Is it Possible to Stabilize the Earth Climate by Transition to Renewable Energy?

Abstract

The evolution of the Universe proceeds through the persistent complication of the appearing objects. As the constituent objects become more complex, the intensity of their energy exchange with the environment increases, which is necessary to counteract entropic processes. Our Civilization is the most complex of the natural systems, with the development of which its energy consumption has constantly increased and will inevitably increase in the future. This will happen regardless of the sources of energy, be it fossil hydrocarbons, thermonuclear energy, or solar radiation, which is the only primary source of all renewable energy. The use of the latter on a global scale will reduce the Earth’s albedo. Maintaining the thermal balance of the Earth by increasing the emission of low-potential IR radiation into space will require an increase in surface temperature. Thus, the current strategy of managing climate processes by reducing greenhouse gas emissions is in princi­ple not capable of preventing the inevitable future global warming caused by the progressive development of Civilization, but will require enormous funds, energy, natural resources and intellectual potential. Until more realistic ideas about the ways of development of Civilization and the corresponding strategic decisions are put forward, the most rational tactic of our relationship with the environment is not to stave off inevitable changes, but to prepare for them.