Publisher's Synopsis
Global warming is the hottest political issue of the day, and it is likely to become even more pressing over the coming years. It is arguably the most dangerous environmental problem and the most difficult political issue to be faced by the world in the 21st century. This important and proactive new book by Mark Diesendorf critically assesses the various technologies that have been put forward as solutions and constructs feasible scenarios for their effective implementation. Mark Diesendorf argues that: ecologically sustainable energy technologies based on energy efficiency, renewable energy and natural gas are commercially available today, and that their implementation could halve Australia's greenhouse gas emissions within just a few decades. To implement these technologies, new policies must be developed and implemented by all three levels of government. The main barriers are neither technical nor economic, but rather our social institutions and the political power of the big greenhouse gas emitting industries: coal, oil, aluminium, cement and motor vehicles. Greenhouse solutions for sustainable energy is a positive, proactive book that proposes a set of policies and strategies for implementing the most promising cleaner energy technologies by all spheres of government, business and community organisations. The book argues that despite being a coal- and oil-dependent country, Australia could achieve an ecologically sustainable energy system. All we need is the political will.
