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Transitioning to a Post-Carbon Society
by Ernest Garcia Mercedes Martinez-Iglesias Peadar KirbyThis book deals with one of the most pressing social and environmental issues that we face today. The transition to a post-carbon society, in which the consumption of fossil fuels decreases over time, has become an inevitability due to the need to prevent catastrophic climate change, the increasing cost and scarcity of energy, and complex combinations of both of these factors. As the authors point out, this will not only entail political adjustments and the replacement of some technologies by others, but will be accompanied by social and cultural changes that bring about substantial modifications in our societies and ways of life. This book examines whether the current conditions, which date back to the crisis that began in 2007, favour a benign and smooth transition or will make it more difficult and prone to conflict. It argues that, even if this transformation is unavoidable, the directions it will take and the resulting social forms are much less certain. There will be many post-carbon societies, the authors conclude, and any number of routes to social change. Transitioning to a Post-Carbon Society therefore represents a significant contribution to global debates on the environment, and is vital reading for academics, policymakers, business leaders, NGOs and the general public alike.
Handbook of Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation
by Wei-Yin Chen Toshio Suzuki Maximilian LacknerThe second edition of this important work covers additional topics of climate change mitigation and adaption strategies. It expands the scope of the first edition in the areas of mitigation and adds important new information on adaptation to climate change. Since the publication of the first edition, important new research findings have been gathered and natural events have continued to highlight the need for action.
Problematic Wildlife
by Francesco M. AngeliciThis book provides insight into the instancesin which wildlife species can create problems. Some species trigger problemsfor human activities, but many others need humans to save them and to continueto exist. The text addresses issues faced by economists and politicians dealingwith laws involving actions undertaken to resolve the problems of theinteraction between humans and wildlife. Here, the words 'problematic species'are used in their broadest sense, as may be appreciated in the short introductionsto the various sections. At times, the authors discuss special cases whilealways extending the discussion into a more general and broad vision. At others,they present real cutting-edge analysis of ecological topics and issues. The book will be of interest to biologists,ecologists and wildlife managers involved in research on wildlife, parks, andenvironmental management, as well as to government departments and agencies,NGOs and conservation wildlife organizations. Even those in contact with nature,such as hunters, herders, and farmers, will be able to find a great deal ofimportant information. Specific case studies are selected from among the mostsignificant and prevalent cases throughout the world. A total of 26 papers have been selected forthis book, written by zoologists, biologists and ecologists. Many have aninterdisciplinary approach, with contributions by economists, criminologists, technicalspecialists, and engineers.
Participatory Sensing, Opinions and Collective Awareness
by Francesca Tria Jan Theunis Gerd Stumme Vito D. P. Servedio Andreas Hotho Muki Haklay Vittorio LoretoThis book introduces and reviews recent advances inthe field in a comprehensive and non-technical way by focusing on the potentialof emerging citizen-science and social-computation frameworks, coupled with thelatest theoretical and modeling tools developed by physicists, mathematicians,computer and social scientists to analyse, interpret and visualize complex datasets. There is overwhelming evidence that the currentorganisation of our economies and societies is seriously damaging biologicalecosystems and human living conditions in the short term, with potentiallycatastrophic effects in the long term. The need to re-organise the dailyactivities with the greatest impact - energy consumption, transport, housing -towards a more efficient and sustainable development model has recently beenraised in the public debate on several global, environmental issues. Above all,this requires the mismatch between global, societal and individual needs to beaddressed. Recent advances in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)can trigger important transitions at the individual and collective level toachieve this aim. Based on the findings of the collaborative researchnetwork EveryAware the following developments among the emerging ICTtechnologies are discussed in depth in this volume: * Participatory sensing - where ICT development ispushed to the level where it can supportinformed action at the hyperlocal scale, providing capabilities forenvironmental monitoring, data aggregation and mining, as well as informationpresentation and sharing. * Web gaming, social computing and internet-mediatedcollaboration - where the Web will continue to acquire the status of aninfrastructure for social computing, allowing users' cognitive abilities to becoordinated in online communities, and steering the collective action towardspredefined goals. * Collective awareness and decision-making - where theaccess to both personal and community data, collected by users, processed withsuitable analysis tools, and re-presented in an appropriate format by usablecommunication interfaces leads to a bottom-up development of collective socialstrategies.
