[SchroedingersCat]

Here in the U.S. we have been going through some amazing deregulation of the energy sector. The current administration has undone several decades of energy company reforms (see http://www.ferc.gov/).

While there are many technical and social ways to mitigate the impact of peak oil, will the private sector step up and do what's right? Can we count on the proper investments in renewables, nuclear, etc? Or will the current deregulation leave people to freeze to death in the dark.

Is re-regulation the solution? Or are we at the point that the only hope is total nationalization of our energy sector? How are other countries dealing with these issues?

[katkinkate]

Private enterprise will only do what they can make a profit out of. The proletariat can go hang ... or freeze.

[coyote]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('SchroedingersCat', 'W')hile there are many technical and social ways to mitigate the impact of peak oil, will the private sector step up and do what's right?

[Kickinthegob]

Will the private sector step up and do what's right? Pffft, the private sector will do what it is designed to do, make money. Corporations if they were people (which they legally are) would be clinical physcopaths, well that is what I learned watching "The Corporation".

Re-regulation by who? It appears as if, in the US anyway, the corporations are the government and the goverment is the corporation and what exactly would they be nationalizing, what is left of Texas crude?

For current examples of energy resource nationalization see Russia, Iran and Venezuela to name a few. It seems to be a very popular thing to do which is now a growing problem for USA corp.

[gg3]

With one big difference.

If the management of an oil company came out saying they believe the earth is 6,000 years old, there would be a shareholder revolt overnight.

These corporations may have their problems, but at least they behave rationally. They're forced to by the competitive market.

Unlike the government. Just ask Dr. Hansen at NASA.

[Dreamtwister]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('SchroedingersCat', 'w')ill the private sector step up and do what's right?