Global warming is the hottest political issue. It is arguably the most dangerous environmental problem and the most difficult political issue to be faced by the world. This book critically assesses the various technologies that have been put forward as solutions and constructs feasible scenarios for their effective implementation.

Foreword by Ian Lowe; Preface; Acknowledgments; 1 Introduction; Part A Motivation and basic concepts; 2 Why this issue is important; 3 Sustainable energy futures for Australia; 4 Energy and its greenhouse gas emissions; Part B Which technologies are sustainable?; 5 Saving energy; 6 Wind power; 7 Bioenergy; 8 Solar heat and electricity; 9 Other energy technologies; 10 Transport and urban form; 11 Coal and gas: can we bury the problem?; 12 Is nuclear energy a possible solution?; Part C Policies, strategies, politics and actions; 13 International negotiations and policies; 14 Proposed national policies; 15 Policies for specific technologies; 16 Ways forward; 17 Conclusion; Appendix A: Substituting for a coal-fired power station with a cleaner energy mix; Appendix B: Economics of electricity generation: discounted cash flow analysis; Appendix C: Comparison of carbon tax and emissions trading with a cap; Appendix D: Actions by individuals and families; Notes; Glossary; Abbreviations; Units and conversion factors; Key readings and websites; Index.