Author: Blas Luis Pérez Henríquez
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1617260940
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 298
Book Description
Market-based solutions to environmental problems offer great promise, but require complex public policies that take into account the many institutional factors necessary for the market to work and that guard against the social forces that can derail good public policies. Using insights about markets from the new institutional economics, this book sheds light on the institutional history of the emissions trading concept as it has evolved across different contexts. It makes accessible the policy design and practical implementation aspects of a key tool for fighting climate change: emissions trading systems (ETS) for environmental control. Blas Luis Pérez Henríquez analyzes past market-based environmental programs to extract lessons for the future of ETS. He follows the development of the emissions trading concept as it evolved in the United States and was later applied in the multinational European Emissions Trading System and in sub-national programs in the United States such as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and California's ETS. This ex-post evaluation of an ETS as it evolves in real time in the real world provides a valuable supplement to what is already known from theoretical arguments and simulation studies about the advantages and disadvantages of the market strategy. Political cycles and political debate over the use of markets for environmental control make any form of climate policy extremely contentious. Pérez Henríquez argues that, despite ideological disagreements, the ETS approach, or, more popularly, 'cap-and-trade' policy design, remains the best hope for a cost-effective policy to reduce GHG emissions around the world.
Environmental Commodities Markets and Emissions Trading
Author: Blas Luis Pérez Henríquez
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1617260940
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 298
Book Description
Market-based solutions to environmental problems offer great promise, but require complex public policies that take into account the many institutional factors necessary for the market to work and that guard against the social forces that can derail good public policies. Using insights about markets from the new institutional economics, this book sheds light on the institutional history of the emissions trading concept as it has evolved across different contexts. It makes accessible the policy design and practical implementation aspects of a key tool for fighting climate change: emissions trading systems (ETS) for environmental control. Blas Luis Pérez Henríquez analyzes past market-based environmental programs to extract lessons for the future of ETS. He follows the development of the emissions trading concept as it evolved in the United States and was later applied in the multinational European Emissions Trading System and in sub-national programs in the United States such as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and California's ETS. This ex-post evaluation of an ETS as it evolves in real time in the real world provides a valuable supplement to what is already known from theoretical arguments and simulation studies about the advantages and disadvantages of the market strategy. Political cycles and political debate over the use of markets for environmental control make any form of climate policy extremely contentious. Pérez Henríquez argues that, despite ideological disagreements, the ETS approach, or, more popularly, 'cap-and-trade' policy design, remains the best hope for a cost-effective policy to reduce GHG emissions around the world.
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1617260940
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 298
Book Description
Market-based solutions to environmental problems offer great promise, but require complex public policies that take into account the many institutional factors necessary for the market to work and that guard against the social forces that can derail good public policies. Using insights about markets from the new institutional economics, this book sheds light on the institutional history of the emissions trading concept as it has evolved across different contexts. It makes accessible the policy design and practical implementation aspects of a key tool for fighting climate change: emissions trading systems (ETS) for environmental control. Blas Luis Pérez Henríquez analyzes past market-based environmental programs to extract lessons for the future of ETS. He follows the development of the emissions trading concept as it evolved in the United States and was later applied in the multinational European Emissions Trading System and in sub-national programs in the United States such as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and California's ETS. This ex-post evaluation of an ETS as it evolves in real time in the real world provides a valuable supplement to what is already known from theoretical arguments and simulation studies about the advantages and disadvantages of the market strategy. Political cycles and political debate over the use of markets for environmental control make any form of climate policy extremely contentious. Pérez Henríquez argues that, despite ideological disagreements, the ETS approach, or, more popularly, 'cap-and-trade' policy design, remains the best hope for a cost-effective policy to reduce GHG emissions around the world.
