Energy expert to speak

Are higher oil prices a temporary blip, or will they be a fact of life in the 21st century?

Christopher Flavin of the Worldwatch Institute offers his view in a free public lecture Thursday, April 6. His topic, “Energy for a New Century: A Global Perspective,” will be presented at 4 p.m. in 240 Union South. A reception will follow.

Flavin is senior vice president at Worldwatch, a nonprofit environmental “think tank” in Washington, D.C. He directs the institute’s research programs and heads its climate and energy team, which analyzes energy-resource, technology, and policy trends. He also co-authors Worldwatch’s annual “State of the World” reports.

In his book, “Power Surge: Guide to the Coming Energy Revolution,” Flavin contends that just as the economic miracles of the 20th century were powered by fossil fuels, the 21st century may be marked by an equally dramatic move away from those fuels toward a new generation of decentralized, low-emission technologies. He has written four other books on energy and environmental subjects and more than a dozen research reports.

Flavin’s Madison lecture is made possible by a gift from UW alumnus Charles Luce and cosponsored by the Institute for Environmental Studies at UW–Madison, the nonprofit Energy Center of Wisconsin, and Energy and Environmental Professionals, a professional and student group. For more information, call (608) 263-5599.