Overview of Lester Brown, _Plan B 2.0

Overall: ¶ does not point to apocalypse (the complete final destruction of the world, as described in the biblical book of Revelation--final days; hints at catastrophe) but to civilization in trouble | averts bombastic tone: cool style, not hot, 'matter of fact.'; ¶ Brown as reformist: make changes in institutions per policy rather than wholesale replacement | avoids ideologically laden background, which is way anti-globalization advocates shun Brown--appeals to no extreme | no position on issue of globalization, political economy; ¶ grounds analysis in eco-economics, ala oikos, providing synthesis but recognizes the public goods and environmental services that generally remain unrecognized; ¶ But in final analysis, nature (known though science) trumps political economy; ¶ great effort to present clear, factual case: Presents effective and credible policy writing and tone.; ¶ there is no way that Plan B will be implemented in time to avert catastrophe on global scale. Damage to rain forest now exceeds that depicted in our film, Banking on Disaster.

Energy

Beyond Peak Oil: ¶ Starts with oil? Appeal to 1st world consumers, fuels industrial civilization (he defines sustainability as post-industrial) | Does not start with food! Excellent timing, although his specialty is food and agriculture.; ¶ $50/bbl? You're kidding! Like End of Oil by Paul Roberts, way low: the forecasters of oil peak are way low! | calm quote p21!; ¶ Both oil and water, liquids, are, in the words of Adam Smith, "Free gifts of nature." | Titusville, PA, oozed up through the ground | :: the political economy produces neither oil nor water, but rather decides its allocation, therefore distribution, therefore poses an ethical issue; ¶ King Hubbert! oil geologist who first articulated the case of end of (easy) oil; ¶ Who are the two leading oil-producing countries? Saudi Arabia and Russia! NB implicit geopolitics. USA depends on OPEC? (Syriana) Joke God has played on your generation: much of your fate is outside your hands and you don't even know it! We do not reliably know quantity of oil reserves. So, why are oil companies plowing record profits into buying back their own stock? Production > discoveries, p24. Watch the battle in the Empty Quarter over oil shale, kergen, etc.: marginal impact, very costly (eg water), and a ferocious political economy.; ¶ (Oil ==> food), a hidden connection especially with urbanization, food miles p28. NB conclusion p 29 ==> sustainability. And you control so much in your own kitchen! Shifts ownership here.; ¶ So clever: wheat/oil exchange rate, terms of trade turn adverse, p29. Q p30; ¶ Food and energy will compete for land! Q p31! Brazil, USA ethanol p32 | Germany biodiesel p33. NB Brown as strategic agronomist pp34-5; ¶ Strong conclusion re suburbs | shortage of leadership p40 | He's wrong! Leaders come from oil industry. NB implicit geopolitics, even to Iraq---which he doesn't even mention

Overview of Lester Brown, Plan B 2.0

Overview of Brown Chapters 1-5

Energy