The Low-Carbon Contradiction

The Low-Carbon Contradiction PDF

Author: Gustav Cederlof

Publisher: Univ of California Press

Published: 2023

Total Pages: 259

ISBN-13: 0520393139

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

"In the pursuit of socialism, Cuba became Latin America's most oil dependent economy. When the Soviet Union collapsed, the country lost 86 percent of its crude oil supplies, resulting in a severe energy crisis. In the face of this shock, Cuba started to develop a low-carbon economy on the basis of economic and social reform rather than high-tech innovation. The Low Carbon Contradiction examines this period of rapid low-carbon energy transition, which many have described as a "Cuban miracle" or even a real-life case of successful "degrowth". Based on original research inside households and workplaces, universities and government offices, Gustav Cederlöf retells the history of the Cuban Revolution as one of profound environmental and infrastructural change. In doing so, he opens up new questions about energy transitions, their politics, and the conditions of a socially just low-carbon future. The Cuban experience shows how a society can transform itself while rapidly cutting carbon emissions in the search for sustainability"--

A New Path

A New Path PDF

Author: Shaojun Zeng

Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG

Published: 2023-08-21

Total Pages: 362

ISBN-13: 3111040062

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

In September 2020, China announced that it would peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2060. How and whether it can achieve the target is a matter of great concern to the international community. This is the first book to provide a comprehensive analysis of the underlying theory of "Low-Carbon Plus", in which "low carbon" is the core and "plus" represents the critical areas that will go through low-carbon transformation (including industry, agriculture, buildings, transportation, energy and consumption), and puts forward the most practical path for China to achieve carbon neutrality. Starting from the basic theory of the Low-Carbon Plus strategy, the book introduces the low-carbon development situation domestically and abroad, summarizes the essential experiences and inspirations, and outlines a roadmap for China to implement the strategy. While focusing on emission reduction in primary and secondary industries, this book strongly recommends the development of low-carbon finance and low-carbon consumption, which can facilitate the ultimate realization of the Low-Carbon Plus strategy. As a fruitful result of the research by China’s national think tank, Low-Carbon Plus is an emerging development model that complements economic development and forces technological innovation, institutional innovation, and mind shift, and it is expected to have a significant and far-reaching impact on global economic growth.

International Comparative Perspectives on the Treatment of “Urban Diseases”

International Comparative Perspectives on the Treatment of “Urban Diseases” PDF

Author: Lu Xiaocheng

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2022-03-30

Total Pages: 336

ISBN-13: 1000566390

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

With an integration of theories, comparative and empirical studies, this book aims to find a treatment for Beijing’s “urban diseases” and coordinate a low-carbon development plan for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region in China. Unprecedented industrialization and unconventional urbanization caused a series of “urban diseases” for developing cities across the globe. By summarizing and exploring the evolution and phased characteristics of “urban diseases”, the author implements theories across classical sociology, human ecology, community school, and low-carbon city as the base for policy recommendations. This book also provides in-depth examinations and comparative studies of other metropolises’ experiences in controlling “urban diseases”. Cities such as New York, London, and Tokyo were modeled to propose the most appropriate low-carbon development plan for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. With a focus on developing cities in Northern China, this book will be a great read to all scholars and students of environmental studies, development studies, urban studies, and contemporary China studies. It will also be a great addition for those who are interested in social conflicts and economic development.

Discovering Political Ecology

Discovering Political Ecology PDF

Author: Gustav Cederlöf

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Published: 2023-09-18

Total Pages: 290

ISBN-13: 1000956032

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Political ecology is one of the most vibrant fields of environmental research. This book introduces political ecology to a new generation of students in a daring new way: as an interdisciplinary approach to environmental research but also as a series of lived realities and a praxis for change. The origins of political ecology are often traced through an Anglo-American canon. In Discovering Political Ecology, Gustav Cederlöf and Alex Loftus instead take up the challenge of presenting the key conversations and the diverse traditions that have shaped this field with attention to its extensive international roots. Inspired by voices and research in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas, the authors address the concerns of those who from different social backgrounds have grown up in a world shaped by climate change and increasing environmental inequalities. Engaging and accessible in style, Discovering Political Ecology introduces a set of key concepts around which conversations in political ecology coalesce. It also shows how these concepts allow you to make sense of some of the most pressing issues of our time—issues around water, energy, agriculture, forestry, climate change and environmental justice. Each chapter includes learning outcomes and suggested further readings, extensive bibliographies and seminar activities to be used by students and educators. At the cutting edge of the field, the book will be of interest to those in all disciplines brought together in political ecology, including but not limited to anthropology, development studies, ecology, geography, history and political science.

