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We have a new report from Warren Karlenzig, who just toured Japan with a United Nations group. As the founder of Common Current, Warren advises city and national governments on sustainability. He’s a Fellow of the Post Carbon Institute.

We can’t get to the impact of the nuclear accident, or Japan’s exciting prospects for green energy, without first giving respect to the people who live with the tragic loss of more than 20,000 lives, of whole towns, and a large part of the country. Warren gives us some insight on how people in Japan are handling unimaginable stress.

Are there immediate lessons we can learn about surviving a large-scale disaster? How much help comes from government, and how much from self organization by the citizens?

One of the hot button issues in Japan is the national government’s plan to redistribute tsunami wreckage, including material contaminated with radioactive waste, all over the country.

With almost all nuclear reactors out of service, how are the Japanese dealing with the lack of energy? Fifty two out of fifty four reactors were out of service when Karlenzig toured Japan, and the 53rd was shutting down the day of our interview.

The Japanese are scambling to import more LNG (Liquified Natural Gas) – and burning more coal – but there is still a massive energy short-fall.

It turns out their response could be very close to our future – as oil becomes too expensive for most uses, if we can get oil at all.

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