In 1984, when this book was originally published the need to take forestry outside the forests and involve local people in tree growing was widely recognised. Projects to encourage farm and community forestry were launched in over 50 developing countries. This book describes the main approaches which were taken, discussing their scope and limitation. It examines the reasons why people plant trees, and the constraints which prevent them from doing so. It analyses supply and demand systems f...

Originally published in 1984, Stoves and Trees asks whether better stoves really help the two billion people in the developing world who rely on wood and charcoal for cooking and heating their homes. It also asks if improved stoves actually save fuel and if they can help slow down tropical deforestation. The book not only examines newer stoves but also ascertains how people buy, collect and use wood in the developing world. It finds that most forests are cleared for timber or farm...

Originally published in 1986, this book provides a detailed examination of programmes to introduce improved charcoal making techniques throughout the developing world. Charcoal making is widely regarded as an extremely wasteful use of scarce wood resources. The book includes a section on the physics and chemistry of charcoal and descriptions of the various traditional methods of charcoal making. Patterns of charcoal supply and distribution are analysed and efforts to introduce improved cha...

Nuclear or Not? Choice for Our Energy Future documents the proceedings of a Royal Institution Forum held in October 1978. The Forum brought together the Friends of the Earth and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority to discuss their opposing views concerning energy policy and nuclear power in the UK. The volume begins by presenting the opening address given by Dr John Cunningham, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the UK Department of Energy, where he emphasized the Government'...

The promise of "green jobs" and a "clean energy future" has roused the masses. But as Robert Bryce makes clear in this provocative book, that vision needs a major re-vision. We cannot -- and will not -- quit using carbon-based fuels at any time in the near future for a simple reason: they provide the horsepower that we crave. The hard reality is that oil, coal, and natural gas are here to stay.Fueling our society requires more than sentiment and rhetoric; we need to make good decis...

The Burning Question reveals climate change to be the most fascinating scientific, political and social puzzle in history. It shows that carbon emissions are still accelerating upwards, following an exponential curve that goes back centuries. One reason is that saving energy is like squeezing a balloon: reductions in one place lead to increases elsewhere. Another reason is that clean energy sources don't in themselves slow the rate of fossil fuel extraction.Tackling global...

Climatologist Gavin Cooke takes a comprehensive and detailed look at global warming and the 'Big Freeze' of 2010 to explain how Britain will freeze before it fries.Gavin Cooke takes a look at climate patterns, including the bad winters of years gone by, to predict what lies ahead for Britain as the warm weather of the Gulf Stream is bypassed by the weather fronts as they approach the UK from Siberia. There was no 'barbeque summer' in 2009 and no mild winter. The big freeze of 2009/10, the ...

One cubic mile of oil (CMO) corresponds very closely to the world's current total annual consumption of crude oil. The world's total annual energy consumption - from all energy sources- is currently 3.0 CMO. By the middle of this century the world will need between 6 and 9 CMO of energy per year to provide for its citizens. Adequate energy is needed remove the scourge of poverty and provide food, clothing, and shelter for the people around the world, and more will be needed for measures to...

How will the world be powered in ten years' time? Not by fossil fuels. Energy experts are all saying the same thing: solar photovoltaics (PV) is our future. Reports from universities, investment banks, international institutions and large investors agree. It's not about whether the switch from fossil fuels to solar power will happen, but when.Solar panels are being made that will last longer than ever hoped; investors are seeing the benefits of the long-term rewards provide...

Investing in Renewable Energy puts the depletion of finite resources such as oil, natural gas, and coal in perspective, and discusses how renewable energy solutions–from solar and wind to geothermal and biofuels–will usher in a new generation of wealth for investors and a new way of life for everyone. With this book, you'll discover various renewable energy technologies that are at the forefront of transitioning our energy economy, and learn how to profit from next-generation rene...

In October 2006, Nicholas Stern, one of the greatest economists and public intellectuals of our day, made headlines around the world with his report, which reviewed the costs and benefits of dealing with global warming. The world's community has learned that it must act to mitigate global climate change, but until the Stern Review, no one knew how much it would cost, and how to do it.Now, Stern has transformed his report into a powerful narrative book for general readers. The G...

Under one cover, Frank P. Incropera provides a comprehensive, objective and critical assessment of all issues germane to the climate change debate: science, technology options, economic ramifications, cultural and behavioural issues, the influence of special interests and public policy, geopolitics and ethical dimensions. The underlying science is treated in depth, but in an approachable and accessible manner. A strong case is made for the reality of anthropogenic climate change, while con...