The Guardian has reported:

The world is not running out of oil and can continue to produce hydrocarbons for the next 40 years provided restrictions on where companies can operate are lifted, the head of BP said yesterday.

And that's supposed to keep me happy?

I'm 50 with intent to still be writing in 40 years time. My children won't even be my age right then. And we're planning our whole future on the basis of a resource that runs out in my lifetime?

I'm sobered by the fact that I accurately recall that I first became concerned about resource depletion 39 years ago. And it's just got worse in the meantime.

Sometime soon we're going to have to realise that we're in a whole new ball game: one where consumption is not the criteria of well being. The sooner the better. And tax is going to have to play a part in this. Don't doubt it.