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{{Short description|2005 book by James Howard Kunstler}}

'''''The Long Emergency: Surviving the Converging Catastrophes of the Twenty-first Century''''' is a book by [[James Howard Kunstler]] exploring the consequnces of a world oil production peak, coinciding with the forces of climate change, resurgent diseases, water scarcity, global economic instability and warfare to cause chaos for future generations.

{{Infobox book

| name = The Long Emergency: Surviving the Converging Catastrophes of the Twenty-first Century

| image = TheLongEmergency.jpg

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption = First edition cover

| author = [[James Howard Kunstler]]

| country = United States

| language = English

| subject = [[Peak oil]], [[Climate change]], [[Economic instability]]

| genre = [[Non-fiction]]

| publisher = [[Grove/Atlantic]]

| pub_date = 2005

| media_type = Print ([[hardcover]])

| pages =

| isbn =

| isbn_note =

| oclc =

| preceded_by =

| followed_by = [[Too Much Magic: Wishful Thinking, Technology, and the Fate of the Nation]]

}}

'''''The Long Emergency: Surviving the Converging Catastrophes of the Twenty-first Century''''' is a 2005 book by [[James Howard Kunstler]] published by [[Atlantic Monthly Press]]. The book examines the potential consequences of [[peak oil]] and argues that declining petroleum availability will converge with [[climate change]], [[water scarcity]], [[Economic stability|economic instability]], [[disease]], and [[war]]fare to create sustained global crises.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Kunstler |first=James Howard |title=The long emergency: surviving the end of oil, climate change, and other converging catastrophes of the twenty-first century |date=2006 |publisher=Grove Press |isbn=978-0-8021-4249-8 |___location=New York, NY}}</ref>

Kunstler's central thesis focuses on how peak oil extraction will fundamentally disrupt American society and the global economy. He contends that these energy-related upheavals will force communities to develop more localized, self-sufficient systems of food production and resource management.<ref name=":0" /> The book was followed by two sequels: ''Too Much Magic'' (2012) and ''Living in the Long Emergency'' (2020).

The book's principle theme explores the effects of a [[Hubbert Peak|peak in oil production]], predicted by many geologists, on [[United States of America|American]] society as well as the rest of the world. In both this book and in his other writings, Kunstler argues that [[Implications of peak oil|the economic upheavals caused by peak oil]] will force Americans to live in more local communities.

==Synopsis==

Kunstler's premise is that ''cheap, plentiful'' [[oil]] is the foundation of industrial society and the pervasiveness of its effects is not widely appreciated. Through the 21st century, oil and [[natural gas]] will become increasingly difficult to obtain, making it increasingly expensive and ultimately unavailable. Scarcity of [[petroleum]] will cause problems not just for transportation and generation of electrical power. Shipping of food and manufactured items will become expensive, ultimately prohibitively so. In the industrialized West, most of the food is grown and most manufactured items are made far from the end user. Also, natural gas is vitally important to food production as it is the raw material for much of commercial crop [[fertilizers]].

Kunstler argues that cheap, abundant oil forms the foundation of industrial society, and its depletion will fundamentally transform human civilization. He contends that alternative energy sources—including solar, wind, hydroelectric, coal, and nuclear power—will prove insufficient to replace petroleum. As oil becomes scarce and expensive, transportation costs will soar, making long-distance shipping of food and goods prohibitively expensive.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="Press">{{Cite web |last=Press |first=Mud City |date=2015-03-09 |title=A review of James Kunstler's The Long Emergency 10 years later |url=https://www.resilience.org/stories/2015-03-09/a-review-of-james-kunstler-s-the-long-emergency-10-years-later/ |access-date=2025-05-26 |website=resilience |language=en-US}}</ref>

The author predicts this energy crisis will force communities toward localized, self-sufficient systems, particularly for food production. Large cities, unable to achieve self-sufficiency, may experience mass starvation, disease, and civil unrest. Kunstler suggests governments will be unable to manage these cascading problems effectively.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=The Long Emergency |url=https://groveatlantic.com/book/the-long-emergency/ |access-date=2025-05-26 |website=Grove Atlantic |language=en}}</ref>

Kunstler further argues that alternative sources of energy will be inadequate. As petroleum sources become scarce, environmentally harmful or risky technologies such as [[coal]] and [[nuclear power|nuclear]] will become necessary but not sufficient for our energy needs. Hydroelectric, solar, and wind power, even in combination with coal and nuclear, will also be far from adequate. (Kunstler does not consider hydrogen to be a true energy source as there is essentially no molecular hydrogen on earth.)This guy is brainless scum. For insulting alternative energy sources.

== Reception ==

As energy becomes scarce, transportation will become difficult or impossible, which means that food and other necessary commodities will become unavailable in many communities. Local communities will need to become self-sufficient for food production but many communities, especially large cities, will be unable to do so. The result will be mass starvation, disease, and civil unrest. Governments are incompetent to manage these problems. This period of scarcity will last for at least hundreds of years, hence the "long" emergency of the book's title.

