Preparing for Peak Oil in South Africa

Preparing for Peak Oil in South Africa
Author: Jeremy J. Wakeford
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 136
Release: 2013-11-29
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1461495180

Oil is the lifeblood of modern industrial economies. Petroleum powers virtually all motorized transport, which in turn enables most economic activities and provides mobility for citizens. But oil is a finite resource that is steadily depleting. In the past decade, the phenomenon of global peak oil – the fact that annual world oil production must at some point reach a maximum and then decline – has emerged as one of the twenty-first century’s greatest challenges. South Africa imports over two-thirds of its petroleum fuels, and history has shown that oil price shocks generally translate into a weakening currency, rising consumer prices, increasing joblessness and a slow-down in economic activity. This book examines the implications of peak oil for socioeconomic welfare in South Africa and proposes a wide range of strategies and policies for mitigating and adapting to the likely impacts. It contains a wealth of data in tables and figures that illustrate South Africa’s oil dependencies and vulnerabilities to oil shocks. The material is presented from a systems perspective and is organized in key thematic areas including energy, transport, agriculture, macro-economy and society. The study highlights the risks, uncertainties and difficult choices South Africa faces if it is to tackle its oil addiction, and thereby serves as an example for researchers, planners and policy-makers in the developing world who will sooner or later confront similar challenges. This case study brings a fresh southern perspective to an issue of global importance, and shows how the era of flattening and then declining global oil supplies may be a pivotal period in which either the project of industrialization progressively runs out of steam, or societies are able to undertake a proactive transition to a more sustainable future.

Peak Oil Paradigm Shift

Peak Oil Paradigm Shift
Author: Bilaal Abdullah
Publisher: Medianet Limited
Total Pages: 160
Release: 2005
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9789769513709

The Citizen's Guide to Climate Success

The Citizen's Guide to Climate Success
Author: Mark Jaccard
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 307
Release: 2020-02-06
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1108479375

Shows readers how we can all help solve the climate crisis by focusing on a few key, achievable actions.

The Governance of Transitions - The Transitions of Governance

The Governance of Transitions - The Transitions of Governance
Author: Martijn van der Steen
Publisher: AFRICAN SUN MeDIA
Total Pages: 283
Release: 2018-12-18
Genre:
ISBN: 1928480047

Why is societal transition not simply a matter of change management or normal policy design? South Africa is living proof of the ability of a society to reinvent and reinstall itself. With the advent of new societal challenges, came the need for real societal innovation, especially in sectors where it was never deemed necessary or possible before. This book asks: What type of governance is helpful for developing new societal institutions and systems that can overcome systemic crises in emerging economies and fragile communities? What emerges is a compilation of chapters that introduce different parts of a solution which can be used in developing both a growing body of practices of ?governed? societal transitions and the associated transition of governance. The Governance of Transitions ? The Transitions of Governance, in part, aims to provide building blocks which government and society could use to develop strategies for creating sustainable outcomes. It considers what kind of leadership, organisation or methods for accountability enable new types of governance and what the most important barriers are.

Greening the South African Economy

Greening the South African Economy
Author: Mark Swilling
Publisher: Juta and Company (Pty) Ltd
Total Pages: 496
Release: 2016-02-23
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1775820696

The depletion of South Africa’s (and in some cases the world’s) natural resources and the degradation of environmental sinks (including the atmosphere, lakes and rivers, and land) are continuing at such a rate that natural resource prices are climbing and many critical ecosystem services that underpin human welfare are increasingly threatened. The concept of the ‘green economy’ has gained increasing traction in South African policy discourses over the past few years. However, in much of this discourse it is viewed in a piecemeal way as one part or sector of the economy (e.g. an industrial sector dealing with manufacture and installation of renewable energy technologies and energy-efficient equipment and appliances). In the view of the authors, ‘greening the South African economy’ requires an application of sustainability principles and practices across the full range of primary, secondary and tertiary sectors of the economy in an integrated manner. The aim of this book is therefore to apply principles of sustainability and ‘green economics’ to the entire South African socio-economic system and its major elements in an integrated and comprehensive manner.

