Engineering Response To Global Climate Change

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Engineering Response to Climate Change, Second Edition

Author : Robert G. Watts
Publisher : CRC Press
ISBN 13 : 1439888469
Total Pages : 523 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (398 download)

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Book Synopsis Engineering Response to Climate Change, Second Edition by : Robert G. Watts

Download or read book Engineering Response to Climate Change, Second Edition written by Robert G. Watts and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2013-03-22 with total page 523 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A clear, concise discussion of today’s hottest topics in climate change, including adapting to climate change and geo-engineering to mitigate the effects of change, Engineering Response to Climate Change, Second Edition takes on the tough questions of what to do and offers real solutions to the practical problems caused by radical changes in the Earth’s climate. From energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions reduction, to climate-altering technologies, this new edition explores the latest concerns such as acidification of the ocean, energy efficiency, transportation, space solar power, and future and emerging possibilities. The editors set the stage by discussing the separate issues of the emissions of radiatively important atmospheric constituents, energy demand, energy supply, agriculture, water resources, coastal hazards, adaption strategies, and geo-engineering. They explain the difference between the natural and human drivers of climate change and describe how humans have influenced the global climate during past decades. Each chapter concludes with discussion questions, calculations, and possible research topics. See What’s in the Second Edition: New conceptual tools and research necessary for problems associated with fossil fuels Cutting-edge topics such as adaption and geo-engineering The latest concerns such as acidification of the ocean, energy efficiency, transportation, and space solar power Solutions to problems caused by changes in the Earth’s climate So much has changed in the 15 years since the publication of the first edition, that this is, in effect, a completely new book. However, the general theme is the same: the climate energy problem has become largely an engineering problem. With this in mind, the book explores what engineers can do to prevent, mitigate, or adapt to climate change.

Engineering Response to Global Climate Change

Author : Robert G. Watts
Publisher : CRC Press
ISBN 13 : 9781566702348
Total Pages : 512 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (23 download)

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Book Synopsis Engineering Response to Global Climate Change by : Robert G. Watts

Download or read book Engineering Response to Global Climate Change written by Robert G. Watts and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 1997-07-30 with total page 512 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book goes beyond the analysis offered by typical works on this subject to propose real solutions to problems caused by changes in the earth's climate. From new ways to cut energy consumption and reduce carbon dioxide emissions to discussions of the possibilities of sea walls and climate-altering technologies, Engineering Response to Global Climate Change presents new conceptual tools and suggests research necessary for correcting and alleviating problems caused by global warming. Engineers are just now being asked to consider the problems of climate change and the possible technological responses. This complete reference covers the whole range of potential impacts of climate change and their engineering solutions. Of special interest is the chapter on geoengineering, which suggests how engineers may someday be able to intervene in planetary processes to reduce the effects of global warming. Edited by a regional director of the National Institute for Global Environmental Change and offering the collective expertise of a team of expert authors, each renowned in his or her field, this book offers thorough coverage of this important topic from an engineering and technology perspective.

Environmental Engineering for the 21st Century

Author : National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309476550
Total Pages : 125 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (94 download)

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Book Synopsis Environmental Engineering for the 21st Century by : National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Download or read book Environmental Engineering for the 21st Century written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2019-03-08 with total page 125 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Environmental engineers support the well-being of people and the planet in areas where the two intersect. Over the decades the field has improved countless lives through innovative systems for delivering water, treating waste, and preventing and remediating pollution in air, water, and soil. These achievements are a testament to the multidisciplinary, pragmatic, systems-oriented approach that characterizes environmental engineering. Environmental Engineering for the 21st Century: Addressing Grand Challenges outlines the crucial role for environmental engineers in this period of dramatic growth and change. The report identifies five pressing challenges of the 21st century that environmental engineers are uniquely poised to help advance: sustainably supply food, water, and energy; curb climate change and adapt to its impacts; design a future without pollution and waste; create efficient, healthy, resilient cities; and foster informed decisions and actions.

