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Local Climate Action Planning

Author : Michael R. Boswell
Publisher : Island Press
ISBN 13 : 1610912012
Total Pages : 300 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (19 download)

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Book Synopsis Local Climate Action Planning by : Michael R. Boswell

Download or read book Local Climate Action Planning written by Michael R. Boswell and published by Island Press. This book was released on 2012-07-16 with total page 300 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Climate change is a global problem, but the problem begins locally. Cities consume 75% of the world's energy and emit 80% of the world's greenhouse gases. Changing the way we build and operate our cities can have major effects on greenhouse gas emissions. Fortunately, communities across the U.S. are responding to the climate change problem by making plans that assess their contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and specify actions they will take to reduce these emissions. This is the first book designed to help planners, municipal staff and officials, citizens and others working at local levels to develop Climate Action Plans. CAPs are strategic plans that establish policies and programs for mitigating a community's greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions. They typically focus on transportation, energy use, and solid waste, and often differentiate between community-wide actions and municipal agency actions. CAPs are usually based on GHG emissions inventories, which indentify the sources of emissions from the community and quantify the amounts. Additionally, many CAPs include a section addressing adaptation-how the community will respond to the impacts of climate change on the community, such as increased flooding, extended drought, or sea level rise. With examples drawn from actual plans, Local Climate Action Planning guides preparers of CAPs through the entire plan development process, identifying the key considerations and choices that must be made in order to assure that a plan is both workable and effective.

Local Governments and Climate Change

Author : Maryke van Staden
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 1402095317
Total Pages : 462 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (2 download)

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Book Synopsis Local Governments and Climate Change by : Maryke van Staden

Download or read book Local Governments and Climate Change written by Maryke van Staden and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2010-04-05 with total page 462 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Global warming is changing the world as we know it. Climate change can have catastrophic impacts in numerous cities across the world. It is time for us to react – quickly and effectively. The European Community (EC) has been leading the fight against climate change, making it one of its top priorities. We have introduced the most ambitious targets of their kind, known as the “20/20/20 by 2020” initiative within the “Climate Action and Renewable Energy Package.” As a result, European Member States have taken on a commitment to curb their CO emissions by at least 20% by 2020. 2 These targets are indeed commendable; however, they are only the start if we are to avoid the consequences of global warming. Whilst top level coordination from the European Institutions and Member State governments is vital, the role of mitigating and adapting to climate change at local level must not be forgotten. In fact, here cities, regions and their citizens play a significant a role. It is therefore vital they become directly involved in the climate change challenge. The European Commission therefore launched in 2008 a new initiative, the Covenant of Mayors, which brings together a network of European mayors in a voluntary effort to go beyond the European Union’s already ambitious targets. Half of our greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) are created in and by cities.

How to Avoid a Climate Disaster

Author : Bill Gates
Publisher : Vintage
ISBN 13 : 0385546149
Total Pages : 201 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (855 download)

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Book Synopsis How to Avoid a Climate Disaster by : Bill Gates

Download or read book How to Avoid a Climate Disaster written by Bill Gates and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2021-02-16 with total page 201 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: #1 NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • In this urgent, authoritative book, Bill Gates sets out a wide-ranging, practical—and accessible—plan for how the world can get to zero greenhouse gas emissions in time to avoid a climate catastrophe. Bill Gates has spent a decade investigating the causes and effects of climate change. With the help of experts in the fields of physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, political science, and finance, he has focused on what must be done in order to stop the planet's slide to certain environmental disaster. In this book, he not only explains why we need to work toward net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases, but also details what we need to do to achieve this profoundly important goal. He gives us a clear-eyed description of the challenges we face. Drawing on his understanding of innovation and what it takes to get new ideas into the market, he describes the areas in which technology is already helping to reduce emissions, where and how the current technology can be made to function more effectively, where breakthrough technologies are needed, and who is working on these essential innovations. Finally, he lays out a concrete, practical plan for achieving the goal of zero emissions—suggesting not only policies that governments should adopt, but what we as individuals can do to keep our government, our employers, and ourselves accountable in this crucial enterprise. As Bill Gates makes clear, achieving zero emissions will not be simple or easy to do, but if we follow the plan he sets out here, it is a goal firmly within our reach.

