How the World Really Works: A Scientist’s Guide to Our Past, Present and Future by Vaclav Smil. Vaclav a Czech-Canadian scientist and policy analyst. He is Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg Canada.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and the 2000 recipient of the American Association for the Advancement of Science Award for Public Understanding of Science and Technology.
In addition, Vaclav was named by Foreign Policy magazine to its 2010 list of FP Top 100 Global Thinkers. In 2013, he was appointed by the Governor General to the Order of Canada. Finally, he was the 2013 EADS Distinguished Visitor at the American Academy in Berlin.
So, What really makes our modern world work? Vaclav proposes the answers in four grand transitions of civilization: populations, agriculture, energy, and economics. In fact, he outlines how each transition has greatly transformed our world and how our global society functions.
Vaclav is relying upon today’s computing ability to tap into vast amounts of data to tell powerful stories and he succeeds. This book has become a world wide bestseller and certainly is addressing the impact future climate change will have upon our world and global societies. Furthermore, Vaclav is delivering somewhat startling statistics throughout the book.
Start strong
Vaclav outlines the following seven fundamental realities which drive our global lives:
Understanding Energy: Fuels and Electricity
Food Production: Eating Fossil Fuels
Our Material World: The Four Pillars of Modern Civilization
Globalization: Engines, Microchips, and Beyond
Risks: From Viruses to Diets to Solar Flares
The Environment: The Only Biosphere We Have
The Future: Between Apocalypse and Singularity
The opening chapters certainly provide a very well documented history of Energy and Food Production. As a result, many readers will be startled at the data shared within these opening chapters. It is an example of chapters to follow.
Plastics?
Within chapter three: Our Material World there is a certainly amazing explanation of his four pillars of modern civilization: ammonia, steel, concrete, and plastics. Very insightful and certainly a good foundation to understand how those industries do not want to evolve since they own the market. There are a few interesting points that cross over to Ozan Varol’s Think Like a Rocket Scientist.
Climate
Within How the World Really Works closing chapters, Vaclav is in fact focusing upon the understanding of the technological foundations of the world is necessary to cut through the bad information circulating in the climate change conversation. Germany is his test case as they have certainly made large investments in both renewable energy over the previous two decades, yet for all the positive, has only reduced fossil fuels by 3 percent. So, change will be slow in coming.
In conclusion, How the World Really Works is a very interesting read. Vaclav is certainly providing data driven insights to our current state, and brings into focus a need to shift in order to sustain our planet and our societies.