- cross-posted to:
- aboringdystopia@lemmy.world
- cross-posted to:
- aboringdystopia@lemmy.world
cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/54245880
The U.S. war with Iran has raised fossil fuel prices so much that the resulting drop in oil demand has put the world on track to see a rare dip in carbon emissions from these sources in 2026.
Between 2019 and 2025, carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels grew by about 0.8 percent annually, according to a new study published in Nature Climate Change. But 2026 is set to buck that trend: high oil prices, as well as the continued rise of green technology—solar power, wind and electric cars—will cause a “short-term” 0.4 percent drop, according to the study.
“The high petrol prices following the war in Iran are reducing oil use and keeping emissions low,” says the study’s lead author Corinne Le Quéré, a professor of climate change science at the University of East Anglia in England. “But that’s not the whole story: The expansion of renewable energy has progressed a lot in recent years, led by China. And [along with electric vehicles], this is offsetting two thirds of the growing demand for energy.”
With all sources of carbon considered, including deforestation, total global CO2 emissions are set to continue increasing.
Dont forget demand destruction, I finally bought an electric car this year after years of putting it off. Since the oil companies jacked up their prices in response to a war for which they supported the very candidate who caused it, I said enough is enough. Hopefully I will never buy gas again in my life.
Which one may I ask?
The sad thing is that, like everything, the only people who can escape the insane prices are the ones in a place privileged enough to be able to afford to. I live in an apartment building and even if I was on the first floor and my landlord was ok with me running an extension cord out my window, across the pathway, and to the parking lot (I’m not and they’d kill me) fairly often I have to park my car 2 buildings away and walk the equivalent of a block and a half to my apartment. I also can’t come close to affording a new car, mine is from the early 2010s. I drive an hour to work and an hour to school in the opposite direction, and constantly driving 20 minutes to the nearest charging station isn’t a viable option either (nor is public transportation or an e-bike, because of the distances I go every day).
I’m all for electric and I’m glad you were able to make the switch, but a lot of us who can’t afford the gas prices sure as hell can’t afford to buy electric, because it’s not just the car, it’s the logistics. Until the infrastructure for electric becomes more common and apartment complexes put charging stations in (I’m sure some do, but I can’t afford rent in those places) electric cars are a privilege for the rich and those who live in houses and have private parking.
Why new car? There are electric cars from the early 2010s as well, some of them even have free charging!
I know this might sound offcolor, but why even have a car at all at that point? Why not move to a supermajor city where you can bike/transit everywhere instead?
I was in a very similar situation to you when I moved out of my parents’s house and above is similar to what I did.
Moving is extremely expensive. Besides passing for a truck and fuel, you pay first, last, and often an additional month’s rent, if renting, plus utility deposits, but any deposit refunds usually lag a month. Assume you also are still working trying to get all this done, or aren’t and on a fixed income.
It totally is expensive, but it’s cheaper than driving 2 hours a day for 2-4 years (insurance, maintenance, registration, gas). Besides that, the health of the matter is that driving that much is terrible for you physically.
Cars have become this albatross across everyone’s neck in the US, and it makes me super sad that people don’t naturally try to get away from being chained to one.
Okay but f the poor who can’t and most need to do that. 🤷♀️
Does your work or school not have charging points? If not, that’s the classic supply-demand problem…
Like, I don’t have charging at home either, but I can drive several hours without charging. You possibly could too. Have you checked your stretches on something like A Better Routeplanner for example?
Even if I was to use exclusively superfast charging, it’d still be cheaper than diesel. Unless you live in the middle of nowhere, and drive to the middle of nowhere, the charge-anxiety can often be exaggerated, or at least it was in my case.
(I understand the real problem is an electric car might not be affordable enough for you, but I’ve become peeved about charge-anxiety)
My work and school do not have charging points. I also put in 70 hour weeks between work and school, I’m not spending any of my precious little free time driving 20 minutes away to sit in a parking lot and charge.
Technology connections pitches electric cars I think in the way that speaks to many more people than the usual environment pitch. Basically " wouldn’t you want energy independence?"
I’m actually surprised he didn’t bring up how the regular maintenance on an EV is non-existent; it’s a lot less hassle. There’s no regular oil changes, for example. Even your brakes can last longer if you’re good at single-pedal mode.
If you work with any kind of machinery the reliability of modern ice vehicles is crazy good. People treat them like shit often and they still go. Lots of other machinery has maintenance schedules in single digit hours.
can confirm. my vehicle is a piece of shit because I didn’t bother undercoating it, I drive it hard at times, I ignore CELs, I put off maintenance, etc
still running. mostly figured out that the idle and not starting after fueling issues I’ve been having was related to PCV valve and throttle body, but the exhaust still has lots of holes, the fuel tank will start leaking soon, and the suspension is entirely worn out (ok that one is just age)
and yet it keeps running
Its a little depressing that it’s the only argument that has a chance on most people. Killing millions? Don’t care. Saving a bit of money? Ohh yeah!
Yeah I hate people too
If I could be dictator for a day, climate change would be solved and so many would hate me.
https://play.half.earth/ ?
I hope that for you too. Luckily, I live near very good public trans, so for me, an e-scooter’s really all I need.
I mean we as a society have to ask, would we accept this level of insane fluctuation from anything else we buy? If you went to the store one day and bread was $2 bux a loaf, then you go again 3 days later and its $17, then a few days later is $9… Society would collectively say get your shit together on pricing! And we’d never buy bread again.
Well now Im never buying gas again. And its their own fault.
Fuel prices went up a lot but the price swings are still nowhere near the example prices you gave there…
It went from 1,5 - 1,6 € per litre to about 2,5 € per litre here, not from 1,5 to 9. And the changes are happening, people are buying more electric cars and home batteries+solar is growing very rapidly… So no, people are not accepting it, despite the price increase still being manageable (and price still being rather steady, it basically just swung up quickly at the Iran fiasco and then plateau there)
It’s a nice thought, but presumably (based on geography) you might be able to live with lower gas consumption. At least here in the US, it’s wholly possible that you only have one place to acquire groceries where you live.
Well that’s a double edged sword. There’s so much fluctuation in part because it’s such a ubiquitous commodity, availability is high and margins are low.
If branding mattered more (like with groceries) then prices would be more stable (but higher).
But as it is, nobody cares that much what brand of gas they get, it’s just gas. A name brand can’t demand a higher price just because it’s a name brand, nobody cares.
I mean, prices at the pump aren’t fluctuating that much, but I do get your meaning. That said, in general people don’t really have much of a choice when it comes to food, we have to eat. I mean, do you remember how eggs surged in price during the pandemic years? People still bought them, it just sucked. Oh we complained about it alright! But we as a society didn’t do anything