Today's oil and gas are at record prices, whilst global energy demand is increasing from population and economic development pressures. Climate change, resulting in large part from the burning of fossil fuels, is exacerbating the impacts of the excelerated exploitation of our natural resources. Therefore, anxieties over energy, water, and climate security are at an all-time high. Global action is needed now in order to address this set of urgent challenges and to avoid putting the future of our civilization at risk. This book examines the powerful interconnections that link energy, water, climate and population, exploring viable options in addressing these issues collectively. Difficult political decisions and major reforms in resource governance, policies, market forces, and use are needed and this book provides excellent introductory material to begin to understand and to address these problems.
• This textbook unites the key issues of oil, water, climate and population in one volume, interlinking them where other textbooks treat them as separate or do not cover the impact of population growth • Each chapter is cross-referenced and linked with other topics to allow the reader to fully understand the complexities and interconnections of the system • A full set of notes is provided in each chapter, taking the reader beyond the main text and towards clarifying the more technical issues • A variety of possible solutions to the combined problems are outlined in the final chapter, so readers can critically assess and refresh themselves on the related issues
Foreword; Introduction; 1. Overview; 2. Carbon dioxide emissions, global warming, and water resources; 3. Population, environmental impacts, and climate change; 4. Carbon cycle and human impacts on it; 5. Peak oil, energy, water, and climate; 6. Oil consumption and CO2 emissions from transportation; 7. Oil, economy, power, and conflicts; 8. Energy alternatives and their connection to water and climate; 9. The water cycle and global warming; 10. Freshwater availability, sanitation deficit, and water usage – connection to energy and global warming; 11. Rivers, lakes, aquifers, and dams – relation to energy and climate; 12. Water contamination, energy, and climate; 13. Geopolitics of water and the international situation; 14. Water alternatives; 15. Global climate change – observations, modeling, and predictions; 16. Energy and water challenges and solutions in a changing climate framework – commonality, differences, and connections.
'Catherine Gautier deserves congratulations for creating a textbook that not only deals with these three topics, but most important, also draws them together and shows how they are connected. … Gautier's perspective is global and as such, the book will broaden students' perspectives. … Oil, Water and Climate does a great job of making these important topics accessible to undergraduate students. It brings together many important ideas in Earth science, technology and global policy.' EOS
'Catherine Gautier offers an encompassing and integrative text on climate change suitable for a variety of undergraduate courses and non-academic audiences. … Oil, Water and Climate is far more integrative than most texts on global warming, without sacrificing approachability, and for this reason, I would recommend it as a useful read.' Environmental Conservation
'Scientists will struggle to persuade politicians to take unpopular decisions without public support. For this reason education, awareness raising and books like Oil, Water and Climate are more important than ever. … Catherine Gautier sets out the facts on which public policy on climate change can and must be defined, and quickly.' The Round Table
'Throughout the volume, Gautier effectively builds a historically-sensitive account of contested processes, while illuminating the high stakes and unfolding challenges around oil, water and climate.' Global Environmental Politics