I didn&#x27;t have time to elaborate, but I chose not to mention technology on purpose. Unless some inconceivable technological leap happens which makes energy cheaper than $15 oil or coal, technology won&#x27;t be enough to save the planet.<p>Right now, if one country limits the amount of oil it uses, that just makes oil cheaper for another country which hasn&#x27;t set limits. 50 years from now, Saudi Arabia could be still burning its last drops of oil to produce electricity, while the rest of the world has moved on to.<p>So yes, you&#x27;re correct that improving internal combustions engines might not help at all, but that seems to be true of any other technology, too.<p>The only thing that will save out planet is our ability to organize ourselves globally to drastically cut emissions.<p>Side note: don&#x27;t take the downvotes here personally. HN is a place where quality discussions happen, and a lot of folks would prefer to simply downvote something they don&#x27;t agree with rather than clutter up the whole thread with responses. :)