy independence calculation. Examine Chinese railway project schedule now in progress. Transport is the Guarantor of Societal & Commercial Cohesion, and must be robust. China has determined that railway is in keeping with thinking posited by SunTzu, many centuries ago. Sun Tzu wrote for a future China, a country at a disadvantage technologically and lacking in wealth until recently. The Chinese have gained wealth and technology, and do not intend to squander it. Simply, Sun Tzu taught the necessity to be the best country at making things, and to have a domestic and homogeneous labor force that could do it all. China now has manufacturing capacity across the board, and the USA has traded off legacy manufacturing supremacy to raise money to import oil.
The topic of energy cannot be discussed without full inclusion of addressing clean water and transport; the ways and means energy is to be consumed.
Holmfrid
May 26, 2010
Our transportation system is most problematic when fossil energy lacking. Natural gas from Northstream to Sweden should now be accepted. Wind power combined with Olah´s idea of metanol/DME from CO2 and H2, should be analysed. Biogas is a dead end alternative because of not enough bio stuff.
Ed
May 29, 2010
Maybe pollution can be include in the conference considerations?
“An ominous report by Russia’s Ministry of Natural Resources warned of the impending disaster resulting from the British Petroleum (BP) oil and gas leak in the Gulf of Mexico, calling it the worst environmental catastrophe in all of human history, the European Union Times reported.
Russian scientists believe BP is pumping millions of gallons of Corexit 9500, a chemical dispersal agent, under the Gulf of Mexico waters to hide the full extent of the leak, now estimated to be over 2.9 million gallons a day.
Experts say Corexit 9500 is a solvent four times more toxic than oil.”
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=128113§ionid=3510203
Holmfrid
May 31, 2010
What is the oil reserv situation if the deep sea reserves have to be downgraded? 50% of Opec´s production is now reduced by 6% per year. When will oil price skyrock?