Sustainable Fossil Fuels

Sustainable Fossil Fuels
Author: Mark Jaccard
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 408
Release: 2006-01-16
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9781139449052

More and more people believe we must quickly wean ourselves from fossil fuels - oil, natural gas and coal - to save the planet from environmental catastrophe, wars and economic collapse. In this 2006 book, Professor Jaccard argues that this view is misguided. We have the technological capability to use fossil fuels without emitting climate-threatening greenhouse gases or other pollutants. The transition from conventional oil and gas to their unconventional sources including coal for producing electricity, hydrogen and cleaner-burning fuels will decrease energy dependence on politically unstable regions. In addition, our vast fossil fuel resources will be the cheapest source of clean energy for the next century and perhaps longer, which is critical for the economic and social development of the world's poorer countries. By buying time for increasing energy efficiency, developing renewable energy technologies and making nuclear power more attractive, fossil fuels will play a key role in humanity's quest for a sustainable energy system.

Understanding the Peak Oil Theory

Understanding the Peak Oil Theory
Author: United States. Congress. House. Committee on Energy and Commerce. Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality
Publisher:
Total Pages: 104
Release: 2005
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN:

Peak Oil Debate

Peak Oil Debate
Author: Laurel Graefe
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
Total Pages: 16
Release: 2011-04
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 1437922597

For the past half-century, a debate has raged over when ¿peak oil¿ will occur ¿ the point at which output can no longer increase and production begins to level off or gradually decline. Determining how long the oil supply will last has become even more pressing because the world¿s energy supply still relies heavily on oil, and global energy demand is expected to rise steeply over the next twenty years. This article seeks to bring the peak oil debate into focus. The author provides definitions of frequently used terms, delineating types of reserves and conventional versus non-conventional resources. She also discusses how technological innovations, gov¿t. policies, and prices influence oil production. Illus. A print on demand report.

Peaking of World Oil Production

Peaking of World Oil Production
Author: Robert Louis Hirsch
Publisher: Nova Science Publishers
Total Pages: 126
Release: 2007
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN:

The peaking of world oil production presents the U.S. and the world with an unprecedented risk management problem. As peaking is approached, liquid fuel prices and price volatility will increase dramatically, and without timely mitigation, the economic, social, and political costs will be unprecedented. Viable mitigation options exist on both the supply and demand sides, but to have substantial impact, they must be initiated more than a decade in advance of peaking. Dealing with world oil production peaking will be extremely complex, involve literally trillions of dollars and require many years of intense effort. To explore these complexities, three alternative mitigation scenarios are analysed: scenario I assumes that action is not initiated until peaking occurs; scenario II assumes that action is initiated 10 years before peaking; scenario III assumes action is initiated 20 years before peaking. For this analysis estimates of the possible contributions of each mitigation option were developed, based on an assumed crash program rate of implementation.

Intellectual Agent, Mediator and Interlocutor

Intellectual Agent, Mediator and Interlocutor
Author: Toyin Falola
Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing
Total Pages: 365
Release: 2014-06-19
Genre: History
ISBN: 1443861871

Encompassing the time period from the colonial era to the present day, this book critically examines the changing nature of African politics and the factors that underpin such changes. We argue in the volume that many of the problems that plague contemporary politics (ethnicity, governance, conflict, bad economic policies, the absence of dialogue and other social issues) have their roots in the fifteen years after the Second World War, just prior to independence (1945–1960). Because these issues had been grossly mismanaged by the colonial enterprise, those fifteen years could arguably be characterized as the incubation period for the dysfunction that has stymied African politics since independence. For it was during these transitional years that African leaders learned how not to speak to each other. How to introduce meaningful dialogue to address issues between and among Africans is where the transition in African politics stands today. The approach used here is interdisciplinary, giving the book a wider appeal to those interested in history, political science, peace and conflict studies, international relations and many disciplines. Additionally, the topics covered are so important and intellectual, and have been penned by an A-team of African scholars that other scholars, students, and professionals can use the volume as a reference text. Therefore, college students (both undergraduate and graduate), college instructors, researchers, policy-makers and the development community working to stabilize Africa will find the book to be of immense importance. Furthermore, this volume will serve as a guide for advocates for the development community on how to address the numerous problems affecting the continent, as well as the correct approach to boosting public awareness about contemporary African issues.