OECD Green Growth Studies Improving Energy Efficiency in the Agro-food Chain

OECD Green Growth Studies Improving Energy Efficiency in the Agro-food Chain

Author: OECD

Publisher: OECD Publishing

Published: 2017-08-10

Total Pages: 109

ISBN-13: 9264278532

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For a variety of reasons, energy use in the agro-food sector continues to rise, and in many countries, is highly dependent on fossil fuels, contributing significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. It is therefore becoming urgent to consider how the food supply chain can improve its energy efficiency.


The Green Economy and the Water-Energy-Food Nexus

The Green Economy and the Water-Energy-Food Nexus

Author: Robert C. Brears

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2017-08-18

Total Pages: 433

ISBN-13: 1137583657

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This book argues that a variety of policies will be required to create synergies between the water-energy-food nexus sectors while reducing trade-offs in the development of a green economy. Despite rising demand for water, energy and food globally, the governance of water-energy-food sectors has generally remained separate with limited attention placed on the interactions that exist between them. Brears provides readers with a series of in-depth case studies of leading cities, states, nations and regions of differing climates, lifestyles and income-levels from around the world that have implemented a variety of policy innovations to reduce water-energy-food nexus pressures and achieve green growth. The Green Economy and the Water-Energy-Food Nexus will be of interest to town and regional planners, resource conservation managers, policymakers, international companies and organisations interested in reducing water-energy-food nexus pressures, environmental NGOs, researchers, graduate and undergraduate students.


The Shale Dilemma

The Shale Dilemma

Author: Shanti Gamper-Rabindran

Publisher: University of Pittsburgh Press

Published: 2017-11-30

Total Pages: 287

ISBN-13: 082298301X

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The US shale boom and efforts by other countries to exploit their shale resources could reshape energy and environmental landscapes across the world. But how might those landscapes change? Will countries with significant physical reserves try to exploit them? Will they protect or harm local communities and the global climate? Will the benefits be shared or retained by powerful interests? And how will these decisions be made? The Shale Dilemma brings together experts working at the forefront of shale gas issues on four continents to explain how countries reach their decisions on shale development. Using a common analytical framework, the authors identify both local factors and transnational patterns in the decision-making process. Eight case studies reveal the trade-offs each country makes as it decides whether to pursue, delay, or block development. Those outcomes in turn reflect the nature of a country's political process and the power of interest groups on both sides of the issue. The contributors also ask whether the economic arguments made by the shale industry and its government supporters have overshadowed the concerns of local communities for information on the effects of shale operations, and for tax policies and regulations to ensure broad-based economic development and environmental protection. As an informative and even-handed account, The Shale Dilemma recommends practical steps to help countries reach better, more transparent, and more far-sighted decisions.


The Farm Bill

The Farm Bill

Author: Daniel Imhoff

Publisher: Island Press

Published: 2019-01-10

Total Pages: 282

ISBN-13: 1610919742

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The farm bill is one of the most important pieces of legislation the American president signs. Negotiated every five to seven years, it has tremendous implications for food production, nutrition assistance, habitat conservation, international trade, and much more. Yet at nearly 1,000 pages, it is difficult to understand for policymakers, let alone citizens. In this primer, Dan Imhoff and Christina Badaracco translate all the “legalese" and political jargon into an accessible, graphics-rich 200 pages. Readers will learn the basic elements of the bill, its origins and history, and perhaps most importantly, the battles that will determine the direction of food policy in the coming years. The authors trace how the legislation has evolved, from its first incarnation during the Great Depression, to today, when America has become the world’s leading agricultural powerhouse. They explain the three main components of the bill—farm subsidies, food stamps or SNAP, and conservation programs—as well as how crucial public policies are changing. With a new farm bill just signed into law, we all need to understand the implications of food policy. What’s the impact of crop insurance? How does SNAP actually work? What would it take to create a healthier, more sustainable food system? These are questions that affect not only farmers, but everyone who eats. If you care about the answers, The Farm Bill is your guide.


Food-Energy-Water Systems: Achieving Climate Resilience and Sustainable Development in the 21st Century

Food-Energy-Water Systems: Achieving Climate Resilience and Sustainable Development in the 21st Century

Author: Charles Vörösmarty

Publisher: Frontiers Media SA

Published: 2024-01-23

Total Pages: 336

ISBN-13: 2832543189

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extreme weather will mean ongoing challenges to the capacity of these sectors to support human well-being, grow the economy, and provide critical environmental services. Society has yet to evaluate the resilience of FEWS to climate, environmental, and management stresses as it shapes strategies to support sustainable development over the next decades. These issues constitute a quintessential interdisciplinary research challenge and require a well-structured science agenda and supportive information services for implementing key findings that governments and stakeholders can adopt. Integrated policy pathways require usable research findings, applications, models, real-time information systems, and decision support systems. In addition, stakeholder engagement is essential to communicate the benefits and results of these approaches and to engage appropriate groups in their implementation.


