Download or read book How to Avoid a Climate Disaster written by Bill Gates and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2021-02-16 with total page 201 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: #1 NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • In this urgent, authoritative book, Bill Gates sets out a wide-ranging, practical—and accessible—plan for how the world can get to zero greenhouse gas emissions in time to avoid a climate catastrophe. Bill Gates has spent a decade investigating the causes and effects of climate change. With the help of experts in the fields of physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, political science, and finance, he has focused on what must be done in order to stop the planet's slide to certain environmental disaster. In this book, he not only explains why we need to work toward net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases, but also details what we need to do to achieve this profoundly important goal. He gives us a clear-eyed description of the challenges we face. Drawing on his understanding of innovation and what it takes to get new ideas into the market, he describes the areas in which technology is already helping to reduce emissions, where and how the current technology can be made to function more effectively, where breakthrough technologies are needed, and who is working on these essential innovations. Finally, he lays out a concrete, practical plan for achieving the goal of zero emissions—suggesting not only policies that governments should adopt, but what we as individuals can do to keep our government, our employers, and ourselves accountable in this crucial enterprise. As Bill Gates makes clear, achieving zero emissions will not be simple or easy to do, but if we follow the plan he sets out here, it is a goal firmly within our reach.
Download or read book Building Resilience to Natural Hazards in the Context of Climate Change written by Gérard Hutter and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-07-19 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Urban resilience and building resilience are “hot topics” of research and practice on sustainability in the context of climate change. The edited volume advances the “state of art” of urban resilience research through focusing on three important processes of building resilience: knowledge integration, implementation, and learning. In the volume, knowledge integration primarily refers to the combination of specialized knowledge domains (e.g., flood risk management and urban planning). Implementation refers to realized specific changes of the building stock and related green, blue and grey infrastructures at local level (e.g., for dealing with rising temperatures and heat waves at the neighborhood scale in cities). Learning requires moving beyond single projects and experiments of resilience to enhance sustainability at city and regional scale. The editors adopt an interdisciplinary approach to this volume of the Springer series on resilience. The volume includes contributions from civil engineering, physical geography, the social sciences, and urban planning.
Download or read book Building Knowledge for a Changing Climate written by Claire L. Walsh and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 76 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Indigenous knowledge for climate change assessment and adaptation written by Nakashima, Douglas and published by UNESCO Publishing. This book was released on 2018-12-31 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This unique transdisciplinary publication is the result of collaboration between UNESCO's Local and Indigenous Knowledge Systems (LINKS) programme, the United Nations University's Traditional Knowledge Initiative, the IPCC, and other organisations
Download or read book Building for a Changing Climate written by Peter F. Smith and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2009-12-01 with total page 199 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There is now a practically universal consensus that our climate is changing rapidly, and as a direct result of human activities. While there is extensive debate about what we can do to mitigate the damage we are causing, it is becoming increasingly clear that a large part of our resources will have to be directed towards adapting to new climatic conditions, with talk of survivability replacing sustainability as the new and most pressing priority. Nowhere is this more evident than in the built environment – the stage on which our most important interactions with climatic conditions are played out. In this frank yet pervasively positive book, sustainable architecture guru Peter Smith lays out his vision of how things are likely to change, and what those concerned with the planning, design and construction of the places we live and work can and must do to avert the worst impacts. Beginning with the background to the science and discussion of the widely feared graver risks not addressed by the politically driven IPCC reports, he moves on to examine the challenges we will face and to propose practical responses based on real world experiences and case studies taking in flood and severe weather protection, energy efficient retrofitting, distributed power generation and the potential for affordable zero carbon homes. He ends with a wider discussion of options for future energy provision. This will be a provocative, persuasive and – crucially – practical read for anyone concerned with the measures we must take now to ensure a climate-proofed future for humanity.
Download or read book Advancing the Science of Climate Change written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2011-01-10 with total page 526 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Climate change is occurring, is caused largely by human activities, and poses significant risks for-and in many cases is already affecting-a broad range of human and natural systems. The compelling case for these conclusions is provided in Advancing the Science of Climate Change, part of a congressionally requested suite of studies known as America's Climate Choices. While noting that there is always more to learn and that the scientific process is never closed, the book shows that hypotheses about climate change are supported by multiple lines of evidence and have stood firm in the face of serious debate and careful evaluation of alternative explanations. As decision makers respond to these risks, the nation's scientific enterprise can contribute through research that improves understanding of the causes and consequences of climate change and also is useful to decision makers at the local, regional, national, and international levels. The book identifies decisions being made in 12 sectors, ranging from agriculture to transportation, to identify decisions being made in response to climate change. Advancing the Science of Climate Change calls for a single federal entity or program to coordinate a national, multidisciplinary research effort aimed at improving both understanding and responses to climate change. Seven cross-cutting research themes are identified to support this scientific enterprise. In addition, leaders of federal climate research should redouble efforts to deploy a comprehensive climate observing system, improve climate models and other analytical tools, invest in human capital, and improve linkages between research and decisions by forming partnerships with action-oriented programs.
