interview > romm > romm 15

Romm 15 (1:02)
Topic(s): Environment / Future Transport / Government / Hydrogen
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In Hell and High Water I actually call the waiting for technology "the technology trap:" that some politicians who don't really want to take action today tout the benefits of supposed breakthroughs in the future, as a way of arguing against action today. So that, for instance, we've had hydrogen fuel cell cars touted as the car of the future, but not really by people who want to see new technology in the marketplace, really by people who don't want to see action taken today on fuel economy. I mean, I think the truth of hydrogen fuel cell cars is that they are 40 to 50 years away from being widespread and practical, and I wouldn't be surprised if we never see them.

So we can't wait. We have to reduce our emissions starting, you know, in the next few years. If we don't peak in total global greenhouse gas emissions in the next decade or so, we're going to find it virtually impossible to avoid catastrophic warming such as 80 feet of sea level rise, massive species extinction, widespread desertification.