Peak-Oil Theory Simplified
The Peak-oil Theory states that oil is a finite resource and because of its limited amount at a certain point production will reach its peak; it will be the highest it’s ever been, and ever will be. This is why it is an oil peak, from that point on oil will be on the decline. Yearly extraction will never reach the same amount again. The world oil peak is predicted to occur some time between 2006 and 2016. According to the Theory, many individual nations have already peaked in oil production (i.e. the U.S. oil peaked in 1971). Of course there are alternative energy sources such as unconventional hydrocarbon sources (like tar sands and methane hydrates) or hydrogen (& fuel cells). However, there are many problems with these energy sources such as efficiency in terms of energy and cost, and the extreme environmental damage they may cause. Today’s dominant Civilization (in other words, Empire) depends on this non-renewable natural resource: oil. Evidently, due to the rational peak oil theory and the nature of civilization itself; this civilization is not sustainable.