Energy, resources and welfare : exploration of social frameworks for sustainable development / Bent Sørensen.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Cover; Title Page; Copyright Page ; Contents; About the Author; Preface; Chapter 1 -- Introduction; Reference; Chapter 2 -- Resources and Economic Welfare; 2.1 -- Overview of natural resources; 2.1.1 -- Land and Property; 2.1.2 -- Mineral Resources Including Energy Resources of Geological Origin; 2.1.3 -- Flow Resources, such as Renewable Energy; 2.1.4 -- Other Resources; 2.2 -- Current paradigm of economic organization; 2.2.1 -- The Liberal Market Economy; 2.2.2 -- The Substitution Hypothesis; 2.2.3 -- Externalities and Life Cycle Analysis; 2.3 -- Current paradigm of social organization

2.3.1 -- Basic Human Rights2.3.2 -- Governance and Political Setup; 2.3.3 -- Welfare as Currently Viewed; References; Chapter 3 -- New Paradigms: In Search of a Third Way; 3.1 -- New indicators of social welfare; 3.1.1 -- Growth, but of What?; 3.1.2 -- Measure of Desirable Activities; 3.1.3 -- A New Look on Wealth and Inequality, Illustrated by a Case Study; 3.1.3.1 -- Education; 3.1.3.2 -- Health; 3.1.3.3 -- Adding Up Wealth; 3.1.3.4 -- Inequality; 3.1.4 -- Buying and Selling Goods; 3.1.5 -- Work Versus Meaningful Activities; 3.1.6 -- Tolerance and Multiple Solutions; 3.2 -- How to formulate constitutions

3.2.1 -- From Ancient Greece to Revolutionary France and Liberal USA3.2.2 -- Rights and Duties; 3.2.3 -- Levels of Society; 3.2.4 -- Direct Versus Representative Democracy; References; Chapter 4 -- Specific Issues and Case Narratives; 4.1 -- Energy efficiency and infrastructure; 4.1.1 -- Buildings and Commerce; 4.1.2 -- Transportation and Services; 4.1.3 -- Manufacture and New Materials Provision; 4.2 -- Lifestyle traits; 4.2.1 -- Living in a Community Thriving on Coherence and Learned Skills; 4.2.2 -- Role of Normative Impositions; 4.2.3 -- Tolerance, Uniformity and Treatment of Minorities

4.2.4 -- Resolving Conflicts, Abolishing Wars and Cultivating Peace4.3 -- Selected suggestions from recent times; 4.3.1 -- Basic Income; 4.3.2 -- Decentralization, Globalization and Continued Education; 4.3.3 -- Financial and Legal Setup; 4.3.4 -- Implementing Change in the Past; References; Chapter 5 -- Implementation of Sustainable Solutions; 5.1 -- On the global level, including those aspect that are valid on all levels; 5.2 -- On the regional level; 5.3 -- On the local level; 5.4 -- It can be done!; References; Subject Index; Back cover

Bent Sørensen, one of the world's leading experts in the field of renewable energy systems, explores the current hurdles to the universal adoption of renewable energy sources and proposes solutions to the current situation in this new inspiring work. He discusses the social, political and economic issues that make sustainability seem like such an attainable goal, and explores the ways through which change can be achieved without loss of welfare. Even though the author has written several scientific monographs covering the technical issues behind the energy and social transitions mentioned in this book, and bases his conclusions on solid facts and analysis, Sørensen avoids specialist jargon in this text. He therefore addresses scientists and engineers directly involved in sustainable technologies, as well as energy planners and decision makers in industry and government, and also those interested in the direction in which our societies are moving. This book can be a good basis for discussions and debate, whether in academic or in political circles, and may even be used as complementary reading for students in the field of energy generation, implementation, planning, management, markets and policy. -- Provided by publisher.