Introduction to Energy and Climate

Julie Kerr has been an earth scientist for nearly 40 years, promoting a healthier and better-managed environment. She holds a PhD in earth science with an emphasis in remote sensing satellite technology from the University of Utah and has dealt with the hands-on applications of resource and climate change management, as well as renewable energy and environmental sustainability; focusing on the delicate balance of the multifaceted issues involving the politicl, economic, and sociological components in both short-and long-term applications with real-world ramifications. She has been involved specifically with projects such as forest management, classification and monitoring of desertification, rangeland change detection and management, vegetation inventory and health assessment, and land-use change. Dr. Kerr approaches the subject with a background uniquely blended with conservation and land-use management expertise with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, military applications with the U.S. Air

"This book points the way to solving climate change, not it a naive way, but recognising it is a multi-faceted problem framed within many other environmental and societal issues. It is a great read and holds the readers hand through the complexity, encouraging us to make up our own minds."— Piers Forster, University of Leeds, England"Introduction to Energy and Climate: Developing a Sustainable Environment covers many different aspects of sustainability which would be helpful for undergraduate classes. The student will be exposed to many differ dimensions of sustainability and the climate."—Thomas Macagno, Chatham University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA"In the crowded market of books on energy and climate, this offering from Julie Kerr stands out as an accessible and wide-ranging offering. The book covers all aspects of energy and climate that one would expect to see in such a text, and the author has an ability to communicate, which means that the book should have a very wide appeal. Topics span food, population growth, urban planning and the science behind climate change through to economics and geopolitics. It is rare to see such a wide coverage in a book of this type, but is very much in the spirit and practice of sustainability. I can highly recommend it; especially for those wishing to locate the climate change debates within a broader sustainability context. After all, this matters to us all, whether we like it or not."—Stephen Morse, University of Surrey, England

• Understanding the Environment: Resources, Climate, Energy, and Sustainability. Section I The Earth’s Climate Balance and Consequences of Climate Change. The Climate System. Greenhouse Gases. Effects on Ecosystems. Sociological and Psychological Considerations to Climate Change. Geopolitical Considerations. Public Perception and Economic Issues.Climate Change Mitigation Options. Section II Energy Sources, Their Future, and Sustainable Living. Energy: Basics, Concepts, and Quantification. Nonrenewable Energy Resources. Renewable Energy Resources. Consequences of Energy Sources on the Environment. The Geopolitics of Energy. Applying Technology to Sustainability, Part I: Urban Planning and Green Buildings. Applying Technology to Sustainability, Part II: Smart Transportation, Alternative Fuels, and New Fuel Technology. Sustainable Agriculture and Industry. Green Careers and Ecotourism. Your Home and Backyard. The Sustainable Lifestyle: Low Impact and Healthy Living. Making Changes for the Benefit of Future Generations. Glossary. Periodic Table.