Climate Action Planning

Author : Michael R. Boswell
Publisher : Island Press
ISBN 13 : 1610919637
Total Pages : 382 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (19 download)

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Book Synopsis Climate Action Planning by : Michael R. Boswell

Download or read book Climate Action Planning written by Michael R. Boswell and published by Island Press. This book was released on 2019-07-16 with total page 382 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Climate change continues to impact our health and safety, the economy, and natural systems. With climate-related protections and programs under attack at the federal level, it is critical for cities to address climate impacts locally. Every day there are new examples of cities approaching the challenge of climate change in creative and innovative ways—from rethinking transportation, to greening city buildings, to protecting against sea-level rise. Climate Action Planning is designed to help planners, municipal staff and officials, citizens and others working at local levels to develop and implement plans to mitigate a community's greenhouse gas emissions and increase the resilience of communities against climate change impacts. This fully revised and expanded edition goes well beyond climate action plans to examine the mix of policy and planning instruments available to every community. Boswell, Greve, and Seale also look at process and communication: How does a community bring diverse voices to the table? What do recent examples and research tell us about successful communication strategies? Climate Action Planning brings in new examples of implemented projects to highlight what has worked and the challenges that remain. A completely new chapter on vulnerability assessment will help each community to identify their greatest risks and opportunities. Sections on land use and transportation have been expanded to reflect their growing contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. The guidance in the book is put in context of international, national, and state mandates and goals. Climate Action Planning is the most comprehensive book on the state of the art, science, and practice of local climate action planning. It should be a first stop for any local government interested in addressing climate change.

Sustainable Air Conditioning Systems

Author : Chaouki Ghenai
Publisher : BoD – Books on Demand
ISBN 13 : 1789233003
Total Pages : 152 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (892 download)

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Book Synopsis Sustainable Air Conditioning Systems by : Chaouki Ghenai

Download or read book Sustainable Air Conditioning Systems written by Chaouki Ghenai and published by BoD – Books on Demand. This book was released on 2018-06-13 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Air conditioning system is one of the major consumers of electrical energy in many parts of the world today. It represents between 40 and 70% of the energy consumption in commercial buildings. The demand of energy for air conditioning systems is expected to increase further in the next decades due to the population growth, the new economic boom, and the urbanization development. The rapid growth of air conditioning and electricity consumption will contribute further to climate change if fossil and nonrenewable resources are used. More energy-efficient and renewable energy-based air conditioning systems to accomplish space cooling are needed. This book intends to provide the reader with a comprehensive overview of the current state of the art in sustainable air conditioning technologies and focus on the most recent research and development on green air conditioning systems including energy-efficient and renewable energy-based air conditioning systems.

Drawdown

Author : Paul Hawken
Publisher : Penguin
ISBN 13 : 1524704652
Total Pages : 258 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (247 download)

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Book Synopsis Drawdown by : Paul Hawken

Download or read book Drawdown written by Paul Hawken and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2017-04-18 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: • New York Times bestseller • The 100 most substantive solutions to reverse global warming, based on meticulous research by leading scientists and policymakers around the world “At this point in time, the Drawdown book is exactly what is needed; a credible, conservative solution-by-solution narrative that we can do it. Reading it is an effective inoculation against the widespread perception of doom that humanity cannot and will not solve the climate crisis. Reported by-effects include increased determination and a sense of grounded hope.” —Per Espen Stoknes, Author, What We Think About When We Try Not To Think About Global Warming “There’s been no real way for ordinary people to get an understanding of what they can do and what impact it can have. There remains no single, comprehensive, reliable compendium of carbon-reduction solutions across sectors. At least until now. . . . The public is hungry for this kind of practical wisdom.” —David Roberts, Vox “This is the ideal environmental sciences textbook—only it is too interesting and inspiring to be called a textbook.” —Peter Kareiva, Director of the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, UCLA In the face of widespread fear and apathy, an international coalition of researchers, professionals, and scientists have come together to offer a set of realistic and bold solutions to climate change. One hundred techniques and practices are described here—some are well known; some you may have never heard of. They range from clean energy to educating girls in lower-income countries to land use practices that pull carbon out of the air. The solutions exist, are economically viable, and communities throughout the world are currently enacting them with skill and determination. If deployed collectively on a global scale over the next thirty years, they represent a credible path forward, not just to slow the earth’s warming but to reach drawdown, that point in time when greenhouse gases in the atmosphere peak and begin to decline. These measures promise cascading benefits to human health, security, prosperity, and well-being—giving us every reason to see this planetary crisis as an opportunity to create a just and livable world.

