The Politics of Carbon

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Websites | Organisations | Books

Websites

Antarctic Warming: Early signs of global climate change
http://archive.greenpeace.org/climate/polar/
antarc_report/
Satellite photographs and a series of fact sheets on the Antarctic and the rate at which the ice caps are melting.

Energy Statistics Yearbook 2002
http://unstats.un.org/unsd/energy/yearbook/
EYB_pdf.htm
This pdf download is provided by the United Nations Statistics Division and offers detailed and aggregated information on production, trade and consumption of different fuel types around the globe.

Energy Story
www.energyquest.ca.gov/story/index.html
Superbly put together and fun site that explains where energy sources come from and how they work, over a series of chapters that work well for both kids and adults. There is a great section on fossil fuels and also on alternative energy like hydrogen.

The Environment
Global warming – out of your control? No, it's not. Get back to basics and find out some of the simple things you can do to ensure a safe future for you and yours.

Global Warming – Back to the Future
Looks back at global temperature fluctuations of the past and asks whether man's impact on the current climate is cause for concern.

How Nuclear Power Works
people.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-power.htm
This site provides clearly presented information about how nuclear power works and how safe it is. Written in simple language for the general public, it nonetheless explains how a nuclear reactor and a power plant work and what nuclear fission and supercriticality are.

The Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Letter
www.hfcletter.com/
Alternative energy information can be found in this monthly newsletter that covers the science, business, economics, and politics of hydrogen and fuel cells.

Learning about Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
www.nrel.gov/learning
Good coverage of renewable energy basics including the technology behind biomass power, geothermal power, hydropower, ocean power, solar power and wind energy.

Nuclear Power – Cure For Global Warming?
Greenhouse gases are on the rise. So are global temperatures and sea levels. Our use of fossil fuels is to blame. Could it be time to say 'Nuclear Power? Yes please.'

UK Weather 2080
Global warming is changing the climate. What will become of the Great British weather? Powerful computers have been attempting to predict this. You can find out here what's in store for us.

United Nations Climate Change Conference 2005
www.montreal2005.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=
CC1988EA-1
Official website of the Climate Change conference held in Montreal, Canada with information on the speakers and presentations.

United Nations Earth Summit+5
www.un.org/esa/earthsummit/
In 1992, more than 100 heads of state met in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the first international Earth Summit, convened to address urgent problems of environmental protection. It was agreed that a five-year review would be made, and in 1997, the results of their findings were published here.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
http://unfccc.int/2860.php
Very detailed site, including the Kyoto Protocol document itself and downloadable publications on many issues including the results of the 2005 climate change conference, plus overviews of actions to combat climate change.

What Causes Hurricanes?
http://environment.about.com/od/globalwarming/
a/hurricanecauses.htm
Looks at how hurricanes are formed and why they are becoming more common due to global warming.

Organisations

Centre for Alternative Technology
www.cat.org.uk
Aims to inspire, teach and enable people to live in a more environmentally sustainable way and offers practical solutions to environmental problems through renewable energy, environmental building, energy efficiency, organic food and alternative sewage systems.

EnviroLink
www.envirolink.org
US-based online community dedicated to providing comprehensive, up-to-date environmental information and news.

Friends of the Earth
www.foei.org
Leading environmental pressure group with a large international network. The website has the latest news and updates on key issues, plus a section on the climate negotiations in Montreal.

Global Commons Institute
www.gci.org.uk/
An independent group concerned with the protection of the global commons or common heritage of all humanity such as forests, biodiversity, oceans and global atmosphere. They originated the concept of contraction and convergence.

Greenpeace
www.greenpeace.org
Campaigning organisation with a large presence across Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific. Its aim is to expose environmental criminals and to challenge governments and corporations when they fail to safeguard our environment.

People and Planet
www.peopleandplanet.net/
An excellent website with articles and images on a wide range of issues – deforestation, biodiversity, climate change, renewable energy, pollution and much more.

Worldwatch Institute
www.worldwatch.org/
Carries out work on the transition to an environmentally sustainable and socially just society. Site has a comprehensive Q&A section on global warming, plus a publications and research library page.

Books

	American Heat: Ethical problems with the United States' response to global warming by Donald A Brown (Rowman and Littlefield, 2002) An examination of the United States' responses to global warming negotiations, which concludes that most US positions are ethically bankrupt. Buy this book
	Contraction and Convergence: The global solution to climate change by Aubrey Meyer (Green Books, 2000) Meyer assisted the London-based Global Commons Institute to come up with the idea of 'contraction and convergence' in 1990. This is a concept for tackling climate change where everyone in the world has an equal right to emit greenhouse gas emissions. Buy this book
	Energy Systems and Sustainability edited by Godfrey Boyle, Bob Everett and Janet Ramage (Oxford University Press, 2003) Provides a thorough introduction to the economic, social, environmental and policy issues raised by current systems of energy use, appealing to specialists and non-specialists alike who wish to improve their understanding of these complex and increasingly important issues. Buy this book
	Global Warming: The complete briefing by John Houghton (Cambridge University Press, 2004) Sir John Houghton explores the scientific basis of global warming and the likely impacts of climate change on human society, before addressing the action that should be taken by governments, by industry and by individuals to mitigate the effects. Buy this book
	Half Gone: Oil, gas, hot air and the global energy crisis by Jeremy Leggett (Portobello Books, November 2005) The author is a geologist who spent the 1980s in the service of the oil industry before jumping ship to become Chief Scientist at Greenpeace UK. Writing with watertight knowledge and sobering clarity, he explains how we became addicted to oil and how this habit is dragging us into an increasingly dangerous dependence upon the Middle East and toward economic and environmental catastrophe. Buy this book
	High Tide: News from a warming world by Mark Lynas (Flamingo, 2004) From houses being washed over by sand in China to the thawing of the Alaskan Arctic, the author traveled extensively and witnessed some of the worst impacts of climate change first-hand. He also discusses ‘contraction and convergence' policies and argues that the quest for new supplies of fossil fuels must cease and alternative energy sources found. Buy this book
	Hydrogen – Hot stuff, cool science: Journey into a world of hydrogen energy and fuel cells by Rex Ewing (Pixyjack Press, 2004) This unusual book takes an innovative and engaging approach to teaching a general audience about hydrogen, striking a healthy balance between science and fun that's likely to appeal to intelligent teens and young adults. Buy this book
	The No Nonsense Guide to Climate Change by Dinyar Godrej (Verso Books, 2001) Explores the history of climate change and the symptoms of today's global warming. Investigates the contribution of humans to the temperature change and asks what we can do about it. Buy this book
	Tomorrow's Energy: Hydrogen, fuel cells and the prospects for a cleaner planet by Peter Hoffman (MIT Press, 2002) Traces the history of this volatile gas and explores options for its use as fuel. His coverage promotes hydrogen as a clean, relatively safe and potentially cheap alternative to carbon-heavy fuels. Buy this book

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