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Richard Heinberg    

The author of nine books, including The Party’s Over, Peak Everything, and the newly released Blackout, Richard Heinberg is widely regarded as one of the world’s most effective communicators of the urgent need to transition away from fossil fuels.

"All of the debts for society’s century-long industrial fiesta are coming due at the same time. We have no choice but to transition to a world no longer dependent on fossil fuels, a world made up of communities and economies that function within ecological bounds. How we manage this transition is the most important question of our time."

        

—Richard Heinberg

The author of nine books, including The Party’s Over, Peak Everything, and the newly released Blackout, Richard Heinberg is widely regarded as one of the world’s most effective communicators of the urgent need to transition away from fossil fuels. With a wry, unflinching approach based on facts and realism, Mr. Heinberg exposes the tenuousness of our current way of life and offers a vision for a truly sustainable future.

Senior Fellow-in-Residence at Post Carbon Institute, Mr. Heinberg is best known as a leading educator on peak oil—the point at which we reach maximum global oil production—and the devastating impact it will have on our economic, food, and transportation systems. But his expertise is far-ranging, covering critical issues including the current economic crisis, food and agriculture, community resilience, and global climate change.

"Richard Heinberg brings important news that few will want to hear – the limits we’ve been hearing about for four decades are really upon us. He also brings a pretty good hit of the directions we might take to escape the tightening knot."

—Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org and author of Deep Economy and the End of Nature

Mr. Heinberg’s latest book, Blackout: Coal, Climate, and the Last Energy Crisis, brings critical information to the debate about coal’s role as a continuing energy source in the face of climate change. Blackout sends a powerful message: With fewer than 20 years before US coal production peaks and no viable means of producing “clean coal,” the need to transition entirely to renewable energy is even more critical.

"Blackout provides a startling wake-up call for energy optimists who believe our economic future is guaranteed by centuries worth of available coal – as well as for environmentalists who see 'peak coal' as a salvation from climate hell. This clearly written and meticulously documented book provides a powerful case for a rapid global program to rewire the world with clean energy. Any other option puts the survival of our coherent civilization at risk."

—Ross Gelbspan, author, The Heat Is On and Boiling Point

Mr. Heinberg is a much sought-after speaker and has presented in dozens of countries and across the United States. He’s featured in many documentaries, including End of Suburbia and Leonardo DiCaprio’s film 11th Hour. Mr. Heinberg has appeared on ABC’s Good Morning America, Canadian Broadcasting Television, BBC, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and Al Jazeera, as well as numerous radio programs (national NPR) and print publications (Time magazine).

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