Energy Futures and Urban Air Pollution: Challenges for China and the United States (2007)
Air pollution imposes major costs -- both human and economic -- and China should learn from the successes and failures of the U.S. in its efforts to improve urban air quality, says a new report from the National Research Council and National Academy of Engineering, produced in cooperation with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering. Key to meeting both countries' goals for cleaner air will be improving energy efficiency in power generation, transportation, and other sectors.

Urbanization, Energy, and Air Pollution in China: The Challenges Ahead -- Proceedings of a Symposium (2004) (Chinese Academy of Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, National Research Council)
A group of experts met in Beijing under the auspices of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Engineering, and National Academy of Engineering /National Research Council to continue a dialogue and eventually chart a rational course of energy use in China. This collection of papers is intended to introduce the reader to the complicated problems of urban air pollution and energy choices in China.

The Hydrogen Economy: Opportunities, Costs, Barriers, and R&D Needs (2004)
The announcement of a hydrogen fuel initiative in the President’s 2003 State of the Union speech substantially increased interest in the potential for hydrogen to play a major role in the nation’s long-term energy future. Prior to that event, DOE asked the National Research Council to examine key technical issues about the hydrogen economy to assist in the development of its hydrogen R&D program. Included in the assessment were the current state of technology; future cost estimates; CO2 emissions; distribution, storage, and end use considerations; and the DOE RD&D program. The report provides an assessment of hydrogen as a fuel in the nation’s future energy economy and describes a number of important challenges that must be overcome if it is to make a major energy contribution. Topics covered include the hydrogen end-use technologies, transportation, hydrogen production technologies, and transition issues for hydrogen in vehicles.

Personal Cars and China (2003)
This collaborative study between the NRC and the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) addresses the problems facing China in the next twenty years as it attempts to provide personal transport desired by millions of Chinese, while preserving the environment and the livability of its cities. According to Song Jian, president of the CAE, the decision has already been taken to produce a moderate cost family car in China, which will greatly increase the number of vehicles on the roads. This study explores the issues confronting the country, including health issues, the challenge to urban areas, particularly the growing number of megacities, environmental protection, infrastructure requirements, and technological options for Chinese vehicles. It draws on the experience of the United States and other countries and review model approaches to urban transportation and land use planning. Recommendations and policy choices for China are described in detail.

The Carbon Dioxide Dilemma: Promising Technologies and Policies (2003)
Growing concerns about climate change partly as a result of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions has prompted the research community to assess technologies and policies for sequestration. This report contains presentations of a symposium held in April of 2002. The sequestration options range form ocean disposal, terrestrial disposal in geologic formations, biomass based approaches and carbon trading schemes. The report also presents current efforts at enhanced oil recovery using carbon dioxide and demonstrating its utility. The volume is intended only as introduction to the subject and not the final word.

Engineering and Environmental Challenges: Technical Symposium on Earth Systems Engineering
National Academy of Engineering Annual Meeting, October 24, 2000
Dealing with the challenges presented by climate change or rapid urban development require cooperation and expertise from engineering, social and natural sciences. Earth systems engineering is an emerging area of multidisciplinary study that takes a holistic view of natural and human system interactions to better understand complex systems. It seeks to develop methods and tools that enable technically sound and ethically wise decisions. This book presents the proceedings of a National Academy of Engineering public symposium on Earth systems engineering.

Information Systems and the Environment (2001)
Explores the implications of advances in information technologies (including potential improvements in knowledge management) for setting and meeting environmental objectives for corporations and for sustainable development. The articles are focused on groundbreaking work by individual corporations and knowledge-sharing tools and techniques under development. Case studies of DuPont, General Motors, Lucent Technologies, and Rhone-Polenc are featured, as well as examples of information and knowledge systems that are evolving in the space between corporations and society as a whole.

Industrial Environmental Performance Metrics: Challenges and Opportunities (1999)
Provides a practical, corporate-focused analysis of the complex issues of environmental metrics in industry; examines the implications to businesses; and considers the greater demand for comparability of metrics, as well as the controversy over what sustainable development means for businesses.

Measures of Environmental Performance and Ecosystem Condition (1999)
Examines indices and measures that are used to assess the environmental performance of industrial operations and ecosystem conditions. Considers the properties of ideal indices, surveys and evaluates families of indices, considers their complementarity, and identifies needs for new or improved measures.

The Ecology of Industry: Sectors and Linkages (1998)
Presents industrial perspectives on opportunities and challenges in improving environmental efficiencies through better design and management in five industries: mining, materials processing, manufacturing, electric utilities, and pulp and paper.

Industrial Green Game: Implications for Environmental Design and Management (1997)
Examines design and management issues inherent in considering the environmental impacts of both production and consumption. Offers an overview and case studies of essential considerations in mainstreaming environmental considerations in decision making in companies, drawing from examples from the U.S., Japan, Europe, and Australia.

Technological Trajectories and the Human Environment (1997)
Provides a surprising projection of a much greener planet, based on long-range analysis of trends in the efficient use of energy, materials, and land.
Phe authors argue that we will decarbonize the global energy system and drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We will dematerialize the economy by leaner manufacturing, better product design, and smart use of materials. We will significantly increase land areas reserved for nature by conducting highly productive and environmentally friendly agriculture on less land than is used today, even as global population doubles. The book concludes that the technological opportunities before us offer the possibility of a vastly superior industrial ecology. Rich in both data and theory, the book offers fresh analyses essential for everyone in the environmental arena concerned with global change, sustainable development, and profitable investments in technology.