Topical Themes in Energy and Resources

Moving towards a more sustainable world requires a complete revolution in the way we manage energy and resources. However, from an academic perspective, this theme is so broad that most educators and researchers tend to focus on just one aspect, and maintaining the broad viewpoint which is necessary for making strategic judgments becomes difficult. Tohoku University addressed this challenge when developing a new education and training program for environmental leaders and brought together the extensive range of expertise available in specific fields into one special course which forms the basis of this book. Now in one volume, both students and educators can be brought up to date on a wide range of critical issues currently being addressed in the field of energy and resources. Issues covered include several critical ones in the energy field (low-energy technologies, renewable energies such as the hydrogen economy, and geothermal energy). Chapters on resources include availability (for instance, rare earth metals), extraction and recycling of metals and plastics, and technological solutions to specific waste-disposal problems. In addition, broader strategic issues such as limits to growth and the interaction between the economic system and environmental issues are addressed. Even though each chapter provides topical data and knowledge from disparate and specialized fields, the book is written at a level that is readily understandable by students from all scientific, engineering, and humanities fields.