- Table View
- List View
Dependent Growth: Foreign Investment and the Development of the Automotive Industry in East-Central Europe
by Petr PavlínekThis book offers a critical analysis of recent developments in the automotive industry of East-Central Europe (ECE). Economists, industry specialists and national governments have considered the rapid development of the automotive industry in ECE in the past twenty years an unqualified success. This rapid growth has been based on large inflows of foreign direct investment (FDI) from Western Europe, North America, Japan and South Korea, and it significantly contributed to GDP growth, created thousands of new jobs, and completely transformed the previously existing automotive industry in the region. This volume offers an analysis that goes beyond uncritical celebratory accounts of this rapid growth. It is based on original, detailed firm-level research conducted by the author in Czechia and Slovakia between 2009 and 2015 that covered assembly firms and the networks of component suppliers. Theoretically and conceptually, the analysis will draw on the global production networks and global value chains perspectives. Drawing on the original empirical data and on additional available information, this volume concentrates on several important questions related to the development of the automotive industry in ECE in the 2000s:• The role of FDI in the rapid development of the automotive industry after 1990 and particularly in the 2000s.• The upgrading of the automotive industry in East-Central Europe through FDI• The position of ECE in the automotive industry research and development (R&D)• The effects of the 2008-2009 economic crisis in the automotive industry of ECE.• The role of state in the rapid development of the automotive industry in ECE in the 1990s and 2000s.• The effects of FDI on domestic firms in the form of linkages between foreign-owned and domestic firms and spillovers from foreign-owned to domestic firms.
Depletion and Abundance
by Sharon AstykWhy are so few peak oil authors women? There's been much debate about this, and no one has yet arrived at a definitive answer. But whatever the reason, Sharon Astyk has established herself as a true rarity within the peak oil community by virtue of being a woman who has chosen to write about peak oil. The perspective she offers is thus both uncommon and vital.In Depletion and Abundance, she shows how rewarding life on her New Home Front could be, immeasureably improving our health, nutrition, sense of community and overall well-being. Chief among its benefits would be all the extra time that we'd have. She points out that people in medieval times worked far fewer hours than Americans do today, and that most people in modern-day peasant societies also work less hard than we do.This, along with Astyk's unique perspective as a woman, a mother and a peak oil activist, makes Depleiton and Abundance well worth a read. The ring of authenticity to her writing will hook you - while its relaxed style, ineffable humor, personal anecdotes and comforting touch will soothe your melancholy peaknik soul like a warm hand on the shoulder.Reviewed by Frank Kaminski, Energy BulletinSharon's introduction is pricelss in its succinct, dead-on analysis of collapse, and is reason enough to buy and send this book to everyone you know who is partially or completely clueless about where we're headed. "When I realized that everything was going to change, I was at first afraid. Because I thought, if my government or public policy or other choices weren't going to fix everything, what could I possibly do? What hope was there, if I had to take care of myself, if my community had to take care of itself?But when I began looking for solutions that could be applied on the level of ordinary human lives, that involved changes in perspectives and pulling together, the reclamation of abandoned ideas and the restoration of strong communitites, I began to feel hopeful, even excited. Because I realized that when large institutions cease to be powerful, sometimes that means that people start being powerful again."Depletion and Abundance is not a feel-good book, but it is intensely human, compassionate, supportive, pracitcal, alarming, enlivening, and astonishingly accurate.Reviewed by Carolyn Baker, Carolynbaker.netClimate change, peak oil, and economic instability aren't just future social problems-they jeopardize our homes and families right now.Our once-abundant food supply is being threatened by toxic chemical agriculture, rising food prices and crop shortages brought on by climate change. Funding for education and health care is strained to the limit, and safe and affordable housing is disappearing.Depletion and Abundance explains how we are living beyond our means with or without a peak oil/climate change crisis and that, either way, we must learn to place our families and local communities at the center of our thinking once again. The author presents strategies to create stronger homes, better health and a richer family life and to:*live comfortably with an uncertain energy supply *prepare children for a hotter, lower energy, less secure world *survive and thrive in an economy in crisis, and *maintain a kitchen garden to supply basic food needs.Most importantly, readers will discover that depletion can lead to abundance, and the anxiety of these uncertain times can be turned into a gift of hope and action.An unusual family perspective on the topic, this book will appeal to all those interested in securing a future for their children and grandchildren.
