Research and Publications
World Future Council in general|
Annual Report 2008 Our current Annual Report informs you about the World Future Council's work in 2008: You will find everything about projects and events, an outlook on 2009 and a detailed financial report. You can download the report here.
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Annual Report 2007 The Annual Report 2007 informs you in detail about the World Future Council, its activities and planned projects. |
Shaping our Future
Shaping our Future:
Creating the World Future Council
By Jakob von Uexkull and Herbert Girardet
ISBN: 1 903998 46 8
Publisher: Green Books / World Future Council Initiative
Date: June 2005 (Revised and Expanded Edition)
Price: Free to download here
As a result of rampant materialism, consumerism and a very narrow view of the world, we have created a profoundly unsustainable civilisation which is effectively a world without a future. Shaping Our Future was the first attempt to define the need for, and structure of, The World Future Council. First published in 2004 with the title Creating The World Future Council this book outlines the original vision of the WFC, set up to challenge this situation.
Energy Position Paper
The World Future Council regards the threat of global warming as the greatest facing future generations. We urgently need to overcome the gap between "knowing" and "acting" in all areas of climate change. The global community can change course. The World Future Council believes that the point of no return has not yet been reached, if humanity acts now with consistent political will. The sky literally is the limit!! Both in terms of the limited capacity of the atmosphere to absorb greenhouse gases, but also with regard to the boundless potential of renewable energy!
Download the Sky's the Limit - the World Future Council position on energy and climate change
Best Policy Principles
Future Justice means putting the values that are essential to our survival at the heart of every law, and every policy. To help with this, we have developed seven principles and associated questions. You can download a research paper on our best policy prinicples here.
Powering the Green Economy
Powering the Green Economy. The Feed-In Tariff Handbook.
By Miguel Mendonça, David Jacobs and Benjamin Sovacool
ISBN: 9781844078585
Publisher: Earth Scan
Date: October 2009
Price: £24.95 (order your copy here)
‘This book should be essential reading for any government committed to a more sustainable energy path.’ - Achim Steiner, United Nations Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director
Powering the Green Economy – The Feed-in Tariff Handbook, the latest climate and energy book from the World Future Council has been published by Earthscan in October 2009. It is a collaborative effort, written by Miguel Mendonça, the WFC Research Manager, David Jacobs and Benjamin Sovacool. It provides detailed analysis of feed-in tariff design, and provides a guide to campaigning for them. It includes discussion of other support schemes, of barriers and technical issues, and of the place of good policy in driving a green collar economy.
Surviving the Century
Surviving the Century: Facing Climate Chaos & Other Global Challenges
Edited by Herbert Girardet
ISBN: 9781844076123
Publisher: Earthscan
Date: October 2008
Price: £16.99 (order your copy here)
"The combined analysis presented here of why current arrangements are failing the future and clear insights of the way to go, offer us hope." - Mary Robinson, President of Realising Rights, Ethical Globalisation Initiative, and former President of Ireland and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
This book, the first major book to be published by the World Future Council, is focused primarily on environmental issues. Above all else its eight chapters are concerned with making new choices about dealing with climate change -probably the greatest ever collective challenge faced by humanity, and one that goes right to the heart of the growth philosophy underpinning modern urban industrial civilisation. With leading researchers saying we may have little more than ten years to stop catastrophic climate change from becoming irreversible, not facing this challenge will be an intolerable crime against the future.
As Ross Gelbspan notes in his chapter, "a meaningful solution to the climate crisis could potentially be the beginning of a much larger transformation of our social and economic dynamics". This book offers a contribution to this transformation. Looking in turn at issues relating to energy, agriculture, forests, cities, industrial processes, international trade, and the democratic system, this books contributors consider the gaps between where we are and where we need to be, and point to ways of bridging these.
