Optimism and Intrigue: An Insider's View of the 'Carbon War'

A Q&A with Jeremy Leggett about his new book chronicling the 'Carbon War:'  'It feels like a civil war...minus the bullets.'

As 200 countries prepare for a Paris gathering in December in hopes of finalizing a climate treaty that will phase out the use of fossil fuels, a tale is unfolding of political intrigue, corporate denial and intransigence, and chess-like maneuvering that will likely be told in books and research for years to come.

Jeremy Leggett, a British writer, activist and solar entrepreneur, is already chronicling the complex saga, in a free serial book that's unfolding online in monthly installments.

The diary, called "The Winning of the Carbon War," begins in 2013, and the last chapter will portray the last night of the Paris talks.  Along the way, Leggett describes his experiences from a variety of locales, among them the boardroom of coal giant BHP Billiton, a Chinese solar panel factory, a UK fracking protest, and Rome, where he helped draft a climate change statement in consultation with the Vatican.  "It's just one person's perspective, but I'm fortunate to have a position on the front lines."

Read more at Optimism and Intrigue:  An Insider's View of the 'Carbon War'