Deploying the European Green Deal: Protecting the Environment Beyond the EU Borders (Routledge Studies in Environmental Policy)
by Mar Campins EritjaDrawing on a range of expert contributions, this book explores how the European Green Deal is being deployed in practice and observes how the EU tries to promote the protection of the environment in third countries.This book begins by assessing the state of the art in terms of the key conceptual issues and analyses sectoral initiatives that are particularly relevant for the deployment of the European Green Deal external dimensions. These include the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, the EU’s regulatory action in the control of maritime emissions, the 2030 Biodiversity Strategy, the Deforestation Initiative, the Zero Pollution Initiative, the From Farm to Fork Initiative, and the Climate Neutrality and Clean Energy Initiative in the context of the Energy Charter Treaty. Next, the authors deal with horizontal aspects of the European Green Deal that also have external dimensions, such as the Green Deal Diplomacy, the Green Public Procurement, funding measures, initiatives related to corporate sustainability and due diligence, and the implementation and enforcement of EU environmental law. This volume concludes with a cross-cutting analysis, focusing on how the EU can strengthen the impact of its normative power on international environmental governance, while also noting its limitations.Deploying the European Green Deal will be of great interest to students and scholars of international and EU environmental law and environmental policy and governance.Chapter 10 of this book is available for free in PDF format as Open Access from the individual product page at www.taylorfrancis.com. It has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.
Depopulation, Aging, and Living Environments: Learning from Social Capital and Mountainous Areas in Japan (Advances in Geographical and Environmental Sciences)
by Kenji TsutsumiThis book provides perspectives on depopulated areas and regional social capital from positivistic field surveys. Among the developed countries of the world, Japan has a very small amount of national land, with almost 70% of it being in mountainous locations. Concentration of populations and economic capital into large metropolitan areas along with many depopulated and population-aged regions in the mountainous parts can be seen in the country. A very clear regional disparity has arisen in Japan, especially since the era of its high economic growth. This book also offers critical suggestions for the shrinking societies of the developed world in the era of Society 5.0, the fifth stage of society where economic development is achieved and social issues are resolved by the fusion of cyber and physical space. To begin, the book refers to an outline of depopulation and depopulated areas in Japan. Then, it deals with issues of depopulation, out-migration from a mountainous village, revitalization of local industries, and maintenance of daily living functions in these areas. This book is suitable for students and scholars of the social sciences, regional planners, staffs of government offices, members of NPOs, general citizens, and the many other people who are interested in sustainability of a region and a community in a shrinking social environment.
Depositional History of Franchthi Cave: Sediments, Stratigraphy, and Chronology (Excavations at Franchthi Cave, Greece #12)
by William R. Farrand“Presents detailed descriptions of the physical and depositional characteristics, strata, and radiocarbon chronology of Franchthi.” —Journal of Anthropological ResearchThis fascicle describes the background of the Franchthi project and its excavation history and methodology. Particle size, mineralogy, and chemistry are all taken into consideration as the cultural remains and the sediments from the cave are analyzed to determine their origin and history. William Farrand constructs an integrated stratigraphy for the entire cave using excavators’ notes, laboratory analyses, and personal field data to correlate sequences in separate trenches. On the basis of some 60 radiocarbon dates, the evolution and chronology of the sedimentary fill is postulated.
Depositional History of Franchthi Cave: Sediments, Stratigraphy, and Chronology (Excavations at Franchthi Cave, Greece)
by William R. Farrand“Presents detailed descriptions of the physical and depositional characteristics, strata, and radiocarbon chronology of Franchthi.” —Journal of Anthropological ResearchThis fascicle describes the background of the Franchthi project and its excavation history and methodology. Particle size, mineralogy, and chemistry are all taken into consideration as the cultural remains and the sediments from the cave are analyzed to determine their origin and history. William Farrand constructs an integrated stratigraphy for the entire cave using excavators’ notes, laboratory analyses, and personal field data to correlate sequences in separate trenches. On the basis of some 60 radiocarbon dates, the evolution and chronology of the sedimentary fill is postulated.