Energy And Environmental Hedge Funds
Author: Peter C. Fusaro
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0470821981
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 232
Book Description
Praise for Energy & Environmental Hedge Funds: The New Investment Paradigm "I highly recommend this book for those investors interested in energy and environmental hedge funds. It is a great handbook on these topics. The authors make a difficult subject easy for investors to understand. Energy and Environmental Hedge Funds are both the newest and next area for hedge fund investment and diversification." —Lisa Vioni, President, HedgeConnection.com "Peter Fusaro and Gary Vasey have done a great jo9b in compiling all of the background information that a newcomer to energy investing should have. This insightful book helps in determining how best to gain exposure to the rapidly changing energy trading sector." —Raj Mahajan, President & Co-Founder, SunGard Kiodex "The entry of opportunistic hedge funds into the energy sector is creating a sea of change for the industry. Fueled by pension funds and institutional investors, hedge funds are attracted to the petroleum industry because the current price volatility provides generous returns for their investors. However, these investments are not without risk. Gary Vasey and Peter Fusaro explain the ins and outs of it all in their insightful narrative." —Don Stowers, Editor, Oil & Gas Financial Journal "Peter Fusaro and Gary Vasey write about energy and environmental hedge fund markets with greater style, aplomb, and insight that any other observers of financial high streets worldwide.... Outlining some of the early and provocative details of an industry's youthful achievement and potential, it is likely that this exposition by two of the energy and financial world's most credible experts will become a seminal work." —Ethan L. Cohen, Director, Utility and Energy Technology, UtiliPoint International, Inc.
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0470821981
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 232
Book Description
Praise for Energy & Environmental Hedge Funds: The New Investment Paradigm "I highly recommend this book for those investors interested in energy and environmental hedge funds. It is a great handbook on these topics. The authors make a difficult subject easy for investors to understand. Energy and Environmental Hedge Funds are both the newest and next area for hedge fund investment and diversification." —Lisa Vioni, President, HedgeConnection.com "Peter Fusaro and Gary Vasey have done a great jo9b in compiling all of the background information that a newcomer to energy investing should have. This insightful book helps in determining how best to gain exposure to the rapidly changing energy trading sector." —Raj Mahajan, President & Co-Founder, SunGard Kiodex "The entry of opportunistic hedge funds into the energy sector is creating a sea of change for the industry. Fueled by pension funds and institutional investors, hedge funds are attracted to the petroleum industry because the current price volatility provides generous returns for their investors. However, these investments are not without risk. Gary Vasey and Peter Fusaro explain the ins and outs of it all in their insightful narrative." —Don Stowers, Editor, Oil & Gas Financial Journal "Peter Fusaro and Gary Vasey write about energy and environmental hedge fund markets with greater style, aplomb, and insight that any other observers of financial high streets worldwide.... Outlining some of the early and provocative details of an industry's youthful achievement and potential, it is likely that this exposition by two of the energy and financial world's most credible experts will become a seminal work." —Ethan L. Cohen, Director, Utility and Energy Technology, UtiliPoint International, Inc.
Commodities, Energy and Environmental Finance
Author: René Aïd
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 1493927337
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 431
Book Description
This volume is a collection of chapters covering the latest developments in applications of financial mathematics and statistics to topics in energy, commodity financial markets and environmental economics. The research presented is based on the presentations and discussions that took place during the Fields Institute Focus Program on Commodities, Energy and Environmental Finance in August 2013. The authors include applied mathematicians, economists and industry practitioners, providing for a multi-disciplinary spectrum of perspectives on the subject. The volume consists of four sections: Electricity Markets; Real Options; Trading in Commodity Markets; and Oligopolistic Models for Energy Production. Taken together, the chapters give a comprehensive summary of the current state of the art in quantitative analysis of commodities and energy finance. The topics covered include structural models of electricity markets, financialization of commodities, valuation of commodity real options, game-theory analysis of exhaustible resource management and analysis of commodity ETFs. The volume also includes two survey articles that provide a source for new researchers interested in getting into these topics.
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 1493927337
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 431
Book Description
This volume is a collection of chapters covering the latest developments in applications of financial mathematics and statistics to topics in energy, commodity financial markets and environmental economics. The research presented is based on the presentations and discussions that took place during the Fields Institute Focus Program on Commodities, Energy and Environmental Finance in August 2013. The authors include applied mathematicians, economists and industry practitioners, providing for a multi-disciplinary spectrum of perspectives on the subject. The volume consists of four sections: Electricity Markets; Real Options; Trading in Commodity Markets; and Oligopolistic Models for Energy Production. Taken together, the chapters give a comprehensive summary of the current state of the art in quantitative analysis of commodities and energy finance. The topics covered include structural models of electricity markets, financialization of commodities, valuation of commodity real options, game-theory analysis of exhaustible resource management and analysis of commodity ETFs. The volume also includes two survey articles that provide a source for new researchers interested in getting into these topics.
