Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER 1
Introduction: The Global Imperative
he climate centres around the world, which are the equivalent of the pathology lab of a
hospital, have reported the Earth's physical condition, and the climate specialists see it as
seriously ill, and soon to pass into a morbid fever that may last as long as 100,000 years.
I have to tell you, as members of the Earth's family and an intimate part of it, that you and
especially civilisation are in grave danger.
—James Lovelock, 2006
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Climate change presents a unique challenge for economics: it is the greatest and widest-ranging
market failure ever seen. . . . Our actions over the coming few decades could create risks of
major disruption to economic and social activity, later in this century and in the next, on a scale
similar to those associated with the great wars and the economic depression of the irst half of
the 20th century. And it will be diicult or impossible to reverse these changes.
—Sir Nicholas Stern, 2006
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his is a global problem, and it will require a global coalition to solve it. Our climate knows
no boundaries; the decisions of any nation will afect every nation. . . . It is estimated that
if we fully pursue our potential for wind energy on land and ofshore, wind can generate
as much as 20 percent of our electricity by 2030, creating as many as 250,000 jobs in the
process. As with so many clean energy investments, it's win-win: good for the environ-
ment and great for our economy.
—US President Barack Obama, 2009
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1.1 THE GLOBAL IMPERATIVE
he years 2006-2007 represented an intellectual tipping point for climate
change advocacy. Over this short period of time, there was ample evidence
of a general convergence of understanding between many environmental-
ists and economists on the perilous threat posed by climate change.