The Deprat Affair
by Roger OsborneDetective story, social history, human drama, The Deprat Affair recreates the hothouse atmosphere of colonial Indochina in the early twentieth century. Among its cliques, its bitter rivalries, its nepotism and favours, how are we to disentangle the scientific, the moral and the legal 'truths' of the affair? Most of all, the story centres on one compelling individual - Jacques Deprat. En route to a golden future as one of France's greatest geologists, he is suddenly accused of fraud and plunged into a desperate fight to save his reputation. Convicted of placing European fossils among samples collected in Indochina, he is dismissed from his job, and expelled from the Société Géologique de France. Thrown out of the science to which he has given everything, he re-invents himself, changes his name, and begins not one, but two fascinating new lives - each as extraordinary and colourful as the one he left behind. And even in the manner of his premature death, Deprat proved his ability to shake the world. Eighty years on from his conviction, the truth of the Deprat affair is still in doubt - and is still passionately debated among French scientists. But innocent or guilty, Jacques Deprat is an astonishing figure, whose capacity to overcome the world's disgrace and the dissolution of his dreams makes an amazing and captivating story.
Der Beitrag von Smart Cities zu einer nachhaltigen Stadtentwicklung: Chancen und Risiken von Konzepten für eine intelligente Stadt (Studien zum nachhaltigen Bauen und Wirtschaften)
by Benedikt Acker Thomas GlatteDieses Fachbuch vermittelt einen umfassenden Überblick über den Beitrag, welchen eine Smart City zu einer nachhaltigen Stadtentwicklung leisten kann. Unter Bezugnahme aktuell präsenter Megatrends erfolgt eine systematische Einordnung der Rolle der Immobilienwirtschaft im umfassenden Konstrukt einer intelligenten Stadt. Mittels Analysen vielversprechender Konzepte im Bereich der Smart City wird dabei der zusätzliche Mehrwert herausgearbeitet, welcher im Kontext der Nachhaltigkeit bei der Modernisierung und Revitalisierung von Gebäuden und Quartieren entstehen kann.
Der Geist als komplexes Quantensystem: Interdisziplinäre Skizze einer Theory of Mind (essentials)
by Imre KoncsikImre Koncsik beschreibt die Theorie des Geistes als naturphilosophische Theorie auf Basis der Physik. Er identifiziert signifikante Parallelen zwischen Geist und Gehirn, die beide durch Elemente der Quantentheorie und der komplexen Systemtheorie beschrieben werden können. Beide Theorien beziehen sich auf eine immaterielle, formale und imaginäre Schicht der Realität. Sie ermöglichen eine innovative Beschreibung der morphologischen Strukturen und dynamischen Aktivitätsmuster des Gehirns in Analogie zu Mustern des Geistes. Eine Theorie des Geistes bildet hinsichtlich ihrer technologischen Applikation den Grundstein einer neuen, im eigentlichen Sinn ,,intelligenten" Technologie: der quantenbasierten Systemtechnologie.
Der Klimaschutz-Kompass: Wie wir gut und klimafreundlich leben können
by Heimo BürbaumerWie können wir klimafreundlich leben? Sind Elektro- oder Hybrid-Autos effektiver? Sollte man regionale Lebensmittel kaufen oder Bio-Produkte? Wie mache ich mein Haus klimafit? Basierend auf dem aktuellen Stand der Energie- und Klimaschutzberatung beschreibt das Buch für alle Lebensbereiche – von der Mobilität über Wohnen bis zu Ernährung und Konsum – Maßnahmen, die je mindestens eine Tonne CO2 einsparen und dabei die Lebensqualität erhöhen. Dabei räumt der Autor mit gängigen Mythen wie der Gleichsetzung von Klimaschutz und Verzicht auf und gibt im Wirrwarr der Medienberichte vom Wasserstoffauto bis zur CO2-Kompensation Orientierung. Denn klimafreundlich leben bedeutet eine bewusste Entscheidung für fossilfreie Technologien und zukunftstaugliche Lebensweisen jetzt und nicht erst in ferner Zukunft. Das Buch richtet sich an alle, die klimafreundlich ihren Alltag meistern wollen, aber nicht wissen, wie dies effektiv und ohne Verzicht umsetzbar ist. Der Klimaschutz-Kompass gibt dazu eine einfach verständliche, wissenschaftlich begründete Anleitung, wie eine klimafreundliche Lebensweise alltagstauglich umsetzbar ist.
