Synopsis
Zero Carbon Britain: Rethinking the Future draws on the Centre for Alternative Technology's 40 years of experience to create technically viable future scenarios. We bring together the latest knowledge from a wide range of disciplines to explore synergies that create employment, increase wellbeing, have a positive impact on the economy, and future-proof us for the challenges of the 21st century. Here, we integrate new research in two key areas - 'keeping the lights on' with a variable renewable energy supply, and 'feeding ourselves properly' on a low carbon diet. By combining cutting edge technology with a smart approach to agriculture and land use, energy supply and demand, buildings and transport, we show that it is possible for the UK to meet the challenge of climate change and to acknowledge our responsibility as a long-industrialised nation to set the pace. "I strongly recommend the new Zero Carbon Britain report and trust that it will lead to serious and effective action." Sir John Houghton Former Co-chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Former Director General of the Met Office and founder of the Hadley Centre "The challenge is to resolve the growing disconnect between what scientists tell us is needed and what policymakers tell us is possible. By setting out what a low carbon world would look like, Zero Carbon Britain shows that the solutions to our problems do exist and all that is needed is the political will to implement them." Joan Walley MP Chair of the Environmental Audit Select Committee Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Climate Change Group
About the Author
Paul Allen - Project Co-ordinator. Holding an Honours degree in Electronic and Electrical development and production of a wide range of renewable energy systems and helped develop and ZCB Project Co-ordinator. Paul is also Member of the Wales Science Advisory Council Climate Change Commissioner for Wales (2007). Alice Hooker-Stroud - Research Co-ordinator. Alice has Master's degrees in Physics and in Earth Systems Science. She has contributed to work modelling fossil fuel CO2 emissions; helped set up a research group in Barcelona, Spain; and was the primary author of a set of climate science factsheets designed for campaign groups. She believes that evidence-led policy supported by society is required to make the transition to a sustainable world. She currently enjoys living in - and her ability to correctly pronounce - Machynlleth, in Mid Wales. Tobi Kellner - Energy Modeller. Tobi heads CAT's renewable energy consultancy service and lectures on energy related courses. He has a background in computer science and is now especially interested in how we can integrate fluctuating renewable energy sources into a stable energy system that 'keeps the lights on' when the wind isn't blowing. When not modelling energy flows he forages for stinging nettles and tries, unsuccessfully, to grow edible mushrooms. Philip James - Energy Systems Researcher. Having completed a doctorate studying strategies for low and zero carbon homes, Philip was keen to get involved in research looking at the energy system as a whole. He is interested in the ways we can reduce our energy demand and make it energy supply. As part of ZCB he has also really enjoyed researching how our future energy and land use systems might interact. Peter Harper - Food and Diets Lead Researcher. Peter Harper is semi-retired from CAT, having worked here for 30 years. He was a pioneer of the alternative technology movement - coining the term in 1972 - and is still very much a part of it. While at CAT he combined writing, teaching and research in many fields, including horticulture, waste treatment, carbon accounting, sustainable development and environmental history. Since 2007 he has worked with the Zero Carbon Britain project, focusing on the large-scale infrastructural changes required for rapid decarbonisation. Laura Blake - Food and Diets Researcher. Laura has an undergraduate degree in Nutrition and an MSc in Food Security. During her studies she covered topics such as public health, agriculture, climate change and food governance. She researched obesity and developing countries (the nutrition transition); and the interactions among global human population, livestock production systems and sustainability. She believes that food issues should be tackled holistically - addressing health requirements, social justice issues and environmental sustainability together.
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