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The pre-industrial energy crisis and resource scarcity as a source of transition

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 14:54 authored by Ed Steinmueller
The historical British ‘timber famine’ of the 18th century is re-examined in the light of contemporary concerns about transitions in energy use. The alternatives of scarcity-induced and opportunity-led transition are considered in relation to the economics of sustainable fuel timber production for industrial uses. The paper finds that the production of timber was an economically sustainable use of land and that observations of timber shortages may have therefore either been claims made by interests favouring the use of coal or the consequence of abandonment of fuel timber cultivation in favour of coal use. The longer-term sustainability of domestic UK sources for industrial timber fuel timber is shown to be problematic. The consequences of the alternative views of the ‘timber famine’ for contemporary policies attempting to promote transition to low carbon or sustainable energy use are examined. In particular, if the present is an echo of the past, opportunity rather than crisis may be the more powerful lever of change.

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

Research Policy

ISSN

0048-7333

Publisher

Elsevier

Issue

10

Volume

42

Page range

1739-1748

Department affiliated with

  • SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2013-05-08

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