Guidelines for Community Energy Planning

Author : Hang Yu
Publisher : Springer Nature
ISBN 13 : 9811396000
Total Pages : 570 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (113 download)

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Book Synopsis Guidelines for Community Energy Planning by : Hang Yu

Download or read book Guidelines for Community Energy Planning written by Hang Yu and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2019-09-12 with total page 570 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book systematically introduces readers to the operator method, which can be used in different stages of urban planning. Energy planning should ideally be accompanied by urban planning, ranging from comprehensive planning and detailed planning, to the design of individual construction projects. This book discusses a range of methods and models for defining energy planning objectives; analyzing and predicting energy demand; assessing available energy resources; optimizing integrated energy systems; analyzing the cost-effectiveness of proposals; implementation management; and post-assessment. Part one focuses on energy planning in different urban planning stages, while part two provides detailed discussions of key issues related to energy planning.

Backcasting for a Sustainable Future

Author : Jaco Quist
Publisher : Eburon Uitgeverij B.V.
ISBN 13 : 9059721756
Total Pages : 286 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (597 download)

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Book Synopsis Backcasting for a Sustainable Future by : Jaco Quist

Download or read book Backcasting for a Sustainable Future written by Jaco Quist and published by Eburon Uitgeverij B.V.. This book was released on 2007 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Summary: "Backcasting: looking back from a desirable future. Since the 1990s sustainable futures have been explored in backcasting experiments, numerous stakeholders have been involved and first steps have been planned in line with the envisioned sustainable futures. But what is the impact of these so-called backcasting experiments ten years later? Backcasting for a Sustainable Future: The impact after 10 years is the first book that systematically investigates the follow-up and spin-off of backcasting experiments seven to ten years after completion. It presents three case studies about (1) Novel Protein Foods and meat alternatives; (2) Sustainable Households and Nutrition; and (3) Multiple Sustainable Land-use in rural areas. The cases show that participatory backcasting may, but does not automatically lead to substantial follow-up and spinoff. Using innovation and learning theories the factors that affect the emergence of follow-up and new networks are identified and discussed. This book will be of great value to all those who work on sustainable futures and system innovations, such as researchers in system innovations, sustainability and social change, as well as policy-makers, transition experts and backcasting professionals."--Publisher description.

Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation

Author : Ottmar Edenhofer
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 9781107607101
Total Pages : 1088 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (71 download)

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Book Synopsis Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation by : Ottmar Edenhofer

Download or read book Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation written by Ottmar Edenhofer and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2011-11-21 with total page 1088 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report (IPCC-SRREN) assesses the potential role of renewable energy in the mitigation of climate change. It covers the six most important renewable energy sources - bioenergy, solar, geothermal, hydropower, ocean and wind energy - as well as their integration into present and future energy systems. It considers the environmental and social consequences associated with the deployment of these technologies, and presents strategies to overcome technical as well as non-technical obstacles to their application and diffusion. SRREN brings a broad spectrum of technology-specific experts together with scientists studying energy systems as a whole. Prepared following strict IPCC procedures, it presents an impartial assessment of the current state of knowledge: it is policy relevant but not policy prescriptive. SRREN is an invaluable assessment of the potential role of renewable energy for the mitigation of climate change for policymakers, the private sector, and academic researchers.

Designing Climate Solutions

Author : Hal Harvey
Publisher : Island Press
ISBN 13 : 1610919564
Total Pages : 374 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (19 download)

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Book Synopsis Designing Climate Solutions by : Hal Harvey

Download or read book Designing Climate Solutions written by Hal Harvey and published by Island Press. This book was released on 2018-11-01 with total page 374 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With the effects of climate change already upon us, the need to cut global greenhouse gas emissions is nothing less than urgent. It’s a daunting challenge, but the technologies and strategies to meet it exist today. A small set of energy policies, designed and implemented well, can put us on the path to a low carbon future. Energy systems are large and complex, so energy policy must be focused and cost-effective. One-size-fits-all approaches simply won’t get the job done. Policymakers need a clear, comprehensive resource that outlines the energy policies that will have the biggest impact on our climate future, and describes how to design these policies well. Designing Climate Solutions: A Policy Guide for Low-Carbon Energy is the first such guide, bringing together the latest research and analysis around low carbon energy solutions. Written by Hal Harvey, CEO of the policy firm Energy Innovation, with Robbie Orvis and Jeffrey Rissman of Energy Innovation, Designing Climate Solutions is an accessible resource on lowering carbon emissions for policymakers, activists, philanthropists, and others in the climate and energy community. In Part I, the authors deliver a roadmap for understanding which countries, sectors, and sources produce the greatest amount of greenhouse gas emissions, and give readers the tools to select and design efficient policies for each of these sectors. In Part II, they break down each type of policy, from renewable portfolio standards to carbon pricing, offering key design principles and case studies where each policy has been implemented successfully. We don’t need to wait for new technologies or strategies to create a low carbon future—and we can’t afford to. Designing Climate Solutions gives professionals the tools they need to select, design, and implement the policies that can put us on the path to a livable climate future.

