A new study from the University of Utah, which is published in the journal Climatic Change, states that rising carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions cannot be stabilized unless the world's economy collapses. One way to avoid this is to build the equivalent of one new nuclear power plant each day, which of course is not possible.

Tim Garrett, who is an associate Professor of Atmospheric Sciences and author of this study, says that it looks unlikely that there will be any near-term departure from the recent observed acceleration of CO2 emission rates, according to the EurekAlert article.

A couple of key points made by Garrett........

1. Energy conservation or efficiency doesn't really save energy, but instead spurs economic growth and accelerated energy consumption.

"Making civilization more energy efficient simply allows it to grow faster and consume more energy," says Garrett.

He says the idea that resource conservation accelerates resource consumption - known as Jevons paradox – was proposed in the 1865 book "The Coal Question" by William Stanley Jevons, who noted that coal prices fell and coal consumption soared after improvements in steam engine efficiency.

2. "Stabilization of carbon dioxide emissions at current rates will require approximately 300 gigawatts of new non-carbon-dioxide-emitting power production capacity annually - approximately one new nuclear power plant (or equivalent) per day," Garrett says. "Physically, there are no other options without killing the economy."

In closing.....

Garrett says colleagues generally support his theory, while some economists are critical. One economist, who reviewed the study, wrote: "I am afraid the author will need to study harder before he can contribute."

"Fundamentally, I believe the system is deterministic," says Garrett. "Changes in population and standard of living are only a function of the current energy efficiency. That leaves only switching to a non-carbon-dioxide-emitting power source as an available option."