Download or read book Indigenous Knowledge for Climate Change Assessment and Adaptation written by Douglas Nakashima and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2018-10-04 with total page 335 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This unique transdisciplinary publication is the result of collaboration between UNESCO's Local and Indigenous Knowledge Systems (LINKS) programme, the United Nations University's Traditional Knowledge Initiative, the IPCC, and other organisations. Chapters, written by indigenous peoples, scientists and development experts, provide insight into how diverse societies observe and adapt to changing environments. A broad range of case studies illustrate how these societies, building upon traditional knowledge handed down through generations, are already developing their own solutions for dealing with a rapidly changing climate and how this might be useful on a global scale. Of interest to policy-makers, social and natural scientists, and indigenous peoples and experts, this book provides an indispensable reference for those interested in climate science, policy and adaptation.
Download or read book Adapting Buildings and Cities for Climate Change written by David Crichton and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2009-10-26 with total page 399 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the bestselling author of Ecohouse, this fully revised edition of Adapting Buildings and Cities for Climate Change provides unique insights into how we can protect our buildings, cities, infra-structures and lifestyles against risks associated with extreme weather and related social, economic and energy events. Three new chapters present evidence of escalating rates of environmental change. The authors explore the growing urgency for mitigation and adaptation responses that deal with the resulting challenges. Theoretical information sits alongside practical design guidelines, so architects, designers and planners can not only see clearly what problems they face, but also find the solutions they need, in order to respond to power and water supply needs. Considers use of materials, structures, site issues and planning in order to provide design solutions. Examines recent climate events in the US and UK and looks at how architecture was successful or not in preventing building damage. Adapting Buildings and Cities for Climate Change is an essential source, not just for architects, engineers and planners facing the challenges of designing our building for a changing climate, but also for everyone involved in their production and use.
Download or read book Knowledge Systems of Societies for Adaptation and Mitigation of Impacts of Climate Change written by Sunil Nautiyal and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-07-09 with total page 719 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Climate change is broadly recognized as a key environmental issue affecting social and ecological systems worldwide. At the Cancun summit of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s 16th Conference, the parties jointly agreed that the vulnerable groups particularly in developing countries and whose livelihood is based on land use practices are the most common victims as in most cases their activities are shaped by the climate. Therefore, solving the climate dilemma through mitigation processes and scientific research is an ethical concern. Thus combining the knowledge systems of the societies and scientific evidences can greatly assist in the creation of coping mechanisms for sustainable development in a situation of changing climate. International Humboldt Kolleg focusing on “knowledge systems of societies and Climate Change” was organized at ISEC. This event was of unique importance, as the year 2011-12 was celebrated as the 60th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between India and Germany with the motto "Germany and India - Infinite Opportunities." This volume is the outcome of the papers presented during the IHK 2011 at ISEC, India.
Download or read book Facilitating Climate Change Responses written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2010-11-27 with total page 174 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, understanding the need for policy makers at the national level to entrain the behavioral and social sciences in addressing the challenges of global climate change, called on the National Research Council to organize two workshops to showcase some of the decision-relevant contributions that these sciences have already made and can advance with future efforts. The workshops focused on two broad areas: (1) mitigation (behavioral elements of a strategy to reduce the net future human influence on climate) and (2) adaptation (behavioral and social determinants of societal capacity to minimize the damage from climate changes that are not avoided). Facilitating Climate Change Responses documents the information presented in the workshop presentations and discussions. This material illustrates some of the ways the behavioral and social sciences can contribute to the new era of climate research.
Download or read book The Social Construction of Climate Change written by Mary E. Pettenger and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-02-24 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Individuals, international organizations and states are calling for the world to confront climate change. Efforts such as the Kyoto Protocol have produced intractable disputes and are deemed inadequate. This volume adopts two constructivist perspectives - norm-centred and discourse - to explore the social construction of climate change from a broad, theoretical level to particular cases. The contributors contend that climate change must be understood from the context of social settings, and that we ignore at our peril how power and knowledge structures are generated. They offer a greater understanding of why current efforts to mitigate climate change have failed and provide academics and policy makers with a new understanding of this important topic.