A Case for Climate Engineering

Author : David Keith
Publisher : MIT Press
ISBN 13 : 0262019825
Total Pages : 224 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (62 download)

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Book Synopsis A Case for Climate Engineering by : David Keith

Download or read book A Case for Climate Engineering written by David Keith and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2013-09-20 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A leading scientist argues that we must consider deploying climate engineering technology to slow the pace of global warming. Climate engineering—which could slow the pace of global warming by injecting reflective particles into the upper atmosphere—has emerged in recent years as an extremely controversial technology. And for good reason: it carries unknown risks and it may undermine commitments to conserving energy. Some critics also view it as an immoral human breach of the natural world. The latter objection, David Keith argues in A Scientist's Case for Climate Engineering, is groundless; we have been using technology to alter our environment for years. But he agrees that there are large issues at stake. A leading scientist long concerned about climate change, Keith offers no naïve proposal for an easy fix to what is perhaps the most challenging question of our time; climate engineering is no silver bullet. But he argues that after decades during which very little progress has been made in reducing carbon emissions we must put this technology on the table and consider it responsibly. That doesn't mean we will deploy it, and it doesn't mean that we can abandon efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But we must understand fully what research needs to be done and how the technology might be designed and used. This book provides a clear and accessible overview of what the costs and risks might be, and how climate engineering might fit into a larger program for managing climate change.

Climate Engineering

Author : U. s. Government Accountability Office
Publisher : CreateSpace
ISBN 13 : 9781478106203
Total Pages : 134 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (62 download)

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Book Synopsis Climate Engineering by : U. s. Government Accountability Office

Download or read book Climate Engineering written by U. s. Government Accountability Office and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2012-06-21 with total page 134 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: GAO-11-71. Reports of rising global temperatures have raised questions about responses to climate change, including efforts to (1) reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, (2) adapt to climate change, and (3) design and develop climate engineering technologies for deliberate, large-scale intervention in Earth's climate. Reporting earlier that the nation lacks a coordinated climate-change strategy that includes climate engineering, GAO now assesses climate engineering technologies, focusing on their technical status, future directions for research on them, and potential responses. To perform this technology assessment, GAO reviewed the peer-reviewed scientific literature and government reports, consulted experts with a wide variety of backgrounds and viewpoints, and surveyed 1,006 adults across the United States. Experts convened with the assistance of the National Academy of Sciences advised GAO, and several reviewed a draft of this report. GAO incorporated their technical and other comments in the final report as appropriate. Climate engineering technologies do not now offer a viable response to global climate change. Experts advocating research to develop and evaluate the technologies believe that research on these technologies is urgently needed or would provide an insurance policy against worst case climate scenarios--but caution that the misuse of research could bring new risks. Government reports and the literature suggest that research progress will require not only technology studies but also efforts to improve climate models and data. The technologies being proposed have been categorized as carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and solar radiation management (SRM). CDR would reduce the atmospheric concentration of CO2, allowing more heat to escape and thus cooling the Earth. For example, proposed CDR technologies include enhancing the uptake of CO2 in oceans and forests and capturing CO2 from air chemically for storage underground. SRM technologies would place reflective material in space or in Earth's atmosphere to scatter or reflect sunlight (for example, by injecting sulfate aerosols into the stratosphere to scatter incoming solar radiation or brightening clouds) or would increase the planet's reflectivity (for example, by painting roofs and pavements in light colors). GAO found these technologies currently immature, many with potentially negative consequences. Some studies say, for example, that stratospheric aerosols might greatly reduce summer precipitation in places such as India and northern China. Many experts advocated research because of its potential benefits but also recognized its risks. For example, a country might unilaterally deploy a technology with a transboundary effect. Research advocates emphasized the need for risk management, envisioning a federal research effort that would (1) focus internationally on transparency and cooperation, given transboundary effects; (2) enable the public and national leaders to consider issues before they become crises; and (3) anticipate opportunities and risks. A small number of those we consulted opposed research; they anticipated major technology risks or limited future climate change. Based on GAO's survey, a majority of U.S. adults are not familiar with climate engineering. When given information on the technologies, they tend to be open to research but concerned about safety.~