Edible Medicinal and Non-Medicinal Plants: Volume 12 Modified Stems, Roots, Bulbs
by T. K. LimThis book covers such plants with edible modified storage subterranean stems (corms, rhizomes, stem tubers) and unmodified subterranean stem stolons, above ground swollen stems and hypocotyls, storage roots (tap root, lateral roots, root tubers), and bulbs, that are eaten as conventional or functional food as vegetables and spices, as herbal teas, and may provide a source of food additive or neutraceuticals. This volume covers selected plant species with edible modified stems, roots and bulbs in the families Iridaceae, Lamiaceae, Marantaceae, Nelumbonaceae, Nyctaginaceae, Nymphaeaceae, Orchidaceae, Oxalidaceae, Piperaceae, Poaceae, Rubiaceae and Simaroubaceae. The edible species dealt with in this work include wild and underutilized crops and also common and widely grown ornamentals. To help in identification of the plant and edible parts coloured illustrations are included.<P><P> As in the preceding ten volumes, topics covered include: taxonomy (botanical name and synonyms); common English and vernacular names; origin and distribution; agro-ecological requirements, edible plant parts and uses; plant botany; nutritive, medicinal and pharmacological properties with up-to-date research findings; traditional medicinal uses; other non-edible uses; and selected/cited references for further reading. This volume has separate indices for scientific and common names; and separate scientific and medical glossaries.
Energy Solutions to Combat Global Warming
by Xinrong Zhang Ibrahim DincerThis book gathers an in-depth collection of 45 selected papers presented at the Global Conference on Global Warming 2014 in Beijing, China, covering a broad variety of topics from the main principles of thermodynamics and their role in design, analysis, and the improvements in performance of energy systems to the potential impact of global warming on human health and wellbeing. Given energy production's role in contributing to global warming and climate change, this work provides solutions to global warming from the point of view of energy. Incorporating multi-disciplinary expertise and approaches, it provides a platform for the analysis of new developments in the area of global warming and climate change, as well as potential energy solutions including renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy storage, hydrogen production, CO2 capture and environmental impact assessment. The research and analysis presented herein will benefit international scientists, researchers, engineers, policymakers and all others with an interest in global warming and its potential solutions.
Sabkha Ecosystems Volume V: The Americas
by Siegmar-W. Breckle Bilquees Gul Miguel Clüsener-Godt Münir Ȫzturk Benno Boër M. Ajmal Ajmal KhanThis book is a part of the Sabkha Ecosystems series which was designed to provide information on sabkha ecosystems of different regions and to add to the collective knowledge available about saline ecosystems. The comprehensive coverage assists the reader gaining a thorough understanding of sabkha geology, hydrology, geomorphology, zoology, botany, ecology and ecosystem functioning, as well as sabkha conservation, utilization and development. Volume I focused on The Arabian Peninsula and Adjacent Countries, volume II was based on describing saline ecosystems of West and Central Asia , volume III referred to Africa and Southern Europe, while volume IV focused on Cash Crop Halophyte and Biodiversity Conservation. The present volume V focuses on Americans.
Experimenting on a Small Planet
by William W. HayThis book is a thorough introduction to climate science and global change. The author is a geologist who has spent much of his life investigating the climate of Earth from a time when it was warm and dinosaurs roamed the land, to today's changing climate. Bill Hay takes you on a journey to understand how the climate system works. He explores how humans are unintentionally conducting a grand uncontrolled experiment which is leading to unanticipated changes. We follow the twisting path of seemingly unrelated discoveries in physics, chemistry, biology, geology, and even mathematics to learn how they led to our present knowledge of how our planet works. He explains why the weather is becoming increasingly chaotic as our planet warms at a rate far faster than at any time in its geologic past. He speculates on possible future outcomes, and suggests that nature itself may make some unexpected course corrections. Although the book is written for the layman with little knowledge of science or mathematics, it includes information from many diverse fields to provide even those actively working in the field of climatology with a broader view of this developing drama. Experimenting on a Small Planet is a must read for anyone having more than a casual interest in global warming and climate change - one of the most important and challenging issues of our time.