''The Long Emergency'' received mixed but generally positive critical reception, with reviewers praising Kunstler's erudition and compelling writing style while expressing concern about the book's dire predictions. A chorus of critics praised Kunstler's erudition and wonderful writing, while stressing that his book thoroughly unsettled them, with one reviewer declaring that the book couldn't help but be read "with white knuckles."<ref name="Press"/>

However, the book also received negative criticism, with Kirkus Reviews dismissing it as "cant-filled and overwrought: a crying-wolf approach to real but largely addressable issues, long on jeremiads but absent of remedies."<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/james-howard-kunstler/the-long-emergency/ |title=THE LONG EMERGENCY {{!}} Kirkus Reviews |language=en}}</ref>

Kunstler, a long-time critic of [[suburb]]an design, advises communities to change to accommodate walking and bicycling as the primary modes of transport. Populations should be moved out of big cities into smaller communities that have nearby farmable land with adequate water and favourable climate for agriculture. People should begin learning to grow food.

==See also==

[[Category:2005 books|Long Emergency, The]]

*[[Urban agriculture]]

[[Category:Peak oil|Long Emergency]]

*[[Geoffrey Parker (historian)]]

== Further reading ==

{{refbegin|50em}}

* {{cite web | last=Akers | first=Keith | title=Peak Oil and the Coming Long Emergency | website=compassionatespirit.com | date=2 February 2006 | url=https://www.compassionatespirit.com/Long-Emergency-review.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060202190906/https://www.compassionatespirit.com/Long-Emergency-review.htm | archive-date=2 February 2006 | url-status=dead | access-date=18 February 2020}}

* {{cite web | last=Alexander | first=David | title=Review of The Long Emergency | website=Living in Peace on Our Planet | url=http://planetthoughts.org/?pg=pt/Whole&qid=1115 | access-date=18 February 2020}}

* {{cite web |last=Alter |first=Lloyd |title=The Long Emergency: a Long Review | website=TreeHugger | date=15 May 2005 | url=https://www.treehugger.com/culture/the-long-emergency-a-long-review.html | access-date=18 February 2020}}

* {{cite web |last=Barrett |first=Brendan F. D. | title=Long Emergency on Planet Eaarth | website=Our World | date=3 December 2010 | url=https://ourworld.unu.edu/en/long-emergency-on-planet-eaarth | access-date=18 February 2020}}

* {{cite web |last=December |first=John | title=Book Notes: The Long Emergency: Surviving the End of the Oil Age, Climate Change, and Other Converging Catastrophes of the Twenty-first Century by James Howard Kunstler | website=December Communications, Inc. | date=16 May 2005 | url=https://www.december.com/places/people/kunstler2005.html | access-date=18 February 2020}}

* {{cite magazine | last=Del Mastro |first=Addison |title=An Interview With James Howard Kunstler | magazine=The American Conservative | date=21 November 2017 | url=https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/an-interview-with-james-howard-kunstler/ | access-date=18 February 2020}}

* {{cite magazine |last=Goodman |first=Leslee | title=The Decline And Fall Of The Suburban Empire | date=October 2009 |magazine=The Sun Magazine | url=https://thesunmagazine.org/issues/406/the-decline-and-fall-of-the-suburban-empire | access-date=18 February 2020}}

* {{cite web |last=Hartman |first=Jason | title=HS 186 - The Long Emergency with James Howard Kunstler | work=the Holistic Survival Show |publisher=Hartman Media | date=15 November 2013 | url=https://www.holisticsurvival.com/podcast/hs-186-the-long-emergency-with-james-howard-kuntsler/ <!-- https://hartmanmedia.com/hs-186-the-long-emergency-with-james-howard-kuntsler/ --> | access-date=18 February 2020}}

* {{cite web | last=Howells |first=Ken | title=The Long Emergency | website=Everything2.com | date=27 April 2007 | url=https://www.everything2.com/title/The+Long+Emergency | access-date=18 February 2020}}

* {{cite magazine | last=Kaminski | first=Frank | title=A review of James Kunstler's The Long Emergency 10 years later |magazine=Resilience | date=9 March 2015 | url=https://www.resilience.org/stories/2015-03-09/a-review-of-james-kunstler-s-the-long-emergency-10-years-later/ | access-date=18 February 2020}}

* {{cite web |last=Krumpe |first=Ed |date=18 November 2013 |title=The Long Emergency by James Howard Kunstler |url=https://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/css235/The_Long_Emergency_CSS235.pdf}}

* {{cite conference | last=Kunstler | first=James Howard | title=How Do You Like the Long Emergency So Far? |event=TEDxAlbany 2010 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zluPQEcK0Y |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/-zluPQEcK0Y |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live}}{{cbignore}}

* {{cite magazine |last=Kunstler |first=James Howard |date=April 7, 2005 |title=The End Of Oil |magazine=Rolling Stone |issue=971}}

