It sure seems like it.
In this
Boston Globe editorial we see that JOHN B. HEYWOOD, Director of MIT's "Center for 21st Century Energy" has outlined a specific plan for how we should address Peak Oil as a society.
No surprise that it includes a bunch of socialist command and control nonsense. I guess the dream will never die. No matter how many times the socialist experiment fails, we can always hope that god has sent angels down to govern us and rule only with goodwill, never making mistakes, knowing all and reacting to it for us with brilliant insightful policies. And then we can just put them in charge and we'll all skip off into the sunshine.
And santa clause. Don't forget Santa Clause.
Heywood's prescription for Peak Oil?
"an integrated set of fiscal and regulatory policies that would spread the responsibility for taking action among (everyone)"
and
"The intention is to provide reinforcing messages at each stage in our transportation system: vehicle design and production, fuel supply, vehicle purchase, and vehicle refueling. "
Never mind that we already have something that does that. It's call the pricing signal.
"This set of policies would include restructured and more-demanding vehicle fuel economy regulations, significant fees on high-consuming vehicles, and rebates on low-consuming vehicles at the time of purchase, substantially higher fuel taxes at the pump, and required supplements (e.g., biofuels) to our gasoline and diesel fuel supply."
Unbelievable.
Let's see, Dr. Heywood, I can think of a better way to spur consumption reduction, increased development of alt. energy, improved vehicle design and efficiency, and more use of alternative transportation:
Can you guess what it is?
$60/barrel for oil. Record investments in new drilling, record investments in alt energy, record
achievements in alt energy, record sales of hybrid and other fuel economy models, a sharp drop in oil demand in China, but don't let that stop your dream, sir. No, we need the government to take control.
natedogg
PS: Note to Il Mostro. These crazy types are not as fringe as you claim. In fact, every peak oil voice I have read is pretty uniform in their call for tight, comprehensive measures and full control by the government. This guy heads up a department at MIT for gods sake. He should know better.