How Culture Shapes the Climate Change Debate

Author : Andrew J. Hoffman
Publisher : Stanford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0804795053
Total Pages : 120 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (47 download)

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Book Synopsis How Culture Shapes the Climate Change Debate by : Andrew J. Hoffman

Download or read book How Culture Shapes the Climate Change Debate written by Andrew J. Hoffman and published by Stanford University Press. This book was released on 2015-03-11 with total page 120 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Though the scientific community largely agrees that climate change is underway, debates about this issue remain fiercely polarized. These conversations have become a rhetorical contest, one where opposing sides try to achieve victory through playing on fear, distrust, and intolerance. At its heart, this split no longer concerns carbon dioxide, greenhouse gases, or climate modeling; rather, it is the product of contrasting, deeply entrenched worldviews. This brief examines what causes people to reject or accept the scientific consensus on climate change. Synthesizing evidence from sociology, psychology, and political science, Andrew J. Hoffman lays bare the opposing cultural lenses through which science is interpreted. He then extracts lessons from major cultural shifts in the past to engender a better understanding of the problem and motivate the public to take action. How Culture Shapes the Climate Change Debate makes a powerful case for a more scientifically literate public, a more socially engaged scientific community, and a more thoughtful mode of public discourse.

Informing an Effective Response to Climate Change

Author : National Research Council
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309145945
Total Pages : 346 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (91 download)

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Book Synopsis Informing an Effective Response to Climate Change by : National Research Council

Download or read book Informing an Effective Response to Climate Change written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2011-01-07 with total page 346 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Global climate change is one of America's most significant long-term policy challenges. Human activity-especially the use of fossil fuels, industrial processes, livestock production, waste disposal, and land use change-is affecting global average temperatures, snow and ice cover, sea-level, ocean acidity, growing seasons and precipitation patterns, ecosystems, and human health. Climate-related decisions are being carried out by almost every agency of the federal government, as well as many state and local government leaders and agencies, businesses and individual citizens. Decision makers must contend with the availability and quality of information, the efficacy of proposed solutions, the unanticipated consequences resulting from decisions, the challenge of implementing chosen actions, and must consider how to sustain the action over time and respond to new information. Informing an Effective Response to Climate Change, a volume in the America's Climate Choices series, describes and assesses different activities, products, strategies, and tools for informing decision makers about climate change and helping them plan and execute effective, integrated responses. It discusses who is making decisions (on the local, state, and national levels), who should be providing information to make decisions, and how that information should be provided. It covers all levels of decision making, including international, state, and individual decision making. While most existing research has focused on the physical aspect of climate change, Informing an Effective Response to Climate Change employs theory and case study to describe the efforts undertaken so far, and to guide the development of future decision-making resources. Informing an Effective Response to Climate Change offers much-needed guidance to those creating public policy and assists in implementing that policy. The information presented in this book will be invaluable to the research community, especially social scientists studying climate change; practitioners of decision-making assistance, including advocacy organizations, non-profits, and government agencies; and college-level teachers and students.

Can Science Fix Climate Change?

Author : Mike Hulme
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 0745685269
Total Pages : 144 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (456 download)

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Book Synopsis Can Science Fix Climate Change? by : Mike Hulme

Download or read book Can Science Fix Climate Change? written by Mike Hulme and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2014-06-04 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Climate change seems to be an insurmountable problem. Political solutions have so far had little impact. Some scientists are now advocating the so-called ‘Plan B’, a more direct way of reducing the rate of future warming by reflecting more sunlight back to space, creating a thermostat in the sky. In this book, Mike Hulme argues against this kind of hubristic techno-fix. Drawing upon a distinguished career studying the science, politics and ethics of climate change, he shows why using science to fix the global climate is undesirable, ungovernable and unattainable. Science and technology should instead serve the more pragmatic goals of increasing societal resilience to weather risks, improving regional air quality and driving forward an energy technology transition. Seeking to reset the planet’s thermostat is not the answer. Climate change seems to be an insurmountable problem. Political solutions have so far had little impact. Some scientists are now advocating the so-called ‘Plan B’, a more direct way of reducing the rate of future warming by reflecting more sunlight back to space, creating a thermostat in the sky. In this book, Mike Hulme argues against this kind of hubristic techno-fix. Drawing upon a distinguished career studying the science, politics and ethics of climate change, he shows why using science to fix the global climate is undesirable, ungovernable and unattainable. Science and technology should instead serve the more pragmatic goals of increasing societal resilience to weather risks, improving regional air quality and driving forward an energy technology transition. Seeking to reset the planet’s thermostat is not the answer.