European Emissions Trading in Practice
Author: Stefano Clò
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
ISBN: 0857934430
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 201
Book Description
'Emission markets are crucial both to provide the right incentives to reduce GHG emissions and to fund investments necessary for a transition to a low carbon world. Emission markets however cannot achieve these objectives if inappropriately designed. This book is a novel and fresh attempt to look at the real functioning of the EU Emission Trading Scheme and to assess its effectiveness and inconsistencies, its positive and negative impacts on industrial and financial markets. With the overall objective to improve its design and performance.' Carlo Carraro, University of Venice, Italy '. . . this important book has the great achievement of addressing a complicated and socially highly debated issue of how society could be given optimal incentives for emission reductions from a legal and economic perspective. Moreover, it not only addresses the various issues from a theoretical perspective, but provides important empirical evidence on the working of emissions trading as well. The book will undoubtedly have important lessons not only at the theoretical level, but also for policy makers interested in improving the effectiveness of emission trading schemes.' From the foreword by Michael Faure This unique and up-to-date book analyses the functioning of the European Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and assesses the extent to which relevant legislation has affected its capacity to promote cost-effective reduction of European carbon emissions. The author investigates whether inefficiency has been caused by both the ETS cap setting procedure and by the ETS relevant allocation rule, as defined by Directive 2003/87/EC. He then considers whether the new Directive 2009/29/EC, which reforms the ETS institutional design, is likely to improve the scheme's effectiveness by reducing the risk of carbon leakage which could potentially be a consequence of implementing a unilateral policy across the asymmetric political landscape of Europe. This well-documented book will appeal to researchers and postgraduate students in environmental law and environmental economics, as well as policymakers within environment, industry and economics, and electric and industrial operators and stakeholders. Environmental NGOs, energy and environmental consulting groups, members of the European Commission, and energy and environmental think-tanks will also find much to interest them in this insightful book.
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
ISBN: 0857934430
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 201
Book Description
'Emission markets are crucial both to provide the right incentives to reduce GHG emissions and to fund investments necessary for a transition to a low carbon world. Emission markets however cannot achieve these objectives if inappropriately designed. This book is a novel and fresh attempt to look at the real functioning of the EU Emission Trading Scheme and to assess its effectiveness and inconsistencies, its positive and negative impacts on industrial and financial markets. With the overall objective to improve its design and performance.' Carlo Carraro, University of Venice, Italy '. . . this important book has the great achievement of addressing a complicated and socially highly debated issue of how society could be given optimal incentives for emission reductions from a legal and economic perspective. Moreover, it not only addresses the various issues from a theoretical perspective, but provides important empirical evidence on the working of emissions trading as well. The book will undoubtedly have important lessons not only at the theoretical level, but also for policy makers interested in improving the effectiveness of emission trading schemes.' From the foreword by Michael Faure This unique and up-to-date book analyses the functioning of the European Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and assesses the extent to which relevant legislation has affected its capacity to promote cost-effective reduction of European carbon emissions. The author investigates whether inefficiency has been caused by both the ETS cap setting procedure and by the ETS relevant allocation rule, as defined by Directive 2003/87/EC. He then considers whether the new Directive 2009/29/EC, which reforms the ETS institutional design, is likely to improve the scheme's effectiveness by reducing the risk of carbon leakage which could potentially be a consequence of implementing a unilateral policy across the asymmetric political landscape of Europe. This well-documented book will appeal to researchers and postgraduate students in environmental law and environmental economics, as well as policymakers within environment, industry and economics, and electric and industrial operators and stakeholders. Environmental NGOs, energy and environmental consulting groups, members of the European Commission, and energy and environmental think-tanks will also find much to interest them in this insightful book.
International Trade in Sustainable Electricity
Author: Thomas Cottier
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 110716334X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 509
Book Description
This book explores the regulatory challenges posed by the changing landscape of electricity trade to the multilateral trading system.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 110716334X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 509
Book Description
This book explores the regulatory challenges posed by the changing landscape of electricity trade to the multilateral trading system.
Energy and Environmental Project Finance Law and Taxation
Author: Andrea Kramer
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 1030
Book Description
Energy and Environmental Project Finance Law and Taxation: New Investment Techniques provides practitioners with a useful and comprehensive discussion of energy and environmental project finance as it is developing and where it is going in light of new legal and tax rules. This is the first time that internationally recognized lawyers and economists share their knowledge, expertise, and insights in this important and growing industry. Energy and Environmental Project Finance Law and Taxation examines cutting edge techniques and analyses the recent tax and legal developments coming out of Washington, all of which are revolutionizing the investment in and financing of energy and environmental projects. Written for practitioners and laymen alike, Energy and Environmental Project Finance Law and Taxation arms the reader with crucial knowledge about structuring and financing conventional, renewable, green financing, and alternative energy projects. It addresses carbon financing, green power, and traditional and new technologies, including nuclear power, wind, photovoltaic, solar, geothermal, biomass, and the new generation of nuclear power. This book also addresses the risks involved in structuring and financing these new technologies; ways to hedge these risks; and how to monetize the tax credits available for renewable energy projects.