Der Kugelblitz: Eine moderne Analyse des ungelösten Problems der atmosphärischen Elektrizität
by Herbert BoernerKugelblitze sind rätselhaft. Diese leuchtenden Objekte, die gelegentlich während eines Gewitters auftreten und einen Durchmesser von mehreren Metern erreichen können, stellen die Wissenschaft seit etwa 200 Jahren vor Probleme. Trotz mehrerer Tausend gemeldeter Beobachtungen ist ihre physikalische Natur noch immer unbekannt. In diesem Buch werden gut dokumentierte Fälle von Kugelblitzen beschrieben und genutzt, um wichtige Aspekte dieser mysteriösen Form der atmosphärischen Elektrizität zu analysieren. Im Laufe des Buches erörtert der Autor die verschiedenen Facetten des Problems in einem zugänglichen, wissenschaftlich fundierten Text und liefert so einen lesbaren und informativen Bericht, der den neugierigen Leser fesseln wird. Die Analyse kulminiert in der überraschenden Schlussfolgerung, dass die Lösung dieses Rätsels vielleicht schon seit vielen Jahren vorliegt aber bisher nicht erkannt wurde.Ein Vorwort von Earle Williams, dem führenden Blitzforscher am MIT, leitet das Buch ein.
Deregulation in the European Union: Environmental Perspectives (Routledge/eui Studies In Environmental Policy Ser.)
by Ute CollierExamines the environmental implication of economic deregulation through case studies of the energy, transport and water sectors. The book deals with options for deregulation, looking at self-regulation, negotiated agreements and environmental management systems. Presenting evidence from a number of EU member states and Hungary, a likely contender f
Derelict Mines: Environmental Risk Assessment and Management
by Ravi NaiduMine areas left behind by companies that no longer exist are defined as derelict mines – those that were operated and closed at a time when most countries did not have adequate regulations requiring rehabilitation of the impacted mine areas. This book provides unique information on the extent and severity of derelict mines’ impact on environmental degradation and human and environmental health. It examines the nature of derelict mines, short-term and long-term risks to sensitive receptors, tools for monitoring and prioritizing risks, and technological advances for rehabilitation. This book considers a risk-based approach to managing derelict mines, which is reliable and cost-effective.FEATURES Provides fundamental information on derelict mines and their inventory in different countries Explains risk-based management of derelict mines and the importance of community perspectives as a reliable and cost-effective method Identifies ownership and liability issues through many case studies in Australia and other countries that must deal with the remediation of derelict mines Presents remediation, assessment, and predictive tools for managing pit lakes Helps readers set standards, regulatory measures, and policies related to mine closures This book is for engineers and professionals who work in mining, geology, chemistry, mineralogy, geotechnics, and hydrogeology and deal with industrial site management, waste management, mine closures, mine site reclamation, derelict mine remediation, and mine revegetation. It is also an insightful resource for graduate students, academics, and researchers focused on these courses.
Desalination and Water Security (Earthscan Studies in Water Resource Management)
by Chris AnastasiDesalination is to the water industry what renewables are to the electricity sector. However, unlike renewables, the former is being deployed in a quiet revolution away from public glare. This book provides a holistic view of desalination, highlighting the important role this technology can play in providing safe access to water across the globe. It describes the context for this technology to flourish in the coming decades. It discusses the pressures on freshwater resources and the key role the desalination industry plays as it moves from a good-to-have provider today to a must-have mainstream water solution in the future. The book explores the vital elements of the desalination industry, including the winning technologies and how further technological developments will reduce costs and increase deployment into new areas. It also addresses the energy used and the key environmental issues of carbon dioxide emissions and brine waste production. Using a series of country case studies, the book illustrates how desalination can supplement natural water resources in different environments and for different purposes, and how it is supporting domestic and economic activity. Providing a forward-thinking assessment, the book considers developments over the next 30 years as climate change impacts become even more apparent. This book will be of great interest to those working to alleviate water scarcity and improve water security. It will also be of interest to those in water resource management, water policy and regulation, water science, and environmental engineering.