Multiple Helix Ecosystems for Sustainable Competitiveness
by Nuno O. Fernandes Luís Farinha João J. Ferreira Marta Peris-OrtizThis book discusses the main issues, challenges, opportunities, andtrends involving the interactions between academia, industry, government and society. Specifically, it aims to explore how these interactions enhance the ways inwhich companies deliver products and services in order to achieve sustainablecompetitiveness in the marketplace. Sustainable competitiveness has been widely discussed by academics andpractitioners, considering the importance of protecting the environment whilesustaining the economic goals of organizations. The Quintuple Helix innovation modelis a framework for facilitating knowledge, innovation and sustainablecompetitive advantage. It embeds the Triple and the Quadruple Helix models byadding a fifth helix, the "natural environment. " The Triple Helix model focuseson the university-industry-government triad, while the Quadruple adds civilsociety (the media- and culture-driven public) as a fourth helix. The Quintuple Helix model facilitates research, public policy, andpractical application of sustainable competitiveness principles. Applying themost recent developments and theoretical insights of this model, thecontributors to this volume address such questions as: how do government,academia, industry and civil society actors interact for promoting sustainablecompetitiveness at the country (regional) level? How do these actors influencesustainable operations management at the company (business) level? In so doing,they shed new light on the dynamics of economic growth, sustainability andcompetitiveness.
Geobiotechnological Solutions to Anthropogenic Disturbances
by Mark Anglin HarrisThis book offers a problem-and-solution approach toenvironmental remediation in mining, including the environmentally sustainableutilization of waste materials from the mining industry. It largely comprisesarticles published in Springer journals, which have been thoroughly revised andexpanded. With supplementary data and illustrations, it discusses specificproblem areas in relevant Caribbean locations and provides an overview ofgeotechnical and microbial solutions to prevent post-mining deterioration inthis area.
Personalities on the Plate: The Lives and Minds of Animals We Eat
by Barbara J. KingIn recent years, scientific advances in our understanding of animal minds have led to major changes in how we think about, and treat, animals in zoos and aquariums. The general public, it seems, is slowly coming to understand that animals like apes, elephants, and dolphins have not just brains, but complicated inner and social lives, and that we need to act accordingly. Yet that realization hasn’t yet made its presence felt to any great degree in our most intimate relationship with animals: at the dinner table. Sure, there are vegetarians and vegans all over, but at the same time, meat consumption is up, and meat remains a central part of the culinary and dining experience for the majority of people in the developed world. With Personalities on the Plate, Barbara King asks us to think hard about our meat eating--and how we might reduce it. But this isn’t a polemic intended to convert readers to veganism. What she is interested in is why we’ve not drawn food animals into our concern and just what we do know about the minds and lives of chickens, cows, octopuses, fish, and more. Rooted in the latest science, and built on a mix of firsthand experience (including entomophagy, which, yes, is what you think it is) and close engagement with the work of scientists, farmers, vets, and chefs, Personalities on the Plate is an unforgettable journey through the world of animals we eat. Knowing what we know--and what we may yet learn--what is the proper ethical stance toward eating meat? What are the consequences for the planet? How can we life an ethically and ecologically sound life through our food choices? We could have no better guide to these fascinatingly thorny questions than King, whose deep empathy embraces human and animal alike. Readers will be moved, provoked, and changed by this powerful book.
Stopping Climate Change: the Case for Hydrogen and Coal
by C. E. Sandy ThomasThis book documents the advantages and limitations ofvarious electricity generation methods. It illustrates how both electricity andmotor fuel can be cost-effectively derived from coal, natural gas or other indigenousfuels, thereby eliminating our dependence on imported oil and the power of OPEC. It favours electricity generation systems powered exclusively by natural gas,coal, nuclear and renewables and motor vehicles powered by hydrogen(electricity from coal gasification with carbon capture and sequestration (CCS)and hydrogen as the fuel powering fuel-cell electric vehicles produced from naturalgas or by gasifying coal With CCS. ) Thebook also demonstrates that the US can meet the Climate Change goal of reducingall greenhouse gases by 80% below 1990 levels in both the transportation andelectric utility sectors using hydrogen and coal.
Imagining Industan
by Zafar Adeel Robert G. WirsingThis volume calls upon over a dozen Indus observers to imagine a scenario for the Indus basin in which transboundary cooperation over water resources overcomes the insecurity arising from water dependence and scarcity. From diverse perspectives, its essays examine the potential benefits to be gained from revisiting the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, as well as from mounting joint efforts to increase water supply, to combat climate change, to develop hydroelectric power, and to improve water management. The Indus basin is shared by four countries (Afghanistan, China, India, and Pakistan). The basin's significance stems in part simply from the importance of these countries, three of them among the planet's most populous states, one of them boasting the world's second largest economy, and three of them members of the exclusive nuclear weapons club. However, the basin's significance stems also from the great importance of the Indus waters themselves - due especially to the region's massive dependence on irrigated agriculture as well as to the menace of climate change and advancing water scarcity. The "Industan" this volume imagines is a definite departure from business as usual responses to the Indus basin's emerging fresh water crisis. The objective is to kindle serious discussion of the cooperation needed to confront what many water experts believe is developing into one of the planet's most gravely threatened river basins. It is thus both assessment of the current state of play in regard to water security in the Indus basin and recommendation about where to go from here.
