Chris Goodall
Christopher Goodall | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 29, 1955 England |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, author, energy expert |
| Known for | Clean energy advocacy, author of books on sustainability and energy |
| Notable work | How to Live a Low-Carbon Life, Ten Technologies to Save the Planet, The Switch, What We Need To Do Now, Possible: Ways to Net Zero |
Christopher Frank William Goodall (born 29 December 1955) is a prominent English entrepreneur, author, and authority on innovative energy solutions. He received his education at St Dunstan's College and the University of Cambridge, followed by an MBA from Harvard Business School. Goodall stood as the Green Party candidate for Oxford West and Abingdon during the 2024 general election, having previously contested the same seat in 2010. He is the publisher of Carbon Commentary, a complimentary newsletter that covers global developments in clean energy. His most recent publication, Possible: Ways to Net Zero, was issued by Profile Books in March 2024.
Books
Goodall's first book, How to Live a Low-Carbon Life, earned the 2007 Clarion Award in the non-fiction category. His follow-up work, Ten Technologies to Fix Energy and Climate, initially published in 2008 and revised in 2010, was recognized as one of the Financial Times' Books of the Year. In 2010, he released The Green Guide For Business through Profile Books. Additionally, he authored Sustainability: All That Matters (2012), which was published by Hodder & Stoughton.
In July 2016, Goodall published The Switch with Profile Books, concentrating on solar power, energy storage, and cutting-edge energy technologies.
His 2020 title, What We Need To Do Now: For a Zero Carbon Future (Profile Books), was shortlisted for the 2020 Wainwright Prize for writing on global conservation.
Goodall has contributed articles to prominent publications such as The Guardian, the Independent, and the Ecologist. He has been invited to speak at UK literary festivals, as well as venues including the British Library, the Science Museum, and several universities.
Position on nuclear energy
Goodall once regarded nuclear power as a key element in the UK's efforts to lower greenhouse gas emissions, expressing that "Incorporating nuclear energy into this portfolio will facilitate achieving a low-carbon and energy-secure future." Nevertheless, he was against the development of the Hinkley C nuclear facility.
In more recent years, Goodall has revised his viewpoint, advocating for a UK energy system fully reliant on renewable sources. Through his Carbon Commentary blog and his 2020 publication, What We Need to Do Now, he calls for increasing renewable energy capacity by a factor of twenty. He criticizes nuclear energy for being expensive and less efficient than offshore wind and solar alternatives, highlighting that new nuclear ventures globally have faced significant failures and cost at least double compared to renewable technologies.
Roles as trustee and advisor
In 2011, Goodall played a role in establishing the UK's inaugural employee-owned solar photovoltaic project at the Eden Project, demonstrating his dedication to pioneering renewable energy ownership models.
Publications
- How to Live a Low-Carbon Life (2007, Earthscan, ISBN 9781844074266)
- Ten Technologies to Save the Planet (2008, Profile Books, ISBN 9781846688683)
- The Green Guide For Business (2010, Profile Books, ISBN 9781846688744)
- Sustainability: All That Matters (2012, Hodder & Stoughton/Hachette, ISBN 9781444174427)
- The Switch (2016, Profile Books, ISBN 9781782832485)
- What We Need To Do Now: For a Zero Carbon Future (2020, Profile Books, ISBN 9781788164719)
- Possible: Ways to Net Zero (2024, Profile Books, ISBN 1800818963)
External links
- Britain's top earners are worst climate offenders, says Christian author, Christian Today.
- M&S private jet flies in face of green plan, The Guardian.
- Walking to the shops ‘damages planet more than going by car’, Times Online.
- Honk if you want to stop global warming Salon.com
- How Virtuous is Ed Begley Jr.? The New York Times
- When going green just doesn't add up Yorkshire Post
- Ekspert: Det er miljøskadeligt at gå (DR Forside)
- British sustainability advocates
- 1955 births
- Living people
- British non-fiction environmental writers
- English non-fiction writers
- McKinsey & Company people
- Green Party of England and Wales parliamentary candidates
- Harvard Business School alumni
- English male writers
- Alumni of the University of Cambridge
- Male non-fiction writers