I believe that is incorrect if you look at this from a whole system thermodynamical level. Urbanity and life as we know it today (water, food, shelter, etc) has only been made possible by the availability of abundant and cheap energy.

Hall and Klitgaard make this point in their book Energy and the Wealth of Nations: Understanding the Biophysical Economy.

Take cheap, abundant energy (and materials) paradigm out of the societal equation and I am very curious what see what new thermodynamical rationale will be.

And of course, the process society will take to get there. Shell's most likely scenario for this 2075 transition has the ominous title "Scramble" >

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fbvquHSPJU