By Paul L. Younger, Hodder & Stoughton, November, 2014
Energy is probably the defi ning topic of our age. Uncertainty over the long-term availability of some hydrocarbons and nuclear fuels are increasingly prompting volatility in energy prices on world markets. Meanwhile, no serious scientist doubts that the unabated atmospheric emissions of carbon dioxide associated with traditional forms of energy use are (at very least) exacerbating natural variations in climate in undesirable ways.
For either reason or both, few commentators of any stature argue that “do nothing” is a credible option in the world of energy management. The technical challenges are legion; yet energy is just as much a socio-economic issue. Surprisingly, there are no authoritative books giving an overall introduction to energy for general readers, students, engineers, geographers or architects, offering adequate coverage of the scientifi c, engineering, environmental, social and economic dimensions in a single, reasonably-sized and easilyreadable volume. The book proposed here seeks to fi ll that gap.
