Brookings Press Blog

Global Warming

New book looks for solutions beyond Kyoto

Climate change poses a multidimensional international challenge, one that eludes straightforward solutions. In Global Warming: Looking beyond Kyoto (Brookings and the Yale Center for the Study of Globalization, 2008), some of the best-known and respected authorities in climate policy—including members of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)—provide a comprehensive agenda for global collective action. Representing both industrialized and developing nations, the contributors present a thought-provoking examination of the economic, social, and political context of climate policy within their countries.

“With customary skill, Ernesto Zedillo has assembled a penetrating collection of international perspectives on what to do next about the most important challenge of our time—global warming and the resulting climate change. As nations look beyond the Kyoto Protocol to more serious action, this volume will be both timely and extremely helpful."
—James Gustave Speth, Yale University, author of Red Sky at Morning: America and the Crisis of the Global Environment

- Learn more about Global Warming.

Of related interest:

- Climatic Cataclysm: The Foreign Policy and National Security Implications of Climate Change (Available Spring 2008).

Keeping the Lights On

Nuclear physicist explains how we are making a mess of energy

The new book Keeping The Lights On: Towards Sustainable Electricity details the world's chronic misuse of energy and the ensuing danger and damage to our planet. Author Walt Patterson, with twelve books under his belt, describes a new way to think about energy—specifically, what we want from it and how to get it in a more reliable, more equitable, and more sustainable manner. The most important change that must occur is that we must stop viewing electricity as a commodity issue; instead, we must start to see that it is a vital infrastructure issue.

Given the timeliness of this important subject, Patterson recently joined BBC Radio host Andrew Marr to discuss how to achieve a sustainable electricity system in the future. Following Patterson’s interview with Marr, Keeping the Lights On jumped to the number one spot on Amazon.com UK’s bestseller list in the “Energy Technology” category. Since then, the book has remained in the top 20, highlighting the importance and interest of this critical topic.

- Learn more about Keeping the Lights On: Towards Sustainable Electricity.

- Listen to Walt Patterson’s interview with Andrew Marr on BBC Radio.

Book Makes "Top 10" List

Planetizen Recognizes Green Cities for its Contribution to the Planning Field

Matthew Kahn's Green Cities was recognized by Planetizen as one of the top ten books published in the planning field during 2006.  According to Planetizen, "Kahn provides a new definition of a green city that will give planners a lot to think about as they face increasing population growth and urbanization."

All ten books were chosen based on a variety of criteria, including "editorial reviews, sales rankings, popularity, Planetizen reader nominations, number of references, recommendations from experts and the book's potential impact on the urban planning, development and design professions."

Planetizen describes itself as a public-interest information exchange provided by Urban Insight for the urban planning, design, and development community.

- See the entire Planetizen Top Ten, 2007 list.

- Learn more about Green Cities.