Cities People Planet
Cities People Planet: Liveable Cities for a Sustainable World
by Herbert Girardet
ISBN: 0 470 85284 4
Publisher: Wiley
Date: April 2008
Price: £24.99 (order your copy here)
There is a huge amount of interest in the future of the planet and how architecture and design can contribute to this. This book considers the ecological design of the city and includes ideas and best practice examples of ecological architectural and urban design around the world.
The tone of the book is extremely accessible as it demonstrates how small changes in one area of the world can have impacts elsewhere. It gives an optimistic view and leaves the reader fascinated at the intricacies of the planet's ecosystems and how architecture and urban design can affect it. Examples range from Ladbroke Grove solar city in London to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Copenhagen, Curitiba, Tokyo, Sao Paulo, Helsinki, Portland Oregon, New York and New Delhi.
It is an extremely well rounded book with a balance of focus across history and around the world and is set to be a complete and comprehensive work written by one of the leading figures in this field.one of the leading figures in this field.
Feed-In Tariffs
Feed-in Tariffs: Accelerating the deployment of renewable energy
by Miguel Mendonça
ISBN: 9781844077885
Publisher: Earthscan
Date: April 2009
Price: £29.95 (order your copy here)
'No other policy mechanism has produced more renewable energy more quickly than feed-in tariffs. Mendonca explains why this policy works so well and how others can use it to power a global renewable energy revolution.' - Paul Gipe, author, advocate and analyst of renewable energy
This book offers a concise and unique introduction to feed-in law - examining the experience of countries that have implemented this model, and providing policy makers with the information required to consider feed-in tariffs as a model. The author argues that the policy should be implemented anywhere with a suitable national power grid infrastructure, and identifies variations on the policy for those areas without. Alternative models are examined, and their comparative advantages and disadvantages discussed, to provide policy makers with the information required to consider the implementation of feed-in tariffs, and to introduce the concept to renewable energy technology manufacturers, producers, investors and supporters.
A feed-in tariff is a renewable energy law which obliges energy suppliers to buy electricity produced from renewable resources at a fixed price, usually over a fixed period. These legal guarantees ensure investment security, and the support of all viable renewable energy technologies. It was recommended in the Stern Report as the best policy tool for the fastest, lowest-cost deployment of renewables, and Germany's world leadership in renewable energy is thanks largely to their exemplary version.
FITness Testing
The brochure "FITness Testing: Exploring the myths and misconceptions about feed-in tariff policies", published in January 2010, reviews common criticisms of feed-in tariffs (FITs). Discussion about FITs and other policies to boost renewable energies has grown considerably in the USA - this brochure explains how FITs work and what they can contribute to improve energy security, create new jobs, and address the growing risks of climate change. Download the brochure as PDF document.
Renewable Energy Policy Fund
This brochure proposes how the introduction of a Renewable Energy Policy Fund financed by industrialised countries would provide an easy-to-use, flexible and self-sustainable support mechanism for renewable energy development in developing countries. Download the brochure as PDF document.
Energy Sufficiency
This brochure presents eight proven and effective policies to help reduce worldwide energy consumption, such as energy audits for existing buildings, phasing out of incandescent light bulbs, energy performance contracting, and carbon-negative cooking. Read more about the World Future Council's climate and energy work and download the brochure as PDF document.
Creating Impact: Feed-In Tariff Laws
An accelerated switch to renewable energy is essential if the world is to avoid climate chaos. And Feed-In Tariff policy is essential to that effort; the single most effective way to speed up the switch to renewable energy. A combination of critical research, public awareness raising, advocacy and direct assistance to policy makers, are the hallmarks of the World Future Council Feed-In Tariff project.
Bringing together key stakeholders and building momentum for change is where the World Future Council excels. The evidence of success is clear. Rapid adoption of Feed-In Tariff laws around the world is making clean energy a reality for all. Read the documentation here.
