Burning Up : A Global History of Fossil Fuel Consumption

Coal, gas and oil have been capitalism's main fuels since the industrial revolution. And yet, of all the fossil fuels ever consumed, more than half were burned in the last 50 years. Most alarming of all, fossil fuel consumption has grown fastest in the last three decades, since scientists confirmed that it is the main cause of potentially devastating global warming. In Burning Up, Simon Pirani recounts the history of fossil fuels' relentless rise since the mid twentieth century. Dispelling explanations foregrounding Western consumerism, and arguments that population growth is the main problem, Pirani shows how fossil fuels are consumed through technological, social and economic systems, and that these systems must change. This is a major contribution to understanding the greatest crisis of our time. Coal, gas, and oil have powered our societies for hundreds of years. But the pace at which we use them changed dramatically in the twentieth of all the fossil fuels ever consumed, more than half were burnt up in the past fifty years alone, the vast majority of that within a single generation. Most worrying of all, this dramatic acceleration has occurred against the backdrop of an increasingly unanimous scientific that their environmental impact is devastating and potentially irreversible. In Burning Up , Simon Pirani recounts the history of the relentless rise of fossil fuels in the past half century, and lays out the ways in which the expansion of the global capitalist economy has driven it forward. Dispelling common explanations that foreground Western consumerism, as well as arguments about unsustainable population growth, Pirani offers instead an insightful intervention in what is arguably the crisis of our time. Coal, Gas And Oil Have Powered Our Societies For Hundreds Of Years. But The Pace At Which We Use Them Changed Dramatically In The 20th Century: Of All The Fossil Fuels Ever Consumed, More Than Half Were Burnt Up In The Past 50 Years Alone, The Vast Majority Of That Within A Single Generation. Most Worrying Of All, This Dramatic Acceleration Has Occurred Against The Backdrop Of An Increasingly Unanimous Scientific Consensus: That Their Environmental Impact Is Devastating And Potentially Irreversible. In 'burning Up', Simon Pirani Recounts The History Of The Relentless Rise Of Fossil Fuels In The Past Half Century, And Lays Out The Ways In Which The Expansion Of The Global Capitalist Economy Has Driven It Forward. Simon Pirani. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 212-248) And Index. Introduction PART I: CONTEXTS 1. Fossil fuels before 1950 2. Energy technologies 3. Energy in society 4. Fossil fuel consumption in numbers PART II: CHRONOLOGIES 5. The 1950s and 1960s: post-war boom 6. The 1970s: crises and oil price shocks 7. Patterns of electrification 8. The 1980s: recession and recovery 9. The 1990s: shunning the global warming challenge 10. The 2000s: acceleration renewed PART III: REFLECTIONS 11. Interpretations and ideologies 12. Possibilities 13. Conclusions Recounts the history of fossil fuels' relentless rise since the mid-twentieth century, Dispelling explanations foregrounding individual consumption and arguments that population growth is the main problem, Pirani shows how fossil fuels are consumed through technological, social, and economic systems, and that these systems much change A history of the excesses of capitalism's rampant fossil fuel consumption since 1950.