Engineering Strategies for Global Climate Change

Author : American Society of Civil Engineers
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9780784409978
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (99 download)

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Book Synopsis Engineering Strategies for Global Climate Change by : American Society of Civil Engineers

Download or read book Engineering Strategies for Global Climate Change written by American Society of Civil Engineers and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Civil and environmental engineers will play a key role in responding to many of the projected impacts of global climate change, including impacts to water supply from drought, changing storm patterns and severity, and the potential for increased flooding due to sea level rise and rainfall patterns. As leaders responsible for the public's physical well-being in terms of the performance of infrastructure, civil engineers need to consider and debate these issues and prepare for the future now.The American Society of Civil Engineers has published a 73-page special issue of Leadership and Management in Engineering (July 2008) entitled Engineering Strategies for Global Climate Change. In this collection of feature articles, several writers present visions of the future for which the engineering profession needs to further respond and act.Topics include: Power Generation; Building Design; State Climate Change Action Plans; Storms, Flooding and Coastal Dikes; Droughts and the Water Supply; Land Use Implications; And, No-Regrets Technologies.

Climate Intervention

Author : National Research Council
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309314852
Total Pages : 276 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (93 download)

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Book Synopsis Climate Intervention by : National Research Council

Download or read book Climate Intervention written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2015-06-23 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The growing problem of changing environmental conditions caused by climate destabilization is well recognized as one of the defining issues of our time. The root problem is greenhouse gas emissions, and the fundamental solution is curbing those emissions. Climate geoengineering has often been considered to be a "last-ditch" response to climate change, to be used only if climate change damage should produce extreme hardship. Although the likelihood of eventually needing to resort to these efforts grows with every year of inaction on emissions control, there is a lack of information on these ways of potentially intervening in the climate system. As one of a two-book report, this volume of Climate Intervention discusses albedo modification - changing the fraction of incoming solar radiation that reaches the surface. This approach would deliberately modify the energy budget of Earth to produce a cooling designed to compensate for some of the effects of warming associated with greenhouse gas increases. The prospect of large-scale albedo modification raises political and governance issues at national and global levels, as well as ethical concerns. Climate Intervention: Reflecting Sunlight to Cool Earth discusses some of the social, political, and legal issues surrounding these proposed techniques. It is far easier to modify Earth's albedo than to determine whether it should be done or what the consequences might be of such an action. One serious concern is that such an action could be unilaterally undertaken by a small nation or smaller entity for its own benefit without international sanction and regardless of international consequences. Transparency in discussing this subject is critical. In the spirit of that transparency, Climate Intervention: Reflecting Sunlight to Cool Earth was based on peer-reviewed literature and the judgments of the authoring committee; no new research was done as part of this study and all data and information used are from entirely open sources. By helping to bring light to this topic area, this book will help leaders to be far more knowledgeable about the consequences of albedo modification approaches before they face a decision whether or not to use them.

Engineering Response to Climate Change

Author : Robert G. Watts
Publisher : CRC Press
ISBN 13 : 1439888477
Total Pages : 520 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (398 download)

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Book Synopsis Engineering Response to Climate Change by : Robert G. Watts

Download or read book Engineering Response to Climate Change written by Robert G. Watts and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2013-03-22 with total page 520 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A clear, concise discussion of today's hottest topics in climate change, including adapting to climate change and geo-engineering to mitigate the effects of change, Engineering Response to Climate Change, Second Edition takes on the tough questions of what to do and offers real solutions to the practical problems caused by radical changes in the Ea

