Transforming Social and Energy Systems

This book presents an interdisciplinary and holistic approach to transforming social and energy systems, drawing on perspectives from both the social and natural sciences. Written by an expert team of authors, Transforming Social and Energy Systems: Key Issues outlines the approaches and methods that are essential in understanding human global energy use dynamics and the resulting modern environmental challenges, including climate change. The authors begin by providing an overview of energy transitions and interactions between energy flows and human development. They go on to explore topics such as planetary energetics, energy economics, climate change impacts, climate change mitigation and adaptation, international climate policy, low-carbon transitions and global net-zero pathways. Overall, this textbook will enable readers to develop their knowledge around the sources and impacts of global climatic changes and learn about the development of international and national climate and energy policies, the role of social movements and bottom-up innovations. With the inclusion of pedagogical features in each chapter, such as recommendations for further reading and discussion questions, this book will be a great resource to students of climate change and energy, as well as researchers working in related fields.