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 1030
Book Description
Energy and Environmental Project Finance Law and Taxation: New Investment Techniques provides practitioners with a useful and comprehensive discussion of energy and environmental project finance as it is developing and where it is going in light of new legal and tax rules. This is the first time that internationally recognized lawyers and economists share their knowledge, expertise, and insights in this important and growing industry. Energy and Environmental Project Finance Law and Taxation examines cutting edge techniques and analyses the recent tax and legal developments coming out of Washington, all of which are revolutionizing the investment in and financing of energy and environmental projects. Written for practitioners and laymen alike, Energy and Environmental Project Finance Law and Taxation arms the reader with crucial knowledge about structuring and financing conventional, renewable, green financing, and alternative energy projects. It addresses carbon financing, green power, and traditional and new technologies, including nuclear power, wind, photovoltaic, solar, geothermal, biomass, and the new generation of nuclear power. This book also addresses the risks involved in structuring and financing these new technologies; ways to hedge these risks; and how to monetize the tax credits available for renewable energy projects.
Power Markets and Economics
Author: Barrie Murray
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 9780470743010
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 324
Book Description
It is now almost twenty years since liberalisation and the introduction of competition was proposed for electricity utilities. Some form of restructuring has been widely adopted around the world to suit local objectives. The industry now faces new challenges associated with global warming, rising prices and escalating energy demand from developing countries like China and India. The industry will have to cope with; managing emissions; managing variable energy sources like wind, dev eloping clean coal technology; accommodating distributed generation and new nuclear stations and managing the impact of these developments on the distribution and transmission networks. It is now necessary to consider how the various market structures that were adopted have performed and how they will address some of these new issues and what further changes might be necessary. This volume presents an all-inclusive analysis of the electricity market structures that have been adopted around the world and how they are performing. It provides an up-to-date analysis of the cost of competing technologies, the operation of energy and ancillary service markets and the impact of renewable sources and emission restrictions. It takes a forward look at likely future developments necessary to cope with the new emerging issues. Part One introduces industry infrastructure, analysing state utilities, the motives behind liberalisation and the resulting structures. Part Two considers generation costs, including renewable generation costs, and investigates the cost of restricting emissions as well as transmission and distribution costs. Part Three discusses market operation, describing how costs affect the organisation of power generation. It covers trading arrangements, ancillary services, international trading and investment. Part Four looks to future markets and technological developments that will shape the industry through the next twenty years. This includes the appraisal of investment opportunities for global power companies and implications for market performance. Written by an internationally renowned consultant engineer, this book is full of expert insight and balances fundamental methodology and academic theory with practical information and diverse worked examples. This is an excellent reference on the topic for power system engineers, regulators, banks, investors, and government energy agencies. With its many worked examples, it is also a brilliant tutorial accessible for postgraduates and senior undergraduates in electrical and power engineering.
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 9780470743010
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 324
Book Description
It is now almost twenty years since liberalisation and the introduction of competition was proposed for electricity utilities. Some form of restructuring has been widely adopted around the world to suit local objectives. The industry now faces new challenges associated with global warming, rising prices and escalating energy demand from developing countries like China and India. The industry will have to cope with; managing emissions; managing variable energy sources like wind, dev eloping clean coal technology; accommodating distributed generation and new nuclear stations and managing the impact of these developments on the distribution and transmission networks. It is now necessary to consider how the various market structures that were adopted have performed and how they will address some of these new issues and what further changes might be necessary. This volume presents an all-inclusive analysis of the electricity market structures that have been adopted around the world and how they are performing. It provides an up-to-date analysis of the cost of competing technologies, the operation of energy and ancillary service markets and the impact of renewable sources and emission restrictions. It takes a forward look at likely future developments necessary to cope with the new emerging issues. Part One introduces industry infrastructure, analysing state utilities, the motives behind liberalisation and the resulting structures. Part Two considers generation costs, including renewable generation costs, and investigates the cost of restricting emissions as well as transmission and distribution costs. Part Three discusses market operation, describing how costs affect the organisation of power generation. It covers trading arrangements, ancillary services, international trading and investment. Part Four looks to future markets and technological developments that will shape the industry through the next twenty years. This includes the appraisal of investment opportunities for global power companies and implications for market performance. Written by an internationally renowned consultant engineer, this book is full of expert insight and balances fundamental methodology and academic theory with practical information and diverse worked examples. This is an excellent reference on the topic for power system engineers, regulators, banks, investors, and government energy agencies. With its many worked examples, it is also a brilliant tutorial accessible for postgraduates and senior undergraduates in electrical and power engineering.
