I recently read the following very informative article about the foundational role of energy in the global economy. The title says it all: Energy IS the economy.

The article ends up advocating for nuclear due to its energy density and low natural resource consumption. While advanced nuclear may end up powering our civilization in the 22nd century and beyond, I think we need a more pragmatic approach in the 21st century with its massive challenge of uplifting 8 billion people to decent living standards without destroying the ecological carrying capacity of our planet. In short, we need to make peace with the physical limitations of our world and prioritize accordingly (https://bit.ly/3VEUjHU).