* {{cite web | last=Kunstler | first=James Howard | title=The Long Emergency | website=Orion Magazine | date=1 January 2006 | url=https://orionmagazine.org/article/the-long-emergency/ | access-date=18 February 2020}}

* {{cite web | last=Lacey | first=Josh | title=Review: The Long Emergency, The Monster at Our Door and A Crack in the Edge of the World | website=the Guardian | date=1 September 2005 | url=http://www.theguardian.com/books/2005/oct/01/highereducation.news1 | access-date=18 February 2020}}

* {{cite web |last=Lenoir |first=Bill | title=TEotWaWKI Book Review: The Long Emergency |___location=Centreville, VA | website=TEotWaWKI Diary: End of the World Survival, with or without Zombies | date=15 June 2010 | url=https://teotwawkidiary.wordpress.com/2010/06/15/book-review-the-long-emergency/ | access-date=18 February 2020}}

* {{cite magazine |last=Little |first=Amanda | title=An interview with doomsaying author James Howard Kunstler | website=Grist | date=25 May 2005 | url=https://grist.org/article/little-kunstler/ | access-date=18 February 2020}}

* Lynn, R. R. (2009). It's Not the End of the World, but You Can See It from There: Legal Education in The Long Emergency. U. Tol. L. Rev., 40, 377. https://www.utoledo.edu/law/studentlife/lawreview/pdf/v40n2/Lynn_RevFinal.pdf

* {{cite web | last=McGreal | first=Ryan | title=The Long Emergency | website=Raise the Hammer | date=16 May 2005 | url=https://www.raisethehammer.org/article/084 | access-date=18 February 2020}}

* {{cite web | last=McNamee |first=Gregory | date=March 15, 2005 |title=The Long Emergency | work=Kirkus Reviews | url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/james-howard-kunstler/the-long-emergency/ | access-date=18 February 2020}}

* {{cite web | last=O'Reilly | first=Tim | title=The Long Emergency | website=O'Reilly Radar | date=16 July 2005 | url=http://radar.oreilly.com/2005/07/the-long-emergency.html | access-date=18 February 2020}}

* {{cite magazine |last=Welzer |first=Steve |date=2006 |title=Facing Up to What Confronts Us |magazine=Green Horizon Magazine |url=https://www.academia.edu/14053185}}

* {{cite web | last=Wooldridge | first=Frosty | title=First Change - The Long Emergency, Part 1 | website=News With Views – Where Reality Shatters Illusion | date=6 November 2008 | url=https://newswithviews.com/Wooldridge/frosty413.htm | access-date=18 February 2020}}

* {{cite web | last=Wooldridge | first=Frosty | title=First Change - The Long Emergency, Part 2 | website=News With Views – Where Reality Shatters Illusion | date=10 November 2008 | url=https://newswithviews.com/Wooldridge/frosty414.htm | access-date=18 February 2020}}

* {{Cite AV media |date=May 6, 2012 |title="The Long Emergency: Surviving the Converging Catastrophes of the 21st Century" by James Howard Kunstler |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmmxFxKiSAY |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/NmmxFxKiSAY |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|work=Noted Author's Books of Our Time |publisher=Massachusetts School of Law}}{{cbignore}}

{{refend}}

==References==

{{nonfiction-book-stub}}

{{Reflist}}

==External links==

<!--* {{cite book | last=Kunstler | first=James | title=The long emergency : surviving the converging catastrophes of the twenty-first century | url=https://archive.org/details/longemergencysur00kuns | url-access=registration | publisher=Atlantic Monthly Press | publication-place=New York | year=2005 | isbn=0-87113-888-3 | oclc=57452547}} -->

* {{Official website|https://kunstler.com/books/the-long-emergency/}}

* [http://files.meetup.com/2862372/35952721.Long.Emergency.pdf Full text PDF]

* [https://books.google.com/books?id=ehe3NbbEXJkC Google Books]

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050326004831/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/_/id/7203633 Excerpt published in Rolling Stone] <!-- {{cite web | last=Kunstler | first=James Howard | title=RollingStone.com: The Long Emergency : Politics | website=rollingstone.com | date=24 March 2005 | url=http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/_/id/7203633 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050326004831/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/_/id/7203633 | archive-date=26 March 2005 | url-status=unfit | access-date=18 February 2020}} -->

* [https://www.scribd.com/document/16023292/Kunstler-The-Long-Emergency-2005-Synopsis Summary from United for Peace of Pierce County] <!-- {{cite web |last=Jensen |first=Mark K. |date=16 February 2009 | title=Kunstler - The Long Emergency (2005)- Synopsis |work=Digging Deeper |volume=LXXIII |publisher=United for Peace of Pierce County |url=https://www.scribd.com/document/16023292/Kunstler-The-Long-Emergency-2005-Synopsis | access-date=18 February 2020}} (Synopsis) https://www.ufppc.org/ufppc-activities-mainmenu-42/8384-digging-deeper-lxxiii-economic-realities-mon-feb-16-a-23--7pm- -->

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