The sectors in which Climate Strategy and its partners work are some of the most vibrant, dynamic and rapidly growing areas of knowledge and business today. They are also some of the most technical, with new innovations and discoveries happening with increased frequency.
There is an almost limitless amount of reading, research and web based resources available in our subject area. What we have tried to post here are just a handful of our “top picks” of books, papers and websites which have crossed our path and which we hope are useful in furthering your broader understanding of the framework for our activities 1:
White Papers
The following are just a few of the key white papers written in our subject areas:
David MacKay, a physics professor at Cambridge University, very clearly depicts our energy demands and how they might be served sustainably. This paper is a MUST READ for anyone wanting to understand the problems of size and scale in terms of climate solutions.
The June 2008 report from McKinsey’s Climate Change Special Initiative well articulates the global “carbon productivity challenge”. Building on McKinsey’s bottom-up global cost curve analysis, this paper identifies five key action areas to stabilize and reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.
Lord Stern and his team’s detailed analysis of the economics of climate change published in October 2006. A remarkable, yet controversial, attempt to find a way to measure and balance the costs and risks of action versus inaction on climate change.
Recent report from the IPCC – the world’s global scientific reference body on climate change – looking at the key impacts of climate on freshwater resources and availability. This is a June 2008 technical paper providing insights into the projected hydrological changes resulting from IPCC climate scenarios in the major global geographies.
Published notes from the regular meetings of the Spanish working Group on Sustainable Energy Policies, a group formed by Comillas University with a set number of invitation only specialists. The aim of the group is to develop and contribute to the necessary policy formation to deliver a sustainable energy future for Spain.
The IEA’s 324 page 2007 report detailing the size and scale of industrial energy efficiency and potential for emissions reductions contains good aggregate and sector specific data for industry. A useful top-level tool to hone the focus of industrial energy efficiency initiatives.
This paper provides the insights from a Carbon Finance lecture series given at Yale’s School of Forestry and Environment in late 2007 by practitioners in the carbon and renewables markets sharing their practical experiences of the recent growth in their markets.
A fascinating read from the UNEP and Ed Barbier et al. published in April 2009 with recommendations for how to use the economic crisis as a catalyst for a "New Green Deal" and de-carbonise economies as a tool to stimulate low carbon and sustainable economic growth and wean us off fossil fuels.
Insightful UNEP report addressing ways in which Public Finance Mechanisms can most usefully engage in bridging gaps and catalysing greater private sector funding for Climate Change Mitigation. Published in 2008 by Eric Usher et al.
Books
Recent reads which we have found thought provoking :
George Monbiot’s 2006 analysis of what can practically be done to prevent the acceleration of climate change, using the UK as a model, is a dry, passionate, elegant and engaging depiction of a 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. His leading thinking, style and approach are both provocative and pragmatic.
Fascinating history of oil and a forward look into the sustainability of our current demand for this limited resource. Peter Tertzanian’s expert views as an energy economist are enlightening for many of us who haven’t dedicated their lives to following the hydrocarbon extraction, refining and delivery industries.
A personal account of Mark Lynas’ visits to the front line of climate change. This book puts the reader vividly in the shoes of people living in the world’s climate “hot spots” and describes the changes taking place and how they are impacting lives and livelihoods.
Jeremy Leggett’s highly engaging and eye opening account of his experiences and insights into the politics surrounding the climate negotiations during the 1990s in the run-up to the Kyoto Climate Summit in 1997.
Nicholas (Lord) Stern’s recent April 2009 summary of his thinking in the Stern Review and answering some of its more recent critics.
An energy expert's re-analysis of the links between economic growth, improved quality of life and greater consumption. Tertzakian takes a detailed and refreshing look at our energy addiction and focuses on change in needs and usage patterns as the key agents to help solve the looming energy-climate crisis.
Fred Pearce, former news editor of New Scientist, has been writing about water issues for over 20 years and his book is an eye-opener into the potentially water stressed world of 2025. Vivid portraits from 30 countries show how current water pressures are likely to become the defining issue for this century if exacerbated by climate change.
A very readable book about Prashant Vaze's attempts to reduce his annual emissions by 40%, which is what the UK Government recommends by 2020. The author is thoughtful, humorous and the book is full of practical suggestions for a lower emissions lifestyle.
Based upon three years of research, Dan Esty and Andrew Winston have elegantly summarized why companies go green, the strategies and tools they use to get there and of course the pitfalls they run into on the way. Started in 2002, Green to Gold has been a leader in revealing the corporate response to emerging environmental and climate trends.
A calm analysis of the issues raised by an economic growth driven culture and the environmental impacts of this. Booth clearly lays out the trade-offs implicit in a single-minded focus on economic growth and proposes new models bounded by sustainability and improvements in energy and resource productivity.
