Sadly the problem stems from short sighted people such as Mr Bush/Blair and co. There are many ways of reducing oil consumption. How many times are you stuck in traffic going crazy with everyone else, wondering why all these people have a car to themselves, blocking the road and they do it everyday?
Mr Bush seems not to want to join the world in CO2 emissions reduction as it is not in the interests of the country, public transport could be made affordable (have you ever taken a train in the uk?). There are many solutions to the problem, but the problem is simple: The governments make far too much money from oil!
Why do we invade 3rd world countries? Simple, the ones we invade have oil, screw the others that "need help in the name of humanity and freedom" why else would they spend billions of dolars in a country that doesn't affect us?
It's this attitude, with people driving arround in xx litre cars all day for no reason that keeps economies going. True a/c are not the best thing in the world for oil supplies, but if we kept oil for the things there is no feasible substitute for then we would be ok. Oh except for the oil revenue!
Who dares to argue?