• Start Here
• Why teotw?
• Top Recs

• The Human Predicament
  • Population: The Elephant in the Room
  • Humans & Choice-Making
  • Sociobiology
• Fossil Fuels
  • Oil & Gas: Geology, E&P, Reserves
  • Peak Oil
    • Intro to Peak Oil
    • Books & Key Online Sources
    • Other Resources
  • Coal
  • Sands & Shale
• Energy, Continued
  • Nuclear Energy
  • Alternative/ Renewable/"Green"
  • EROI & Energy Analysis
  • Energy & Economics
• Other Natural Resources
  • Ecosystems
  • Fresh water
  • Food & agriculture
  • The Oceans
  • Metals
• Earth's Climate System
  • The Sun
  • Earth's atmosphere & energy balance; greenhouse effect
  • The carbon cycle
  • The biosphere & ecosystems
• Climate Change
  • Ancient climate & climate change
  • Modern climate change
    • Climate Change: Introductory & General
    • Evidence
    • Analysis of denial and delay
  • Climate models & the IPCC
  • Projected impacts of future climate change
  • Mitigation & adaptation
    • Intro to M & A
    • Geo-Engineering
    • Various M & A
  • Case studies
    • The Arctic
    • California
• Economics
  • Some Basics
  • Current Crisis: History & Underlying Causes
  • Current Crisis: Outlook
  • Current Crisis: Miscellaneous
  • Current Crisis: California
  • The Real Numbers
  • Ecological Economics
• Possible Futures: TEOTW(AYKI)
  • Possible Futures: Introduction
  • The Fate of Earlier Societies
  • The Ecological Perspective
  • Dire Projections
  • Thoughtful Realism
  • Transition / A New Paradigm
  • BAU / Optimism

Energy & Economics

Energy and economics are inextricably intertwined, but not always in transparent or logical ways. You will find ongoing discussions of their intersection at The Oil Drum, many pages from which I have culled for the list below.

Watch Chris Martenson's Crash Course, which skillfully melds energy fundamentals with the flailing modern economy. Highly recommended.

Causes and Consequences of the Oil Shock of 2007–08, James Hamilton (2009): Thorough economic analysis concludes that the current recession was due, in significant part, to rises in oil demand and price.

Oil Demand Destruction & Brittle Systems, Jeff Vail (The Oil Drum, August 2008)

Oil Prices Caused the Current Recession, Jeff Rubin (TOD, Nov 2008)

Peak Oil and the Financial Crisis, Gail Tverberg (TOD, March 2009): She concludes that the current financial crisis is a direct result of peak oil.

Influence of Energy on the U.S. Economy, David Murphy (TOD, April 2009)

Influence of Energy on the U.S. Economy, part 2, Steve VA (TOD, April 2009)

Financial Collapse and Energy: Not just a NINJA problem, Pedro Prieto (TOD, May 2009)

Oil Industry & U.S. Subsidies: July 2010 article in NY Times scratches the surface of the extent to which the U.S. subsidizes the oil industry.

Financial Return on Energy Invested, Euan Mearns (TOD, June 2006): Very intriguing article.... "Phantom GDP!"

The Thermodynamic Economy, JMGreer (June 2009) A thoughtful, ecological analysis of economics' mishandling of energy resources, which "follow rules of their own."

The Radical Hypothesis: Blog post (July 2009) discussing economic growth, CO2 emissions, the Stern Report, long vs. short "discount rates," and our descendants.

Goldman Sachs & Oil Markets: Forbes, March 2009. News flash: Goldman Sachs is an unethical, sociopathically greedy finanical institution. Surprised?

• Contact Info
• For Students
• For Teachers