Peak oil, the term for the time when we have, or will have, used the most oil per some period of time, like per year. According to some analysis, we have already hit peak oil! In 2019! However, while it’s worthy of celebration, it’s hardly worthwhile to celebrate in the bigger scheme of things. It’s like being down 50-0 in an American football game and scoring a touchdown and convert (7 points) just before the half.

In its recent March 2021 fuel report, the International Energy Agency speculates that we might have hit peak oil in 2019! The coronavirus pandemic in 2020 disrupted this rise, of course, with all the reduced travel, from work and local in person events to longer distance tourism and business travel, alongside other uses of oil. However, that disruption seems like it will continue through 2021, by which time in 2022, there will have been enough conversion to alternative fuel sources, like electric cars, solar heating, among other examples, to offset any potential increase in oil usage from the world getting back to pre-pandemic “normal” for transportation and heating, which may never happen with remote work becoming normalized more and more.

So we possibly have one score for negating climate change! To extend the football analogy, the score is under review, which will feel like it will take “forever” as with the real reviews. Still, as mentioned, it is merely just one score against like seven, and then some, to become carbon neutral by 2050 as we are trying to do. Worse, we can’t ease up and maybe let the game get out of reach if we don’t close the gap more in the near and medium future (2-10 years). So celebrate things for what they’re worth, which is minimal, and let’s get back to work!

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