Energy Sprawl Solutions

Author : Joseph M. Kiesecker
Publisher : Island Press
ISBN 13 : 1610917227
Total Pages : 194 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (19 download)

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Book Synopsis Energy Sprawl Solutions by : Joseph M. Kiesecker

Download or read book Energy Sprawl Solutions written by Joseph M. Kiesecker and published by Island Press. This book was released on 2017-06-15 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the next several decades, as human populations grow, the demand for energy will soar. But renewable energy sources have a large energy sprawl--the amount of land needed to produce energy--which can threaten biodiversity. In Energy Sprawl Solutions, scientists Joseph M. Kiesecker and David Naugle provide a roadmap for preserving biodiversity despite the threats of energy sprawl. Their strategy--development by design--identifies and sets aside land where biodiversity can thrive while consolidating development in areas with lower biodiversity value. This contributed volume features case studies from countries around the world, each describing a different energy sector and the way they have successfully maximized biodiversity protection. This book provides a needed guide for elected officials, industry representatives, NGOs and community groups who have a stake in sustainable energy-development planning.

Greening Health Care

Author : Kathy Gerwig
Publisher : Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN 13 : 0199385831
Total Pages : 281 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (993 download)

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Book Synopsis Greening Health Care by : Kathy Gerwig

Download or read book Greening Health Care written by Kathy Gerwig and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2014-07-30 with total page 281 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume examines the intersections of health care and environmental health, both in terms of traditional failures and the revolution underway to fix them. Authored by one of the pioneers in health care's green movement, it presents practical solutions for health care organizations and clinicians to improve their environments and the health of their communities.

Renewable Energy Systems

Author : Henrik Lund
Publisher : Academic Press
ISBN 13 : 012409595X
Total Pages : 383 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (24 download)

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Book Synopsis Renewable Energy Systems by : Henrik Lund

Download or read book Renewable Energy Systems written by Henrik Lund and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2014-03-24 with total page 383 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this new edition of Renewable Energy Systems, globally recognized renewable energy researcher and professor, Henrik Lund, sets forth a straightforward, comprehensive methodology for comparing different energy systems' abilities to integrate fluctuating and intermittent renewable energy sources. The book does this by presenting an energy system analysis methodology. The book provides the results of more than fifteen comprehensive energy system analysis studies, examines the large-scale integration of renewable energy into the present system, and presents concrete design examples derived from a dozen renewable energy systems around the globe. Renewable Energy Systems, Second Edition also undertakes the socio-political realities governing the implementation of renewable energy systems by introducing a theoretical framework approach aimed at understanding how major technological changes, such as renewable energy, can be implemented at both the national and international levels. - Provides an introduction to the technical design of renewable energy systems - Demonstrates how to analyze the feasibility and efficiency of large-scale systems to help implementers avoid costly trial and error - Addresses the socio-political challenge of implementing the shift to renewables - Features a dozen extensive case studies from around the globe that provide real-world templates for new installations

Climate Impacts on Energy Systems

Author : Jane O. Ebinger
Publisher : World Bank Publications
ISBN 13 : 0821386980
Total Pages : 224 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (213 download)

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Book Synopsis Climate Impacts on Energy Systems by : Jane O. Ebinger

Download or read book Climate Impacts on Energy Systems written by Jane O. Ebinger and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2011 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "While the energy sector is a primary target of efforts to arrest and reverse the growth of greenhouse gas emissions and lower the carbon footprint of development, it is also expected to be increasingly affected by unavoidable climate consequences from the damage already induced in the biosphere. Energy services and resources, as well as seasonal demand, will be increasingly affected by changing trends, increasing variability, greater extremes and large inter-annual variations in climate parameters in some regions. All evidence suggests that adaptation is not an optional add-on but an essential reckoning on par with other business risks. Existing energy infrastructure, new infrastructure and future planning need to consider emerging climate conditions and impacts on design, construction, operation, and maintenance. Integrated risk-based planning processes will be critical to address the climate change impacts and harmonize actions within and across sectors. Also, awareness, knowledge, and capacity impede mainstreaming of climate adaptation into the energy sector. However, the formal knowledge base is still nascent?information needs are complex and to a certain extent regionally and sector specific. This report provides an up-to-date compendium of what is known about weather variability and projected climate trends and their impacts on energy service provision and demand. It discusses emerging practices and tools for managing these impacts and integrating climate considerations into planning processes and operational practices in an environment of uncertainty. It focuses on energy sector adaptation, rather than mitigation which is not discussed in this report. This report draws largely on available scientific and peer-reviewed literature in the public domain and takes the perspective of the developing world to the extent possible."

