Routledge Energy and Development (Rethinking Development)

This book explores the complex relationship between energy and development and discusses the core issues and concepts surrounding this growing area of research and policy. In the field of energy and development, the world faces two major challenges: (1) Providing energy access to the roughly one billion people worldwide who do not have access to electricity and the nearly three billion people worldwide who do not have access to clean cooking fuels; (2) achieving socioeconomic development while limiting global atmospheric temperature increases to 2 degrees Celsius to mitigate climate change. Taking stock of progress, Frauke Urban explores the key issues surrounding these goals and addresses the policy responses aimed at ending energy poverty and achieving sustainable development. She outlines various options for delivering energy access, analyses past and prospective energy transitions and examines the social, environmental, economic and technological implications of these possibilities. Taking a holistic and multi-disciplinary approach and containing useful teaching resources, Energy and Development provides a comprehensive overview of this complex field of study. This book will be a great resource for postgraduate and undergraduate students, scholars, practitioners and policymakers working in the fields of energy studies, international development, environmental studies, industrial engineering, as well as social sciences that relate to energy and development. Review "The Trias of energy, development and poverty must be thought, explained and understood together. Frauke Urban’s book does so in a truly comprehensive and highly accessible way. The book is essential reading for all students and professionals who are interested in the Trias and who want to understand the deep political nexus that shapes so much of current global politics." - Prof. Dr. Markus Lederer, Professor of International Relations and expert in carbon governance, Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany "Whilst energy use remains tightly coupled to economic growth, how to square the need for access to modern energy services with development challenges in a carbon constrained world represents one of the most challenging conundrums of our time - one of relevance across all of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. In this volume, Urban continues her track record of publishing accessible introductions to core aspects of the field of climate change, energy and development, once again offering a text that will be of value to both students and teachers alike, as well as to informed policy makers and practitioners wishing to extend their knowledge of this field. The inclusion of reflexive exercises at the end of each chapter add to its pedagogic value, making it of particular value to those designing new modules in this rapidly expanding field." - Prof. Dr. David Ockwell, Professor of Geography and co-convenor of the Climate and Energy research domain in the ESRC STEPS Centre, University of Sussex, UK "This is a must read for all who are interested in energy, development and climate change. An excellent reading resource addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges, namely how to reduce energy poverty and achieve development, while mitigating climate change." - Dr. Johan Nordensvärd, Senior Lecturer in Political Science and expert in the social implications of energy and environment, Uppsala University and University of Linköping, Sweden "This book comprehensively introduces the reader to the global transition that is underway in energy production, consumption and access and the implications of these changes for economic and human development. It recognises that progress in tackling the twin problems of climate change and highly unequal access to energy – energy profligacy alongside energy poverty – is proceeding too slowly. In a concise but authoritative fashion the chapters examine the complex relationships between the env