The Winning of the Carbon War: Power and Politics on the Front Line of Climate and Clean Energy

by Jeremy Leggett

Humanity is in a race, a kind of civil war. On the light side, the believers in a sustainable future based on clean energy fight to save us from climate change. The dark side defends the continuing use of fossil fuels, often careless of the impact it has on the world.

Jeremy Leggett fought for the light side for a quarter of a century as it lost battle after battle. Then, in 2013, the tide began to turn. By 2015, it was clear that the war could be won. Leggett’s front-line chronicle tells one person’s story of those turnaround years, culminating in dramatic scenes at the Paris climate summit, and what they can mean for the world.

In this updated edition, an extra chapter summarises the events of 2016 and 2017 as they appear from the vantage point of another climate summit in Paris on the second anniversary of the original.

Genres: Climate Change, Environment, Nonfiction

368 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 15, 2018

About the author

Dr. Jeremy Leggett is an expert on renewable power, energy policy and climate change. He worked as an oil geologist before become an environmental campaigner for Greenpeace. A prominent commentator around the world, Jeremy is executive chairman of the UK’s leading solar company, founding director of the world’s first private equity fund for renewable energy, and author of Half Gone: Oil, Gas, Hot Air and the Global Energy Crisis (titled Empty Tankin the US).

He is founder and CEO of Highlands Rewilding.

Reviews

[Yates Buckley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring and visionary but could benefit from more up to date analisys as the sector dynamics are changing all the time.

The gist of the thesis is that technology is driving a reduction of cost in renewable energy, particularly solar, that will displace the carbon economy.

The reality is likely more complex, but this is a very useful resource.

[Steve Lawless · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent detailed background to the run-up of the Paris climate agreement. Despite the massive amount of flying that he is obviously done Leggett has been and unstinting campaigner for clean energy. The book Focuses mostly on solar and there isn't much mention of wind or other sources of clean energy. What you doing here is the background and to to the oil companies dirty tactics despite their knowledge for three decades of the damage that they're doing to the planet and humanity. JL admits that he is a petty capitalist but towards the end of the book very much comes in supporting Corbyn's proposals following the Conservatives betrayal of clean energy and lack of any genuine policies for sustainability.

[Emm G · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the informal writing style, a bit like a diary. We are following Jeremy in his meetings and conferences with various high level energy stakeholders. It is interesting to see how the traditional energy majors (O&G) are spiraling down. It is even more exciting to observe how the renewable energy sector is, for the most part, booming throughout the book. This book gave me hope and help me to realize that the financial market is starting to slowly move away from climate polluting corporations, like coal, oil and gas, which have an increasingly important climate risk to carry. A risk considered much too high for a growing number of investors. I also recommend Jeremy's slide shows (Available on his website!). You get so much information (before 2020), explained with so much clarity. Essential read!

[Grace Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, packed with information that you wouldn't otherwise know, as the writer has some interesting connections from people on the renewable side, and fossil fuel companies.

Quite optimistic, yet realistic.

He speaks very technically, but it's written in diary form, so it's easy to read and doesn't get boring.

Worth a read.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book and well written. The next chapters come out in October. I can't wait.