| Description |
1 online resource (xv, 199 pages) |
| Contents |
AcknowledgementsList of IllustrationsPrologueChapter I: Introduction Chapter II: The Mysterious Origins of LifeChapter III: Harvesting the Sun Chapter IV: A Structural Revolution: Complex CellsChapter V: The Hominid FactorChapter VI: 'Food Glorious Food'?Chapter VII: Fossil Fuels -An Energy BonanzaChapter VIII: The Homeostatic Hierarchy. Chapter IX: Emergent PatternsChapter X: The Gathering Storm -- Greenhouse Gases: The Effluence of AffluenceChapter XI: On human behaviour and our social and physical constructsChapter XII: Denouement?Chapter XIII: The Human FactorNotesReferences |
| Summary |
"This book describes the long-term four billion-year context of anthropogenic climate change, and seeks to explain our inability to respond positively to its challenges. It argues that the availability of energy and the consequential capacity to do work and exert power has, over this time, defined the trajectory of life on planet Earth as well as many of its physiochemical characteristics. Six major historic energy revolutions are recognised - energising of the first living cell; harvesting the Sun's energy; emergence of complex eukaryotic cells; hominid use of fire/cooking for brains not brawn; agriculture, more food and urban life; fossil fuel bonanza and the industrial revolution - and we are now in the midst of the seventh revolution, responding albeit reluctantly to anthropogenic global climate change. 'Given the huge inequalities in wealth and lifestyle, the energy and consequently CO2 footprints of the jet-setting elite from any country must be at least double, probably, treble, the mean, even the 'rich' countries. Energy use permeates all aspects of modern life. This is supplied largely by burning fossil fuels. Regrettably, it appears that the non-catastrophic-resolution of one of humanity's gravest problems, global warming, is made more difficulty by nature of the homeostatic mechanisms that have historically modulated human behaviour.' - Read more about this on page 14 https://www.booklaunch.london/issue-6"--ProQuest |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references and index |
| Notes |
Online resource; title from PDF title page (EBSCO, viewed October 28, 2019) |
| Subject |
Energy development -- History
|
|
Power resources -- History
|
|
Energy development -- Environmental aspects.
|
|
Renewable energy sources -- Social aspects
|
|
Energy harvesting -- History
|
|
Human settlements -- Energy consumption
|
|
Energy policy -- Social aspects.
|
|
Climatic changes -- Effect of human beings on.
|
|
Climate change mitigation.
|
|
Climate change mitigation
|
|
Climatic changes -- Effect of human beings on
|
|
Energy development
|
|
Energy development -- Environmental aspects
|
|
Energy harvesting
|
|
Energy policy -- Social aspects
|
|
Human settlements -- Energy consumption
|
|
Power resources
|
| Genre/Form |
History
|
| Form |
Electronic book
|
| ISBN |
9781786834249 |
|
1786834243 |
|
9781786834256 |
|
1786834251 |
|
9781786834263 |
|
178683426X |
|
