Vision 2050 Roadmap for a Sustainable Earth

About this book

Hiroshi Komiyama's "Vision 2050" is a plan for paving a road to global sustainability. It lays out a path to a sustainable future for humanity that could realistically be achieved by 2050 through the application of science and technology. A prominent Japanese academic and leader in global sustainability, Komiyama draws upon realistic assumptions and solid scientific concepts to create a vision that makes the living standards enjoyed by developed countries today possible for all people by 2050.

"Vision 2050" is built upon three fundamental principles - increased energy efficiency, recycling, and development of renewable energy sources - and the book argues for the technological potential of all three. Specifically, Komiyama envisions a three-fold increase in overall energy efficiency and a doubling of renewable energy resources by 2050. "Vision 2050: Roadmap for a Sustainable Earth" is written to address the concerned citizen as well as to inspire an exchange of ideas among experts, policy makers, industrial leaders, and the general public.

Contents

Preface
Chapter 1: Is the earth sustainable?
1.Changes from which the earth recovers, and changes from which the earth does not
2. Mechanisms for recovery
3. A massive intervention by humanity into the biosphere
4. The flow of materials resulting from "making things"
5. What happens if we continue with "business as usual?"
Chapter 2: Knowing energy
1. Energy is conserved
2. What is energy used for?
3. Energy degrades
4. Improving efficiency
Chapter 3: The limit of energy efficiency1. The elementary steps of human activities2. The energy of elementary steps3. The energy of human activities
Chapter 4: Energy conservation in daily life
1. The automobile
2. Homes and offices
3. Power plants
Chapter 5: Making things and recycling things
1. The theory of recycling
2. Recycling that is also energy conservation
3. Is it bad to burn waste paper and plastic?
Chapter 6: Introduction of renewable energy
1. Could intensification of nuclear power be the answer?
2. Sunlight
3. Hydropower and wind power
4. Geothermal and tides
Chapter 7: How to make a sustainable earth
1. The significance of the Kyoto Protocol
2. Vision 2050: a new road to a sustainable earth
3. A concrete image for Vision 2050 (1) A three-fold increase in energy use efficiency (2) Construction of a material recycling system (3) Development of renewable energy
Chapter 8: How will technology and society work together?
1. Forming a total infrastructure for circulating materials in society
2. Making the market work for sustainability
3. Projects for Vision 20504. Rebuilding the relationship between technology and society
Postscript

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