Feed-in Tariff Work
The World Future Council regards the Feed-in tariff system as the most effective available policy to increase the deployment of renewable energy. Download the WFC Guide to this successful policy here
The World Future Council has commissioned Dr. David Toke from Birmingham University to examine the performance of the UK government's Renewables Obligation (RO), and the general case for a Renewable Energy Feed-in Tariff (REFIT). Read the Full Report with the list of prominent backers here. Read the Summary of the Report here.
Transport
This brochure gives policy recommendations for 100% renewable urban transport. Read more about the World Future Council's climate and energy work and download the brochure as PDF document.
100% Renewable Energy - and Beyond - for Cities
What does '100 percent renewable' really mean, and what does 'and beyond' signify? '100 percent renewable' means zero fossil or nuclear fuel content in operational or embodied energy, in stationary use or in transport. 'And beyond' means improvements in the efficiency of urban energy use. It also means building the capacity of smaller, rural communities to supply excess renewable energy to large cities and other parts of the economy. 'Beyond' also refers to finding ways of enhancing the capacity of soils, forests, wetlands and water bodies to absorb greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. And above all else, 'beyond' means assuring that the renewable energy transition will directly contribute to poverty reduction, job creation, health improvement, education and social empowerment for disadvantaged people.This important document sketches out the options and the processes that have started to transform urban energy systems and that will power our cities in the very near future. Download the brochure as PDF document.
A Renewable World. Energy, Ecology, Equality
By Herbert Girardet and Miguel Mendonça
ISBN: 978-1900322492
Publisher: Green Books
Date: September 2009
Price: £14.95 (order your copy here) free download >>
“Here's the book we've been waiting for, a thorough, up-to-date, and above all proportionate response to our climatic predicament. When I say proportionate, I mean: it tells us how to solve the problem we really have, not the one we wish we had. It's truly important!” - Bill McKibben, founder, 350.org
A Renewable World was developed in conjunction with dozens of world experts and features solutions on renewable energy, biosequestration, energy sufficiency, energy for developing countries, green collar jobs, cities, transport, agriculture and food, regional economies, and civil participation and democracy. It seeks to clarify what can be done, and how we can all benefit, long into the future. Further information and free download >>
Breaking the Funding Deadlock
This brochure presents the World Future Council’s policy proposals to finance climate protection on a global scale by bridging the gap between the financial requirements of developing countries and the current political inability of rich countries to provide the funding. Download the brochure as PDF document.
Tread Lightly on the Earth
For the past four hundred years international law has distanced itself from religious teaching, largely because of the wars of religion prevailing when it took shape. WFC Councillor Judge Weeramantry, former Vice-President of the International Court of Justice, argues that the common core of teachings of all religions regarding our duties to the environment and to future generations is a reservoir of enriching wisdom which international law has neglected at great cost to itself and to humanity. The result is that we are on the verge of destroying the environment and the human future with it.
This study, prepared for the World Future Council, can revolutionise international law and international relations. It distils the wisdom of Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam.
Click here to order you copy of ‘Tread Lightly On The Earth: Religion, the Environment and the Human Future’ for $39.50 (hard back) and $36.50 (paperback) plus $5 for shipping and handling worldwide.
Future Justice Starts Today
Consult the World Future Council's new position paper on Future Justice for a detailed overview about the Future Justice programme, its background and policy proposals.
You can download the paper here.
Future Policy Award
This brochure presents the World Future Council's Future Policy Award. The Award honours exemplary laws that promote equity and sustainability. Each year, the World Future Council selects one topic of critical political concern and receives nominations from all over the world for best policies on this topic. The laws are
evaluated according to our Future Justice Policy Principles. Read more on the Future Policy Award 2009 and download the brochure as PDF document.
Agriculture, Food and Climate Change
The agriculture and food sector is not only a victim of climate change, it is also a major contributor to the acceleration of global warming. This brochure explains the mutual relationship between food and agriculture and climate change, providing concrete policy solutions. Download the brochure as PDF document.