Aquaponics Food Production Systems

Aquaponics Food Production Systems

Author: Simon Goddek

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2019-06-21

Total Pages: 620

ISBN-13: 3030159434

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This open access book, written by world experts in aquaponics and related technologies, provides the authoritative and comprehensive overview of the key aquaculture and hydroponic and other integrated systems, socio-economic and environmental aspects. Aquaponic systems, which combine aquaculture and vegetable food production offer alternative technology solutions for a world that is increasingly under stress through population growth, urbanisation, water shortages, land and soil degradation, environmental pollution, world hunger and climate change.


Building Integrated Photovoltaic Thermal Systems

Building Integrated Photovoltaic Thermal Systems

Author: Huiming Yin

Publisher: Academic Press

Published: 2021-10-26

Total Pages: 601

ISBN-13: 0128210656

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Building Integrated Photovoltaic Thermal Systems: Fundamentals, Designs, and Applications presents various applications, system designs, manufacturing, and installation techniques surrounding how to build integrated photovoltaics. This book provides a comprehensive understanding of all system components, long-term performance and testing, and the commercialization of building integrated photovoltaic thermal (BIPVT) systems. By addressing potential obstacles with current photovoltaic (PV) systems, such as efficiency bottlenecks and product heat harvesting, the authors not only cover the fundamentals and design philosophy of the BIPVT technology, but also introduce a hybrid system for building integrated thermal electric roofing. Topics covered in Building Integrated Photovoltaic Thermal Systems are useful for scientists and engineers in the fields of photovoltaics, electrical and civil engineering, materials science, sustainable energy harvesting, solar energy, and renewable energy production. - Contains system integration methods supported by industry developments - Includes real-life examples and functional projects as case studies for comparison - Covers system design challenges, offering unique solutions


Biomass Utilization

Biomass Utilization

Author: Wilfred Cote

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2013-12-01

Total Pages: 720

ISBN-13: 1475708335

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This proceedings volume represents the culmination of nearly three years of planning, organizing and carrying out of a NATO Ad vanced Study Institute on Biomass Utilization. The effort was initi ated by Dr. Harry Sobel, then Editor of Biosources Digest, and a steering committee representing the many disciplines that this field brings together. . When the fiscal and logistical details of the original plan could not be worked out, the idea was temporarily suspended. In the spring of 1982, the Renewable Materials Institute of the State University of New York at the College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, New York revived the plan. A number of modifications had to be made, including the venue which was changed from the U.S.A. to Portugal. Additional funding beyond the basic support provided by the Scientific Affairs Division of NATO had to be obtained. Ul timately there were supplementary grants from the Foundation for Microbiology and the Anne S. Richardson Fund to assist student participants. The New York State College of Forestry Foundation, Inc. provided major support through the Renewable Ma terials Institute. The ASI was held in Alcabideche, Portugal from September 26 to October 9, 1982. Eighty participants including fifteen principal lecturers were assembled at the Hotel Sintra Estoril for the program that was organized as a comprehensive course on biomass utilization. The main lectures were supplemented by relevant short papers offered by the participants.


America's Energy Future

America's Energy Future

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2009-12-15

Total Pages: 737

ISBN-13: 0309149096

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For multi-user PDF licensing, please contact customer service. Energy touches our lives in countless ways and its costs are felt when we fill up at the gas pump, pay our home heating bills, and keep businesses both large and small running. There are long-term costs as well: to the environment, as natural resources are depleted and pollution contributes to global climate change, and to national security and independence, as many of the world's current energy sources are increasingly concentrated in geopolitically unstable regions. The country's challenge is to develop an energy portfolio that addresses these concerns while still providing sufficient, affordable energy reserves for the nation. The United States has enormous resources to put behind solutions to this energy challenge; the dilemma is to identify which solutions are the right ones. Before deciding which energy technologies to develop, and on what timeline, we need to understand them better. America's Energy Future analyzes the potential of a wide range of technologies for generation, distribution, and conservation of energy. This book considers technologies to increase energy efficiency, coal-fired power generation, nuclear power, renewable energy, oil and natural gas, and alternative transportation fuels. It offers a detailed assessment of the associated impacts and projected costs of implementing each technology and categorizes them into three time frames for implementation.


Accelerating Decarbonization of the U.S. Energy System

Accelerating Decarbonization of the U.S. Energy System

Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Publisher:

Published: 2021-12-02

Total Pages: 210

ISBN-13: 9780309682923

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The world is transforming its energy system from one dominated by fossil fuel combustion to one with net-zero emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), the primary anthropogenic greenhouse gas. This energy transition is critical to mitigating climate change, protecting human health, and revitalizing the U.S. economy. To help policymakers, businesses, communities, and the public better understand what a net-zero transition would mean for the United States, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine convened a committee of experts to investigate how the U.S. could best decarbonize its transportation, electricity, buildings, and industrial sectors. This report, Accelerating Decarbonization of the United States Energy System, identifies key technological and socio-economic goals that must be achieved to put the United States on the path to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The report presents a policy blueprint outlining critical near-term actions for the first decade (2021-2030) of this 30-year effort, including ways to support communities that will be most impacted by the transition.