
Climate Realism
Facing the Facts about Energy
Dieter Helm(Author)
Cambridge University Press
Will be published approx. on 8. October 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
264 pages
978-1-009-88061-9 (ISBN)
Description
The only meaningful way to understand climate change and wider environmental harm is to begin with the facts. We need an honest assessment of what is working and what is not. The challenges are significant: carbon levels in the atmosphere are still rising, a genuine energy transition has yet to begin, and global energy demand is expected to rise sharply. Renewables remain expensive, nuclear power is costly, and carbon offsets are often little more than modern indulgences. Simultaneously, there is no clear route to sustainable growth. Some place their faith in technology or use offsets to ease their consciences, but this is wishful thinking. Written by one of the UK's leading commentators on energy policy and climate change, Climate Realism offers a radical reassessment of our current position. It argues that we must face the real cost of pollution we create and shows how to avoid wasting the years ahead.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Illustrations
Illustrations
ISBN-13
978-1-009-88061-9 (9781009880619)
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Schweitzer Classification
Person
Sir Dieter Helm is Professor of Economic Policy at the University of Oxford and Official Fellow in Economics at New College, Oxford. He is a renowned economist and author of Legacy (CUP, 2024), Net Zero (2020) and Natural Capital (2015). Knighted in 2021 for services to environmental and energy.
Content
Preface; Introduction; 1. There is No Transition; 2. An Explosion of Energy Demand; 3. The Wrong Target; 4. There is No Such Thing as Clean Energy; 5. The Broken Window Fallacy; 6. Renewables and Nuclear Aren't Cheap; 7. Offsets, Buying Indulgences, and Sequestration; 8. No Get-Out-Of-Jail Cards; 9. The COP-outs; 10. Unilateralism, Bottom-Up and No Regrets; 11. What Happens if We Don't Act?; 12. How Not to Waste Another 25 Years; Conclusion.