Climate Adaptation Engineering

Author : Emilio Bastidas-Arteaga
Publisher : Butterworth-Heinemann
ISBN 13 : 0128168404
Total Pages : 387 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (281 download)

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Book Synopsis Climate Adaptation Engineering by : Emilio Bastidas-Arteaga

Download or read book Climate Adaptation Engineering written by Emilio Bastidas-Arteaga and published by Butterworth-Heinemann. This book was released on 2019-03-16 with total page 387 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Climate Adaptation Engineering defines the measures taken to reduce vulnerability and increase the resiliency of built infrastructure. This includes enhancement of design standards, structural strengthening, utilisation of new materials, and changes to inspection and maintenance regimes, etc. The book examines the known effects and relationships of climate change variables on infrastructure and risk-management policies. Rich with case studies, this resource will enable engineers to develop a long-term, self-sustained assessment capacity and more effective risk-management strategies. The book's authors also take a long-term view, dealing with several aspects of climate change. The text has been written in a style accessible to technical and non-technical readers with a focus on practical decision outcomes. Provides climate scenarios and their likelihoods, hazard modelling (wind, flood, heatwaves, etc.), infrastructure vulnerability, resilience or exposure (likelihood and extent of damage) Introduces the key concepts needed to assess the risks, costs and benefits of future proofing infrastructures in a changing climate Includes case studies authored by experts from around the world

A Case for Climate Engineering

Author : David Keith
Publisher : MIT Press
ISBN 13 : 0262317796
Total Pages : 224 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (623 download)

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Book Synopsis A Case for Climate Engineering by : David Keith

Download or read book A Case for Climate Engineering written by David Keith and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2013-10-04 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A leading scientist argues that we must consider deploying climate engineering technology to slow the pace of global warming. Climate engineering—which could slow the pace of global warming by injecting reflective particles into the upper atmosphere—has emerged in recent years as an extremely controversial technology. And for good reason: it carries unknown risks and it may undermine commitments to conserving energy. Some critics also view it as an immoral human breach of the natural world. The latter objection, David Keith argues in A Scientist's Case for Climate Engineering, is groundless; we have been using technology to alter our environment for years. But he agrees that there are large issues at stake. A leading scientist long concerned about climate change, Keith offers no naïve proposal for an easy fix to what is perhaps the most challenging question of our time; climate engineering is no silver bullet. But he argues that after decades during which very little progress has been made in reducing carbon emissions we must put this technology on the table and consider it responsibly. That doesn't mean we will deploy it, and it doesn't mean that we can abandon efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But we must understand fully what research needs to be done and how the technology might be designed and used. This book provides a clear and accessible overview of what the costs and risks might be, and how climate engineering might fit into a larger program for managing climate change.

Climate Intervention

Author : National Research Council
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309305322
Total Pages : 154 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (93 download)

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Book Synopsis Climate Intervention by : National Research Council

Download or read book Climate Intervention written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2015-06-17 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The signals are everywhere that our planet is experiencing significant climate change. It is clear that we need to reduce the emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from our atmosphere if we want to avoid greatly increased risk of damage from climate change. Aggressively pursuing a program of emissions abatement or mitigation will show results over a timescale of many decades. How do we actively remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to make a bigger difference more quickly? As one of a two-book report, this volume of Climate Intervention discusses CDR, the carbon dioxide removal of greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere and sequestration of it in perpetuity. Climate Intervention: Carbon Dioxide Removal and Reliable Sequestration introduces possible CDR approaches and then discusses them in depth. Land management practices, such as low-till agriculture, reforestation and afforestation, ocean iron fertilization, and land-and-ocean-based accelerated weathering, could amplify the rates of processes that are already occurring as part of the natural carbon cycle. Other CDR approaches, such as bioenergy with carbon capture and sequestration, direct air capture and sequestration, and traditional carbon capture and sequestration, seek to capture CO2 from the atmosphere and dispose of it by pumping it underground at high pressure. This book looks at the pros and cons of these options and estimates possible rates of removal and total amounts that might be removed via these methods. With whatever portfolio of technologies the transition is achieved, eliminating the carbon dioxide emissions from the global energy and transportation systems will pose an enormous technical, economic, and social challenge that will likely take decades of concerted effort to achieve. Climate Intervention: Carbon Dioxide Removal and Reliable Sequestration will help to better understand the potential cost and performance of CDR strategies to inform debate and decision making as we work to stabilize and reduce atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide.