Review of the Draft Fourth National Climate Assessment

Author : National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309471699
Total Pages : 207 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (94 download)

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Book Synopsis Review of the Draft Fourth National Climate Assessment by : National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Download or read book Review of the Draft Fourth National Climate Assessment written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2018-06-18 with total page 207 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Climate change poses many challenges that affect society and the natural world. With these challenges, however, come opportunities to respond. By taking steps to adapt to and mitigate climate change, the risks to society and the impacts of continued climate change can be lessened. The National Climate Assessment, coordinated by the U.S. Global Change Research Program, is a mandated report intended to inform response decisions. Required to be developed every four years, these reports provide the most comprehensive and up-to-date evaluation of climate change impacts available for the United States, making them a unique and important climate change document. The draft Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4) report reviewed here addresses a wide range of topics of high importance to the United States and society more broadly, extending from human health and community well-being, to the built environment, to businesses and economies, to ecosystems and natural resources. This report evaluates the draft NCA4 to determine if it meets the requirements of the federal mandate, whether it provides accurate information grounded in the scientific literature, and whether it effectively communicates climate science, impacts, and responses for general audiences including the public, decision makers, and other stakeholders.

Decarbonizing Development

Author : Marianne Fay
Publisher : World Bank Publications
ISBN 13 : 1464806063
Total Pages : 185 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (648 download)

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Book Synopsis Decarbonizing Development by : Marianne Fay

Download or read book Decarbonizing Development written by Marianne Fay and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2015-06-09 with total page 185 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The science is unequivocal: stabilizing climate change implies bringing net carbon emissions to zero. This must be done by 2100 if we are to keep climate change anywhere near the 2oC warming that world leaders have set as the maximum acceptable limit. Decarbonizing Development: Three Steps to a Zero-Carbon Future looks at what it would take to decarbonize the world economy by 2100 in a way that is compatible with countries' broader development goals. Here is what needs to be done: -Act early with an eye on the end-goal. To best achieve a given reduction in emissions in 2030 depends on whether this is the final target or a step towards zero net emissions. -Go beyond prices with a policy package that triggers changes in investment patterns, technologies and behaviors. Carbon pricing is necessary for an efficient transition toward decarbonization. It is an efficient way to raise revenue, which can be used to support poverty reduction or reduce other taxes. Policymakers need to adopt measures that trigger the required changes in investment patterns, behaviors, and technologies - and if carbon pricing is temporarily impossible, use these measures as a substitute. -Mind the political economy and smooth the transition for those who stand to be most affected. Reforms live or die based on the political economy. A climate policy package must be attractive to a majority of voters and avoid impacts that appear unfair or are concentrated on a region, sector or community. Reforms have to smooth the transition for those who stand to be affected, by protecting vulnerable people but also sometimes compensating powerful lobbies.

Sustainable Fossil Fuels

Author : Mark Jaccard
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 9781139449052
Total Pages : 408 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (49 download)

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Book Synopsis Sustainable Fossil Fuels by : Mark Jaccard

Download or read book Sustainable Fossil Fuels written by Mark Jaccard and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2006-01-16 with total page 408 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: More and more people believe we must quickly wean ourselves from fossil fuels - oil, natural gas and coal - to save the planet from environmental catastrophe, wars and economic collapse. In this 2006 book, Professor Jaccard argues that this view is misguided. We have the technological capability to use fossil fuels without emitting climate-threatening greenhouse gases or other pollutants. The transition from conventional oil and gas to their unconventional sources including coal for producing electricity, hydrogen and cleaner-burning fuels will decrease energy dependence on politically unstable regions. In addition, our vast fossil fuel resources will be the cheapest source of clean energy for the next century and perhaps longer, which is critical for the economic and social development of the world's poorer countries. By buying time for increasing energy efficiency, developing renewable energy technologies and making nuclear power more attractive, fossil fuels will play a key role in humanity's quest for a sustainable energy system.