Handbook of Research on Energy and Environmental Finance 4.0
Author: Rafay, Abdul
Publisher: IGI Global
ISBN: 179988211X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 545
Book Description
Energy and environmental finance (EEF) is an emerging global phenomenon. During the last few decades, many countries started monitoring EEF practices. Major components of these practices include costs, fraud, scandals, and more. Among several problems, the most prevalent is the lack of awareness about the issues of EEF among various stakeholders. The Handbook of Research on Energy and Environmental Finance 4.0 is an international reference that provides understanding and lessons learned in all aspects of EEF in individual, organizational, and societal experiences. This book examines research in the shape of experience, implementation, and application. Covering topics such as clean power, energy poverty, and environmental degradation, this book is a dynamic resource for academicians, researchers, professionals who work within the domains of EEF, EEF regulators, scholars of EEF, managers involved in EEF organizations, law practitioners involved in EEF regulations, auditors involved in audit and control systems of EEF, university professors, and students pursuing studies and research in EEF.
Publisher: IGI Global
ISBN: 179988211X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 545
Book Description
Energy and environmental finance (EEF) is an emerging global phenomenon. During the last few decades, many countries started monitoring EEF practices. Major components of these practices include costs, fraud, scandals, and more. Among several problems, the most prevalent is the lack of awareness about the issues of EEF among various stakeholders. The Handbook of Research on Energy and Environmental Finance 4.0 is an international reference that provides understanding and lessons learned in all aspects of EEF in individual, organizational, and societal experiences. This book examines research in the shape of experience, implementation, and application. Covering topics such as clean power, energy poverty, and environmental degradation, this book is a dynamic resource for academicians, researchers, professionals who work within the domains of EEF, EEF regulators, scholars of EEF, managers involved in EEF organizations, law practitioners involved in EEF regulations, auditors involved in audit and control systems of EEF, university professors, and students pursuing studies and research in EEF.
Climate Clubs for a Sustainable Future
Author: Rafael Leal-Arcas
Publisher: Kluwer Law International B.V.
ISBN: 9403537205
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 330
Book Description
Energy and Environmental Law and Policy Series #41 We know the science of climate change; we know the economics of climate change; we also know the law of climate change. However, we do not know how countries may come together to cooperate on climate change mitigation. In this connection, the role of international trade in climate change, although universally acknowledged, is not well understood. This groundbreaking book by one of the world’s foremost authorities on international economic law not only investigates this role in great depth, but also explains how free trade agreements can be used as a powerful tool to help mitigate climate change. Focusing on the idea of climate clubs—namely the coalition of the willing—among governments, companies, and/or international institutions, the book offers insightful analysis on aspects of the trade–climate linkage such as: formation of climate clubs; legitimacy and accountability; technological cooperation; green patents; how competition law hinders effective cooperation between companies seeking to produce sustainable goods; domestic policy preferences; recognizing States that should legitimately be allowed to be free riders; and sanctions for noncompliance. Three detailed case studies are included: a comparison of the U.S. and European Union (EU) Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) programs, energy security in the Arab world, and EU–Russia energy trade relations. With the author’s conviction that global access to energy, mitigating climate change, and benefit from international trade and investment all can be achieved, this book offers a fresh understanding of the international trading system as a way to reach a prosperous, modern, and sustainable society that will help decarbonize the economy effectively. It will be welcomed by all professionals and policymakers concerned with climate change mitigation, and particularly by those active at its nexus with international trade.
Publisher: Kluwer Law International B.V.
