The Jevons Paradox and the Myth of Resource Efficiency ImprovementsEarthscan, 2012 - 197 pages 'The Jevons Paradox?, which was first expressed in 1865 by William Stanley Jevons in relation to use of coal, states that an increase in efficiency in using a resource leads to increased use of that resource rather than to a reduction. This has subsequently been proved to apply not just to fossil fuels, but other resource use scenarios. For example, doubling the efficiency of food production per hectare over the last 50 years (due to the Green Revolution) did not solve the problem of hunger. The increase in efficiency increased production and worsened hunger because of the resulting increase in population. The implications of this in today's world are substantial. Many scientists and policymakers argue that future technological innovations will reduce consumption of resources; the Jevons Paradox explains why this may be a false hope. This is the first book to provide a historical overview of the Jevons Paradox, provide evidence for its existence and apply it to complex systems. Written and edited by world experts in the fields of economics, ecological economics, technology and the environment, it explains the myth of efficiency and explores its implications for resource usage (particularly oil). It is a must-read for policymakers, natural resource managers, academics and students concerned with the effects of efficiency on resource use. |
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Page 180
... holarchies 100-110 holons 100-107 maximum energy flux 115-116 minimum entropy production 116 evolving metabolic systems 92 exchange value 32 exergy 24 extensive variables 88 , 119 fitness 122 food shortage 87 household energy ...
... holarchies 100-110 holons 100-107 maximum energy flux 115-116 minimum entropy production 116 evolving metabolic systems 92 exchange value 32 exergy 24 extensive variables 88 , 119 fitness 122 food shortage 87 household energy ...
Page 181
... holarchies 98 , 100-110 Holdren , J. P. 148 holons 98-107 Hotelling , H. 10 household consumption 155 household economy 118 I = PAT model 148 Jaccard , M. 143 Japan 118-120 Jevons , W. S. backfire 47 , 63 The Coal Question 7 , 86 , 141 ...
... holarchies 98 , 100-110 Holdren , J. P. 148 holons 98-107 Hotelling , H. 10 household consumption 155 household economy 118 I = PAT model 148 Jaccard , M. 143 Japan 118-120 Jevons , W. S. backfire 47 , 63 The Coal Question 7 , 86 , 141 ...
Other editions - View all
The Jevons Paradox and the Myth of Resource Efficiency Improvements John M. Polimeni,Kozo Mayumi No preview available - 2015 |
Common terms and phrases
Alcott analysis associated backfire behaviour boundary conditions capital cent ceteris paribus chapter coal coefficient commodities complex adaptive systems concept constant consumer cost countries defined definition demand developed direct rebound Ecological Economics economy-wide efficiency improvements efficiency increases EFT1 EFT2 empirical energy consumption energy efficiency energy intensity Energy Policy engine environment environmental epistemological evolution example existence extensive variables Figure formal identity fuel functional type Georgescu-Roegen given greater growth hierarchical levels holarchies holon household consumption human impact impredicativity income effect increase in energy input Jevons Paradox Jevons's Khazzoom labour machinery machines Malthus material McCulloch metabolic metabolic systems Mill natural output Polimeni population density price falls Prigogine principle purchasing power quantity ratio realization rebound effect reduce relation relevant representation Ricardo savings Say's scale Schipper sectors Sismondi Smith society structural type sustainability technological improvements thermodynamic wealth William Stanley Jevons