Efficiency can in some cases be enough to achieve sustainability but not always.
No matter how efficiently you use the oil, it WILL run out.
So the actual solution is to use the natural resources efficiently and with care while we look for an alternative way that is sustainable.
And a rising price is the signal to do both.
Exactly, as I said before:
The higher price has at least 2 positive effects: It decreases demand and it triggers investment into looking for other solutions.
For some reason mobodick doesn't believe this is working. I'm really unclear about how his solution actually would look like: how do you change the minds of the "humans" and they way they act? I just don't see it: these buggers tend to think for themselves and maximize their own well-being. myrkul suggests that the pricing mechanism of a market economy will take care of this and I agree, adding that it will only work (in contrast to the current situation) if sound money is used that noone can print up. Without money printing we'd already be much more efficient.
So please, mobodick, tell me how you plan to effect this change of mind.