ISBN: 9403537205
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 330
Book Description
Energy and Environmental Law and Policy Series #41 We know the science of climate change; we know the economics of climate change; we also know the law of climate change. However, we do not know how countries may come together to cooperate on climate change mitigation. In this connection, the role of international trade in climate change, although universally acknowledged, is not well understood. This groundbreaking book by one of the world’s foremost authorities on international economic law not only investigates this role in great depth, but also explains how free trade agreements can be used as a powerful tool to help mitigate climate change. Focusing on the idea of climate clubs—namely the coalition of the willing—among governments, companies, and/or international institutions, the book offers insightful analysis on aspects of the trade–climate linkage such as: formation of climate clubs; legitimacy and accountability; technological cooperation; green patents; how competition law hinders effective cooperation between companies seeking to produce sustainable goods; domestic policy preferences; recognizing States that should legitimately be allowed to be free riders; and sanctions for noncompliance. Three detailed case studies are included: a comparison of the U.S. and European Union (EU) Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) programs, energy security in the Arab world, and EU–Russia energy trade relations. With the author’s conviction that global access to energy, mitigating climate change, and benefit from international trade and investment all can be achieved, this book offers a fresh understanding of the international trading system as a way to reach a prosperous, modern, and sustainable society that will help decarbonize the economy effectively. It will be welcomed by all professionals and policymakers concerned with climate change mitigation, and particularly by those active at its nexus with international trade.
Energy Metropolis
Author: Martin V. Melosi
Publisher: University of Pittsburgh Pre
ISBN: 0822973243
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 353
Book Description
Houston's meteoric rise from a bayou trading post to the world's leading oil supplier owes much to its geography, geology, and climate: the large natural port of Galveston Bay, the lush subtropical vegetation, the abundance of natural resources. But the attributes that have made it attractive for industry, energy, and urban development have also made it particularly susceptible to a variety of environmental problems. Energy Metropolis presents a comprehensive history of the development of Houston, examining the factors that have facilitated unprecedented growth-and the environmental cost of that development.The landmark Spindletop strike of 1901 made inexpensive high-grade Texas oil the fuel of choice for ships, industry, and the infant automobile industry. Literally overnight, oil wells sprang up around Houston. In 1914, the opening of the Houston Ship Channel connected the city to the Gulf of Mexico and international trade markets. Oil refineries sprouted up and down the channel, and the petroleum products industry exploded. By the 1920s, Houston also became a leading producer of natural gas, and the economic opportunities and ancillary industries created by the new energy trade led to a population boom. By the end of the twentieth century, Houston had become the fourth largest city in America.Houston's expansion came at a price, however. Air, water, and land pollution reached hazardous levels as legislators turned a blind eye. Frequent flooding of altered waterways, deforestation, hurricanes, the energy demands of an air-conditioned lifestyle, increased automobile traffic, exponential population growth, and an ever-expanding metropolitan area all escalated the need for massive infrastructure improvements. The experts in Energy Metropolis examine the steps Houston has taken to overcome laissez-faire politics, indiscriminate expansion, and infrastructural overload. What emerges is a profound analysis of the environmental consequences of large-scale energy production and unchecked growth.
Publisher: University of Pittsburgh Pre
ISBN: 0822973243
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 353
Book Description
Houston's meteoric rise from a bayou trading post to the world's leading oil supplier owes much to its geography, geology, and climate: the large natural port of Galveston Bay, the lush subtropical vegetation, the abundance of natural resources. But the attributes that have made it attractive for industry, energy, and urban development have also made it particularly susceptible to a variety of environmental problems. Energy Metropolis presents a comprehensive history of the development of Houston, examining the factors that have facilitated unprecedented growth-and the environmental cost of that development.The landmark Spindletop strike of 1901 made inexpensive high-grade Texas oil the fuel of choice for ships, industry, and the infant automobile industry. Literally overnight, oil wells sprang up around Houston. In 1914, the opening of the Houston Ship Channel connected the city to the Gulf of Mexico and international trade markets. Oil refineries sprouted up and down the channel, and the petroleum products industry exploded. By the 1920s, Houston also became a leading producer of natural gas, and the economic opportunities and ancillary industries created by the new energy trade led to a population boom. By the end of the twentieth century, Houston had become the fourth largest city in America.Houston's expansion came at a price, however. Air, water, and land pollution reached hazardous levels as legislators turned a blind eye. Frequent flooding of altered waterways, deforestation, hurricanes, the energy demands of an air-conditioned lifestyle, increased automobile traffic, exponential population growth, and an ever-expanding metropolitan area all escalated the need for massive infrastructure improvements. The experts in Energy Metropolis examine the steps Houston has taken to overcome laissez-faire politics, indiscriminate expansion, and infrastructural overload. What emerges is a profound analysis of the environmental consequences of large-scale energy production and unchecked growth.