Download or read book Action Research for Climate Change Adaptation written by Arwin van Buuren and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-12-17 with total page 215 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Governments all over the world are struggling with the question of how to adapt to climate change. They need information not only about the issue and its possible consequences, but also about feasible governance strategies and instruments to combat it. At the same time, scientists from different social disciplines are trying to understand the dynamics and peculiarities of the governance of climate change adaptation. This book demonstrates how action-oriented research methods can be used to satisfy the need for both policy-relevant information and scientific knowledge. Bringing together eight case studies that show inspiring practices of action research from around the world, including Australia, Denmark, Vietnam and the Netherlands, the book covers a rich variety of action-research applications, running from participatory observation to serious games and role-playing exercises. It explores many adaptation challenges, from flood-risk safety to heat stress and freshwater availability, and draws out valuable lessons about the conditions that make action research successful, demonstrating how scientific and academic knowledge can be used in a practical context to reach useful and applicable insights. The book will be of interest to scholars and students of climate change, environmental policy, politics and governance.
Download or read book Handbook of Research on Building Greener Economics and Adopting Digital Tools in the Era of Climate Change written by Ordóñez de Pablos, Patricia and published by IGI Global. This book was released on 2022-06-24 with total page 412 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cities, economies, and societies around the world must address the urgent global challenges such as climate change or the transition towards a greener and digital economy. It is important that economies are transformed into resource-efficient, competitive, and resilient ones. In the context of rapid change, transformative technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, or the internet of things (IoT) play a key role in this digital transition across a wide range of areas. The Handbook of Research on Building Greener Economics and Adopting Digital Tools in the Era of Climate Change discusses global challenges like the transition towards a circular, greener, and digital economy. It proposes actions to advance the agenda towards climate-friendly businesses and economies. The book fosters cooperation among researchers, companies, and policymakers to share national initiatives and disseminate relevant knowledge. Covering topics such as cross-cultural communication, green product consumption, and organization performance strategies, this major reference work is an essential resource for business leaders and managers, entrepreneurs, government officials, politicians, policymakers, environmentalist organizations, students and faculty of higher education, researchers, and academicians.
Download or read book Birds of empire birds of nation a history of science economy and conservation in United States Colombia relations written by Quintero Toro, Camilo and published by Ediciones Uniandes-Universidad de los Andes. This book was released on 2012-09-01 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book reveals the history behind the trade of Colombian birds as a means of comprehending the scientific, economic and environmental relations between the United States and Colombia from the 1880s to the 1960s. Through the study of the feather trade, scientific expeditions, scientific communities and nature conservation, the author brings to light how international relations and national agendas shaped the study and perception of nature in both countries during those years.
Download or read book Getting climate ready written by Gibb, Natalie and published by UNESCO Publishing. This book was released on 2016-12-31 with total page 23 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Communicating Climate Change written by Anne K. Armstrong and published by Cornell University Press. This book was released on 2018-11-15 with total page 164 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Environmental educators face a formidable challenge when they approach climate change due to the complexity of the science and of the political and cultural contexts in which people live. There is a clear consensus among climate scientists that climate change is already occurring as a result of human activities, but high levels of climate change awareness and growing levels of concern have not translated into meaningful action. Communicating Climate Change provides environmental educators with an understanding of how their audiences engage with climate change information as well as with concrete, empirically tested communication tools they can use to enhance their climate change program. Starting with the basics of climate science and climate change public opinion, Armstrong, Krasny, and Schuldt synthesize research from environmental psychology and climate change communication, weaving in examples of environmental education applications throughout this practical book. Each chapter covers a separate topic, from how environmental psychology explains the complex ways in which people interact with climate change information to communication strategies with a focus on framing, metaphors, and messengers. This broad set of topics will aid educators in formulating program language for their classrooms at all levels. Communicating Climate Change uses fictional vignettes of climate change education programs and true stories from climate change educators working in the field to illustrate the possibilities of applying research to practice. Armstrong et al, ably demonstrate that environmental education is an important player in fostering positive climate change dialogue and subsequent climate change action. Thanks to generous funding from Cornell University, the ebook editions of this book are available as Open Access from Cornell Open (cornellpress.cornell.edu/cornell-open) and other Open Access repositories.
Download or read book Building the Knowledge Base for Climate Resiliency written by and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 150 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Following Hurricane Sandy, the City convened the Second New York City Panel on Climate Change (NPCC2) in January 2013 to provide up-to-date scientific information and analyses on increasing climate risks .... This NPCC2 Report (NPCC, 2015) presents the full work of the NPCC2 from January 2013 to January 2015. The aim is to increase current and future resiliency of the communities, citywide systems, and infrastructure of New York City to a range of climate risks."--Pages 3-4.