Desalination Concentrate Management
by Benjamin Asquith Bradley LadewigThis book examines five methods used for concentrate management, namely; disposal to surface water, disposal to sewerage, deep well injection, land applications and evaporation ponds. In particular, the book focuses on the design, siting, cost, and environmental impacts of these methods. While these methods are widely practiced in a variety of settings already, there are many limitations that restrict the use of certain disposal options in particular locations.
Desarrollo: Una visión innovadora
by Gerónimo Frigerio¿Por qué el desarrollo es el futuro de América Latina? Porque supone pasar de la pobreza a la generación de riqueza, de la informalidad a la formalidad y de una realidad de desempleo a una de creación de trabajo. Gerónimo Frigerio explica cómo en un libro realista y esperanzador. La ambición de este libro es servir de inspiración a hombres y mujeres de América Latina para que nos convirtamos en actores del desarrollo y, por lo tanto, en protagonistas de un futuro mejor en nuestros países y en la región. El proceso de desarrollo no solo implica pasar del estancamiento al crecimiento, de la pobreza a la generación de riqueza, de la informalidad a la formalidad, o de una realidad de desempleo a una de creación de trabajo; supone también convertir las trabas en oportunidades, la parálisis en acción, el desánimo en esperanza. Con la claridad y contundencia con que lo hizo en Simple. Una idea para transformar el futuro de América Latina, Gerónimo Frigerio combina visión individual, nacional y regional en un marco de reflexión realista, práctico y constructivo, y presenta un mensaje optimista: América Latina puede dejar de ser un conjunto de países sin rumbo para transformarse en un conjunto de sociedades que planifican su futuro.
Desastres: Guia para sobrevivir
by Raúl SohrTerremotos, maremotos, erupciones volcánicas, aluviones, incendios forestales y otras calamidades azotan, con regularidad, a nuestro país Los fenómenos naturales destructivos han marcado la historia nacional a tal punto que, como menciona el autor, no falta quien dice que "nueve de cada diez desastres prefieren Chile". <P><P>El impacto de episodios recientes "como el terremoto de magnitud 8,8° ocurrido en febrero de 2010 o los megaincendios forestales que afectaron al centro y sur del país en enero de 2017" ha actualizado la urgencia por contar con planes de contingencia. El objetivo es enfrentar, de mejor modo, el impacto y el temor que los desastres de este tipo generan en la población.
Desastres naturales en América: Un llamado a la sobrevivencia del cambio climático
by June Carolyn Erlick"Mientras escribo este libro, leo los diarios y escucho las noticias, y siento como si todas las lecciones que he aprendido después de haber vivido e investigado sobre los desastres naturales y sus consecuencias estuvieran desplegándose en tiempo real". June Carolyn Erlick Los desastres naturales moldean la historia y la sociedad, y, a su vez, su impacto a largo plazo está determinado por la historia y la sociedad. Esto es especialmente cierto en América Latina y el Caribe, donde el cambio climático está aumentando la frecuencia e intensidad de estas calamidades. Desde las inundaciones precolombinas en los Andes, hasta la devastación del huracán María en Puerto Rico, pasando por las lecciones que dejaron eventos como el terremoto de México, la erupción del Nevado del Ruiz que arrasó Armero, la inundación de la amazonía brasileña y los huracanes en el Caribe, este libro demuestra que las consecuencias de las catástrofes naturales se multiplican cuando se conjugan con corrupción y desidia política. "Este libro es un examen impresionante de la forma en que las comu-nidades y los individuos luchan por sobrevivir a los desastres natura-les, cómo se adaptan a las consecuencias y llevan vidas que han sido transformadas por el dolor, la pérdida y el sufrimiento". Arthur Kleinman, profesor de Antropología Médica en Salud Global y Medicina Social, Universidad de Harvard, y autor de The Soul of Care
Deschutes National Forest: Deschutes And Willamette National Forests, Oregon (Images of America)
by Les JoslinFrom the crest of the High Cascades eastward to the High Desert, the Deschutes National Forest is one of America’s great national treasures. Timber, water, and forage were plentiful in Central Oregon and provided the building blocks for the region. Today, the national forest’s scenery and year-round outdoor recreational resources play major roles in sustaining a vibrant and diverse modern economy and a unique way of life. Since 1905, these resources have been administered by the US Forest Service, fulfilling its mission to pursue “the greatest good of the greatest number in the long run,” as decreed by forester Gifford Pinchot when he led the fledgling agency.