Low-carbon Energy Controversies

Low-carbon Energy Controversies PDF

Author: Thomas Roberts

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2013

Total Pages: 290

ISBN-13: 0415502624

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Governments, big business and communities are coming under increased pressure to develop low carbon energy supply technologies. However, public opposition to the development of the siting and implementation of the technology associated infrastructure often complicates progress. This is sometimes labelled the 'not in my backyard' or NIMBY attitude - an unhelpful tag as conflicts over new development between governments, local authorities, business and communities are generally far more complex than NIMBY theory implies. Furthermore, within the context of the climate change debate a delicate balance has to be reached between local environmental protection and our need for reliable low carbon energy. This comprehensive book builds on over 10 years of research conducted by the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research and uses a range of case studies from carbon capture and storage to on-shore wind farms to explore the complex nature of disputes between a wide variety of stakeholder groups. Topics covered include the importance of context, the relationship between risk and trust, sense of place and the role of the media. An invaluable resource for researchers and readers in local or national government, industry or community groups who wish to deepen their understanding of controversy around low carbon technology and how to overcome it.

How to Live a Low-Carbon Life

How to Live a Low-Carbon Life PDF

Author: Christopher Goodall

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2012-05-04

Total Pages: 338

ISBN-13: 1136564063

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Climate change is the greatest challenge facing humanity: drastic reduction of carbon emissions is vital if we are to avoid a catastrophe that devastates large parts of the world. Governments and businesses have been slow to act and individuals now need to take the lead. The Earth can absorb no more than 3 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year for every person on the planet if we are to keep temperature and rainfall change within tolerable limits. Yet from cars and holiday flights to household appliances and the food on our plates, Western consumer lifestyles leave each of us responsible for over 12 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year - four times what the Earth can handle. Individual action is essential if we want to avoid climate chaos. How to Live a Low-Carbon Life shows how easy it is to take responsibility, providing the first comprehensive, one-stop reference guide to calculating your CO2 emissions and reducing them to a sustainable 3 tonnes a year.

Small, Gritty, and Green

Small, Gritty, and Green PDF

Author: Catherine Tumber

Publisher: MIT Press

Published: 2013-09-13

Total Pages: 253

ISBN-13: 0262525313

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

How small-to-midsize Rust Belt cities can play a crucial role in a low-carbon, sustainable, and relocalized future. America's once-vibrant small-to-midsize cities—Syracuse, Worcester, Akron, Flint, Rockford, and others—increasingly resemble urban wastelands. Gutted by deindustrialization, outsourcing, and middle-class flight, disproportionately devastated by metro freeway systems that laid waste to the urban fabric and displaced the working poor, small industrial cities seem to be part of America's past, not its future. And yet, Catherine Tumber argues in this provocative book, America's gritty Rust Belt cities could play a central role in a greener, low-carbon, relocalized future. As we wean ourselves from fossil fuels and realize the environmental costs of suburban sprawl, we will see that small cities offer many assets for sustainable living not shared by their big city or small town counterparts, including population density and nearby, fertile farmland available for new environmentally friendly uses. Tumber traveled to twenty-five cities in the Northeast and Midwest—from Buffalo to Peoria to Detroit to Rochester—interviewing planners, city officials, and activists, and weaving their stories into this exploration of small-scale urbanism. Smaller cities can be a critical part of a sustainable future and a productive green economy. Small, Gritty, and Green will help us develop the moral and political imagination we need to realize this.

Narratives of Low-Carbon Transitions

Narratives of Low-Carbon Transitions PDF

Author: Taylor & Francis Group

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2020-09-30

Total Pages: 296

ISBN-13: 9780367660710

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

"The Open Access version of this book, available at https: //doi.org/10.4324/9780429458781, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license." This book examines the uncertainties underlying various strategies for a low-carbon future. Most prominently, such strategies relate to transitions in the energy sector, on both the supply and the demand side. At the same time they interact with other sectors, such as industrial production, transport, and building, and ultimately require new behaviour patterns at household and individual levels. Currently, much research is available on the effectiveness of these strategies but, in order to successfully implement comprehensive transition pathways, it is crucial not only to understand the benefits but also the risks. Filling this gap, this volume provides an interdisciplinary, conceptual framework to assess risks and uncertainties associated with low-carbon policies and applies this consistently across 11 country cases from around the world, illustrating alternative transition pathways in various contexts. The cases are presented as narratives, drawing on stakeholder-driven research efforts. They showcase diverse empirical evidence reflecting the complex challenges to and potential negative consequences of such pathways. Together, they enable the reader to draw valuable lessons on the risks and uncertainties associated with choosing the envisaged transition pathways, as well as ways to manage the implementation of these pathways and ultimately enable sustainable and lasting social and environmental effects. This book will be of great interest to students, scholars, and practitioners of environmental and energy policy, low-carbon transitions, renewable energy technologies, climate change action, and sustainability in general.

Handbook of Urban Geography

Handbook of Urban Geography PDF

Author: Tim Schwanen

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

Published: 2019

Total Pages: 512

ISBN-13: 178536460X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

This collection brings together the latest thinking in urban geography. It provides a comprehensive overview of topical issues and draws on experiences from across the world. Chapters have been prepared by leading researchers in the field and cover themes as diverse as urban economies, inequalities and diversity, conflicts and politics, ecology and sustainability, and information technologies. The Handbook offers a valuable resource for students and researchers interested in cities and the urban in geography and across the wider social sciences.