Confronting the Climate: British Airs and the Making of Environmental Medicine
by Vladimir JankovićThis book explores the social origins of the Western preoccupation with health and environmental hazards. It looks at the rise of the dichotomy between the vulnerable 'in' and the threatening 'out' by examining the pathologies associated with weather, domestic space, ventilation, clothing, and travel in Britain at the turn of the 19th century.
China’s Environmental Crisis
by Joel Jay Kassiola Sujian GuoThis path-breaking collection covers the significance of China's extreme environmental challenges for both Chinese society and the world, how these challenges are impacting domestic Chinese society and its political institutions, and how these institutions are responding in their efforts to address the environmental problems.
Globalizing Polar Science
by Roger D. Launius James Rodger Fleming David H. DevorkinThe International Polar Years and the International Geophysical Year represented a remarkable international collaborative scientific effort that has been largely neglected by historians. This groundbreaking collection seeks to redress that neglect and illuminate critical aspects of the last 150 years of international scientific endeavour.
Ecocriticism and Shakespeare
by Simon C. EstokThis book offers the term 'ecophobia' as a way of understanding and organizing representations of contempt for the natural world. Estok argues that this vocabulary is both necessary to the developing area of ecocritical studies and for our understandings of the representations of 'Nature' in Shakespeare.
Governance of Earth Systems: Science and Its Uses
by Robert BoardmanScience and politics are closely connected in today's global environmental issues. This book focuses on these links in relation to climate change, the threats to wildlife species, and natural hazards and disasters. Study of these reveals the need for more effective international cooperation and the limits of global governance.
Fitness Culture
by Roberta SassatelliThis book provides a sociological perspective on fitness culture as developed in commercial gyms, investigating the cultural relevance of gyms in terms of the history of the commercialization of body discipline, the negotiation of gender identities and distinction dynamics within contemporary cultures of consumption.
Social Movements, Public Spheres and the European Politics of the Environment
by Hein-Anton van der HeijdenThis book analyzes how the European environmental movement has influenced the problem definitions and solution strategies of European policy issues, examining biodiversity, GMOs, Trans-European Transport Networks, and climate change.
The 'Community Method'
by Renaud DehousseSixty years after its invention, the operational system of the European Union remains little-understood. The 'Community Method' provides a comprehensive empirical analysis of the functioning and achievements of the EU.
Quality and Legitimacy of Global Governance
by Timothy CadmanSince the Rio 'Earth' Summit of 1992, sustainable development has become the major policy framework through which the international community deals with pressing environmental issues such as deforestation. Implicit in this approach is the belief that the market provides the best mechanism to bring government, business and society together, and a whole plethora of market-driven schemes have been developed in response. Yet how legitimate are these institutions, and where is their democratic accountability? This book looks at four institutions created to address forest management, namely the Forest Stewardship Council (non-governmental), the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (business), the ISO 14000 Series of environmental standards (technocratic), and the United Nations Forum on Forests (governmental). It finds large discrepancies in the approaches taken, and the degree to which the four systems provide for meaningful participation and productive deliberation amongst stakeholders trying to address the global forest crisis.
Empire and Environmental Anxiety
by James BeattieA new interpretation of imperialism and environmental change, and the anxieties imperialism generated through environmental transformation and interaction with unknown landscapes. Tying together South Asia and Australasia, this book demonstrates how environmental anxieties led to increasing state resource management, conservation, and urban reform.
Ecofeminist Subjectivities
by Lesley KordeckiThis bookanalyzes theinteraction between gender and species in Chaucer's poetry and strives to understand his adaptation of medieval discourse through an ecofeminist lens. Works that either speak of animals, or more pertinently those with animals speaking, offer fruitful results in the attempt to understand the medieval textual handling of the 'others' of society. "
Francis Bacon and the Seventeenth-Century Intellectual Discourse
by Anthony J. FunariThis book explores the resistance of three English poets to Francis Bacon's project to restore humanity to Adamic mastery over nature, moving beyond a discussion of the tension between Bacon and these poetic voices to suggest theywere also debating the narrative of humanity's intellectual path.