Transition Engineering

Author : Susan Krumdieck
Publisher : CRC Press
ISBN 13 : 1000692213
Total Pages : 255 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (6 download)

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Book Synopsis Transition Engineering by : Susan Krumdieck

Download or read book Transition Engineering written by Susan Krumdieck and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2019-09-19 with total page 255 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Transition Engineering: Building a Sustainable Future examines new strategies emerging in response to the mega-issues of global climate change, decline in world oil supply, scarcity of key industrial minerals, and local environmental constraints. These issues pose challenges for organizations, businesses, and communities, and engineers will need to begin developing ideas and projects to implement the transition of engineered systems. This work presents a methodology for shifting away from unsustainable activities. Teaching the Transition Engineering approach and methodology is the focus of the text, and the concept is presented in a way that engineers can begin applying it in their work.

Climate Geoengineering: Science, Law and Governance

Author : Wil Burns
Publisher : Springer Nature
ISBN 13 : 3030723720
Total Pages : 261 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (37 download)

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Book Synopsis Climate Geoengineering: Science, Law and Governance by : Wil Burns

Download or read book Climate Geoengineering: Science, Law and Governance written by Wil Burns and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-11-05 with total page 261 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The sobering reality of the disconnect between the resolve of the world community to effectively address climate change, and what actually needs to be done, has led to increasing impetus for consideration of a suite of approaches collectively known as “climate geoengineering,” or “climate engineering.” Indeed, the feckless response of the world community to climate change has transformed climate geoengineering from a fringe concept to a potentially mainstream policy option within the past decade. This volume will explore scientific, political and legal issues associated with the emerging field of climate geoengineering. The volume encompasses perspectives on both of the major categories of climate geoengineering approaches, carbon dioxide removal and solar radiation management.

Global Warming and the Future of the Earth

Author : Robert G. Watts
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 9783031794162
Total Pages : 113 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (941 download)

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Book Synopsis Global Warming and the Future of the Earth by : Robert G. Watts

Download or read book Global Warming and the Future of the Earth written by Robert G. Watts and published by Springer. This book was released on 2007-12-31 with total page 113 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The globally averaged surface temperature of the Earth has increased during the past century by about 0.7°C. Most of the increase can be attributed to the greenhouse effect, the increase in the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide that is emitted when fossil fuels are burned to produce energy.The book begins with the important distinction between weather and climate, followed by data showing how carbon dioxide has increased and the incontrovertible evidence that it is caused by burning fossil fuels (i.e., coal, oil, and natural gas). I also address the inevitable skepticism that global warming arouses and offer a number of responses to the global warming skeptics. After dealing with the skeptics, I analyze both the current and future effects of global warming. These future effects are based on scenarios or “storylines” put forth by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis. In closing, I address the controversial (and grim) suggestion that we have already passed the “tipping point,” which is the time after which, regardless of our future actions, global warming will cause considerable hardship on human society. I intend this book to be approachable for all concerned citizens, but especially students of the sciences and engineering who will soon be in a position to make a difference in the areas of energy and the environment. I have tried to frame the debate in terms of what the engineering community must do to help combat global warming. We have no choice but to think in terms of global environmental constraints as we design new power plants, factories, automobiles, buildings, and homes. The best thing for scientists to do is to present what we know, clearly separating what is known from what is suspected, in a non-apocalyptic manner. If matters are clearly and passionately presented to the public, we must be prepared to accept the will of the people. This presents the scientific community with an enormous responsibility, perhaps unlike any we have had in the past. Contents: Weather and Climate (and a Little History) / Are the Concentrations of Greenhouse Gases in the Atmosphere Increasing? / The Greenhouse Effect and the Evidence of Global Warming / The Skeptics: Are Their Doubts Scientifically Valid / Impacts: The ""So What"" Question / The Bottom Line