Global energy needs have increased dramatically over the past 100 years, and they will continue to increase, creating energy, environmental, and social crises. Can we solve this problem?

The first step, according to the authors of "Energy Use Worldwide: A Reference Handbook," is to understand fundamental energy issues. Combining their knowledge from the complementary fields of science and policy, the authors begin by explaining the basic facts of energy--what it is, where it comes from, why it is important. Then they show how energy use is linked to global economics, identify key...