Resilient Cities: Responding to Peak Oil and Climate Change [Paperback]

Peter Newman (Author), Timothy Beatley (Author), Heather Boyer (Author)

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Hardcover	CDN $60.00		--	--
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Product Details

Paperback: 184 pages
Publisher: Island Press; 1 edition (Jan 9 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1597264997
ISBN-13: 978-1597264990
Product Dimensions: 22.8 x 15.6 x 1.1 cm
Shipping Weight: 295 g
Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #163,667 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Review

"This is a useful and creative book, summarizing considerable experience and constructive ideas about ways to cut carbon emissions in cities and increase their resilience at the same time."

(Journal of Urban Design ) --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Book Description

Half of the world’s inhabitants now live in cities. In the next twenty years, the number of urban dwellers will swell to an estimated five billion people. With their inefficient transportation systems and poorly designed buildings, many cities—especially in the United States—consume enormous quantities of fossil fuels and emit high levels of greenhouse gases. But our planet is rapidly running out of the carbon-based fuels that have powered urban growth for centuries and we seem to be unable to curb our greenhouse gas emissions. Are the world’s cities headed for inevitable collapse?

The authors of this spirited book don’t believe that oblivion is necessarily the destiny of urban areas. Instead, they believe that intelligent planning and visionary leadership can help cities meet the impending crises, and look to existing initiatives in cities around the world. Rather than responding with fear (as a legion of doomsaying prognosticators have done), they choose hope. First, they confront the problems, describing where we stand today in our use of oil and our contribution to climate change. They then present four possible outcomes for cities: ”collapse,” “ruralized,” “divided,” and “resilient.” In response to their scenarios, they articulate how a new “sustainable urbanism” could replace today’s “carbon-consuming urbanism.” They address in detail how new transportation systems and buildings can be feasibly developed to replace our present low efficiency systems. In conclusion, they offer ten “strategic steps” that any city can take toward greater sustainability and resilience.

This is not a book filled with “blue sky” theory (although blue skies will be a welcome result of its recommendations). Rather, it is packed with practical ideas, some of which are already working in cities today. It frankly admits that our cities have problems that will worsen if they are not addressed, but it suggests that these problems are solvable. And the time to begin solving them is now.

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Amazon.com: 4.4 out of 5 stars (5 customer reviews)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Good "first read", Dec 21 2010

By Helmut G. - Published on Amazon.com

This review is from: Resilient Cities: Responding to Peak Oil and Climate Change (Paperback)

This book offers an introductory presentation of the increasing important concept of "resilience," in this case addressing how two issues,"peak oil" and climate change. After briefly laying out the current science and projections related to these two issues, Ch. 3 "Four Scenarios" defines four possibilities of our non-action or action, seen in trends evident today, e.g. (1) urban duress (the authors use the term "collapse"), (2)urban flight to rural enclaves, (3) the divided city with class-restricted and walled compounds, or (4) the "resilient city," a "vision" whereby communities and regions plan for our uncertain future with actions to build local resources and economies, democratic equity and sustainability. The argument and plea for this fourth option is the core message of this volume, which is presented with optimism and exemplary steps. The authors summarize these positive steps in a concluding chapter, including energy efficient buildings, smart grid transit tied to pedestrian mobility, and local food network. The organization of the book in this straight forward format makes it ideal for class room assignment and discussion.

5.0 out of 5 stars Today is the future, Jun 28 2011

By Michael Brown - Published on Amazon.com

This review is from: Resilient Cities: Responding to Peak Oil and Climate Change (Paperback)

This is a well written, easily understood, perfect introductory book that discusses urban design/planning and our energy dependency. Unlike other books, its strength is that it is not an architecturally, sociologically or politically weighed down text. Furthermore the text offers several possibilities to improve urban living starting now and how urban centers and rural areas could become sustainable and stable. The authors did an excellent job of knowing who their initial audience would be-the general public- who are not involved in the aforementioned fields but who are interested and concerned by the real threats that the 'oil age' has inadvertantly brought about in our world.

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Read, Feb 21 2009

By Expert Shopper "avalon2" - Published on Amazon.com

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This review is from: Resilient Cities: Responding to Peak Oil and Climate Change (Paperback)

I think that with global warming occuring we all need to get educated. This book gives you some basic information about oil and its effect on climate change.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 5 reviews 4.4 out of 5 stars