Coal: (Resources)

By making available the almost unlimited energy stored in prehistoric plant matter, coal enabled the industrial age – and it still does. Coal today generates more electricity worldwide than any other energy source, helping to drive economic growth in major emerging markets. And yet, continued reliance on this ancient rock carries a high price in smog and greenhouse gases. We use coal because it is cheap: cheap to scrape from the ground, cheap to move, cheap to burn in power plants with inadequate environmental controls. In this book, Mark Thurber explains how coal producers, users, financiers, and technology exporters drive this supply chain, while fragmented environmental movements battle for full incorporation of environmental costs into the global calculus of coal. Delving into the politics of energy versus the environment at local, national, and international levels, Thurber paints a vivid picture of the multi-faceted challenges associated with continued coal production and use in the twenty-first century.

Table of Contents:
1 The Double-Edged Sword of Coal Fueling the world with coal Coal’s environmental problems The nature of energy resources Factors shaping the future of coal Conclusion Notes 2 The Quest for Energy Security Coal: the first source of (nearly) unlimited energy Coal as the OECD’s antidote to oil insecurity China’s coal-based energy security paradigm Coal and energy security in India Coal and energy security in other developing countries Will we run out of coal? Critiquing the energy security rationale for coal Conclusion Notes 3 Tensions along the Coal Value Chain Underground mining and its risks Productivity improvements in mining The politics of declining coal sector employment Benefits and harms to local communities Coal transportation Coal power (and pollution) The coal value chain fights back The coal–power conflict Conclusion Notes 4 Environmental Politics and Policymaking Incorporating environmental externalities Drivers of environmental policy Public support for environmental protection Institutional capacity and environmental regulation: The cases of China and India Environmental groups versus coal International finance and international climate politics The impact of environmental advocacy Conclusion Notes 5 Alternatives to Coal Coal vs. nuclear Coal vs. natural gas Coal vs. wind and solar Coal vs. cleaner coal The challenge of replacing coking coal Progress in coal alternatives Conclusion Notes 6 Policy, Technology, and the Future of Coal Why has coal persisted as the “default fuel”? Climate policy and technological change The future of coal Notes Selected Readings Index

About the Author :
Mark C. Thurber is Associate Director of the Program on Energy and Sustainable Development at Stanford University.

Review :
“Coal pushed the industrial era into existence. Today, with global warming, coal is among the biggest threats. Mark Thurber applies his sharp analytical mind, the balance of an historian, and an elegant pen to this vital subject. Everyone will learn something important from this lovely little book.” David Victor, University of California, San Diego “Thurber presents an overview of coal's role in past and present energy systems as well as key factors affecting its future in both developed and developing countries, offering a clear non-polemical analysis of coal's economic, environmental, and energy security attributes.” Howard Gruenspecht, former Deputy Administrator, US Energy Information Administration