Energy policy

Energy policy is on everyone’s mind these days. But there is a serious problem endemic to America’s energy challenges: the resulting policies are overly reactive, enacted once damage is already done, and are too often incomplete, incoherent, and ineffectual. This important volume details this problem, making clear the unfortunate results of such short-sighted thinking, and it proposes measures to overcome this counterproductive tendency. All of the contributors to Acting in Time on Energy Policy are affiliated with Harvard University and rank among America’

The situation is alarming and irrefutable: within thirty years, even by conservative estimates, we will have burned our way through most of the oil that is readily available to us. Already, the costly side effects of dependence on fossil fuel are taking their toll. Even as oil-related conflict threatens entire nations, individual consumers are suffering from higher prices at the gas pump, rising health problems, and the grim prospect of long-term environmental damage. In this frank and balanced investigation, Paul Roberts offers a timely wake-up call.

This publication considers the crucial question -- how to reconcile the modern world's unceasing demand for energy with the absolute necessity to preserve the integrity of the biosphere.

From introduction: "WWF has a vision of a world that is powered by 100 per cent renewable energy sources by the middle of this century. Unless we make this transition, the world is most likely to avoid predicted escalating impacts of climate change. But is it possible to achieve 100 per cent renewable energy supplies for everyone by 2050? WWF called on expertise of respected energy consultancy Ecofys to provide an answer this question.

This paper explores the pros and cons of biomass and the logistics of switching to other fuels in developing countries.