I've come to understand that

the morality and relational well-being of mankind cannot be reconciled through the means of politics.  This does not mean no government
is needed.

"The problems that exist in the world today cannot be solved
    by the level of thinking that created them."

in any case, any chapter of history since the dawn of time ought
to suffice as either proof or evidence.

discuss

<Inst#cspell>

Also, population will naturally reduce itself. As populations become more affluent, their birth rate decreases, and in certain First World countries, the population is actually declining.

If you're talking about the expense of lubricants and solvents, with greater cost, there will come greater efficiency, and while this will not wholly offset the cost increase due to the end of the oil age, it won't be as extreme.

Fundamentally oil is just carbon + large amounts of energy. The problem with oil is the "high amounts of energy" part, that in order to synthesize chemicals in oil large amounts of energy must be expended.