The increasingly interconnected, fast-moving, unmanageable and unpredictable world brings with it an unprecedented variety of known and as yet unknown challenges and risks. Some of the global risks have a direct impact on critical infrastructures as well as those of energy supply in particular. A high level of functionality of critical infrastructures (CRITIS), which include the sectors of energy, information technology and telecommunications, transportation and traffic, health, water, food, finance and insurance, government and administration, as well as media and culture, is indispensable for a modern industrial society. In the context of the Corona crisis of 2020/2021, the worldwide inadequate preparation for pandemics became obvious, although the probability of epidemic outbreaks and their global spread has increased significantly in recent decades and was thus predictable to a certain extent. Moreover, it has been shown that in a globally interconnected world, complex crisis phenomena can mutually amplify and thus escalate within a short period of time. In particular, the deficits in preparedness for major risks that became apparent in the course of the Corona pandemic cannot be managed by nation states alone, especially since the probability of such events has risen continuously in recent decades and will continue to increase with growing globalization and urbanization and, in particular, as a result of climate change and its consequences. This publication addresses the challenges of energy resilience and climate protection, which will require immense attention in the future.

This book analyses the technical and social systems that satisfy these needs and asks how methods can be put into practice to achieve this.

Climate resilience, or the capacity of socio-ecological systems to adapt and upkeep their functions when facing physical-chemical stress, is a key feature of ecosystems and communities. As the risks and impacts of climate change become more intense and more visible, there is a need to foster a broader understanding of both the impacts of these disruptions to food, water, and energy supplies and to increase resilience at the national and local level. The Handbook of Climate Change Resilience comprises a diverse body of knowledge, united in the objective of building climate resilience in both the industralised and the developing world. This unique publication will assist scientists, decision-makers and community members to take action to make countries, regions and cities more resilient.

The book is about climate resilience and environmental sustainability approaches, discussing knowledge at global level and the local challenges, presented by authors from various countries. Environmental sustainability is at stake and implications of climate change are clearly visible in most parts of the world. In the times of the prevailing global environmental crisis, this book discusses key issues of climate change and sustainable energy alternatives, waste management and development. It discusses climate change scenario using simulation models in various Asian countries, signatures of climate change in Antarctica, implications in the Indian Ocean and the Indian scenario of REDD+. A special focus has been given on building climate resilience in our agricultural ecosystems and sustainable agriculture. It discusses the prospects and challenges of renewable energy options including biofuels and energy from wastewaters, explores the technical aspects of eco-friendly bioremediation of pollutants, sustainable solid waste management practices and challenges, carbon footprints of industry, and emphasizes on the significance of combining traditional knowledge with modern technology with novel approaches including involvement of social enterprises and corporate social responsibility to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. This is an important document for researchers and policy makers working in multidisciplinary fields of sustainability sciences.

The threats to the electricity grid are on the rise at the same time as society is increasing its dependence on electricity for every aspect of our personal, social, and economic lives. We are accelerating that dependence – looking to the electrification of transportation and buildings as a way to stem the threats of climate change. Those threats have now arrived (in the form of more extreme weather, droughts, and wildfire) and they are joined by increasing threats from an aging grid and cyberattacks. The grid we rely on is experiencing increasingly vulnerable external forces. We aren’t helpless. Effective planning around these threats can dramatically reduce the havoc they engender on the electric grid. At every level, from a single building, to a city, to the electric grid and the federal government, steps can be taken to improve our resilience to threats to the electricity system. When those efforts are coordinated, their benefits multiply. This book aims to provide every level of decision-maker with tools and best practices for reducing the risk of and from electricity loss. It is written in non-technical language, with a focus on actionable, easily implemented steps.

This book is written as a practical guide to those interested in the pursuit of energy resilience at a local scale. Energy resilience is defined as the relative ability of an institution to carry out its mission during a shock to the energy system and approach the concept on the level of a single site occupied by a single community or institution. Examples are drawn from four key community types: military bases, healthcare campuses, educational campuses, and municipal governments. The book then describes a framework for developing an energy resilience plan that applies to each. While the focus is clearly on the United States, understanding the energy resilience threat and conducting long-range energy resilience planning will benefit communities all over the globe. Divided into three main parts, Part One describes the specific energy security threats that are facing local institutions and communities and how an energy shock can affect the mission at each of the four community types and the advantages that each will enjoy in their pursuit of energy resilience. Part Two provides concrete guidance for pursuing energy resilience at a particular institution and allows managers to assess where their institution lies on the energy resilience spectrum and plot a course toward where they would like to be. Part Three describes the three main areas of energy resilience performance: energy efficiency, on-site generation, and emergency planning. Case studies are also provided.

In America's arid southwest, climate change will occur in the context of already-keen competition for water for agriculture, urban growth, electricity generation, water-based recreation, and environmental protections. This book explores the challenges that climate change and variability pose for water and energy managers and users, communities, and policy makers in the arid Southwest and demonstrates the application of economic methods to address these challenges. It provides valuable tools for both those interested in resource management and climate change, and those seeking to understand how economic methods can be used to analyze contemporary social problems and craft appropriate responses. The book considers both adaptation to long-term climate change and more immediate issues of water and electricity management in the face of inter-annual climate variability and drought. Thus, no matter what one's perspective on long-run climate change projections, the book provides useful lessons for some of the region's most pressing resource management problems.