Describing Socioeconomic Futures for Climate Change Research and Assessment: Report of a Workshop
by National Research Council of the National AcademiesThe implications of climate change for the environment and society depend on the rate and magnitude of climate change, but also on changes in technology, economics, lifestyles, and policy that will affect the capacity both for limiting and adapting to climate change. Describing Socioeconomic Futures for Climate Change Research and Assessment reviews the state of science for considering socioeconomic changes over long time frames and clarifies definitions and concepts to facilitate communication across research communities. The book also explores driving forces and key uncertainties that will affect impacts, adaptation, vulnerability and mitigation in the future. Furthermore, it considers research needs and the elements of a strategy for describing socioeconomic and environmental futures for climate change research and assessment. Describing Socioeconomic Futures for Climate Change Research and Assessment explores the current state of science in scenario development and application, asserting that while little attention has been given to preparing quantitative and narrative socioeconomic information, advances in computing capacity are making development of such probabilistic scenarios a reality. It also addresses a number of specific methodological challenges and opportunities and discusses opportunities for a next round of assessments.
Description Approaches and Automated Generalization Algorithms for Groups of Map Objects
by Haowen YanThis book focuses on the generalization of map features, providing descriptions and classifying groups of map objects into six categories: point clusters, groups of contours, road networks, river networks, continuous areal features and discrete areal features. Discussing the methods and algorithms in map generalization in equal measure, it also describes the approaches for describing map features. The book is a valuable reference for graduates and researchers who are interested in cartography and geographic information science/systems, especially those in automated map generalization and spatial databases construction.
Descriptive Taxonomy
by Mark F. Watson Chris H. C. Lyal Colin A. Pendry Mark F. Watson Chris H. C. LyalIn an age when biodiversity is being lost at an unprecedented rate, it is vital that floristic and faunistic information is up to date, reliable and easily accessible for the formulation of effective conservation strategies. Electronic data management and communication are transforming descriptive taxonomy radically, enhancing both the collection and dissemination of crucial data on biodiversity. This volume is written by scientists at the forefront of current developments of floras and faunas, along with specialists from applied user groups. The chapters review novel methods of research, development and dissemination, which aim to maximise the relevance and impact of data. Regional case studies are used to illustrate the outputs and impacts of taxonomic research. Integrated approaches are presented which have the capacity to accelerate the production of floras and faunas and to better serve the needs of a widening audience.
Desenredar la Argentina: Diagnósticos y propuestas para quebrar la decadencia
by Luciano LaspinaUna salida a las profundas heridas generadas por el populismo a través de medidas para no repetir los errores que llevaron a la actual decadencia. Diagnóstico de los principales problemas que enfrentará el próximo gobierno y reformas económicas orientadas a resolverlos. «El próximo gobierno asumirá en medio de la crisis terminal de un nuevo experimento populista en la Argentina. Nuestro país tiene una larguísima tradición de populismo político y macroeconómico. La economía argentina está totalmente enredada. Enredada en una maraña de complejas regulaciones, altos impuestos, trabas para importar, impuestos para exportar, insólitas restricciones y costos para crear empleos, desincentivos e inseguridad jurídica para invertir, dificultades crónicas para ahorrar sin ser estafado por la inflación e imposibilidad de obtener créditos a plazos y tasas razonables. Por eso, la economía tropieza con crisis y recesiones desde hace muchas décadas. El próximo gobierno deberá desenredar rápidamente la Argentina impulsando reformas valientes». Con firme decisión política y sólida argumentación técnica, Luciano Laspina propone Desenredar la Argentina marcando la salida de las profundas heridas generadas por el populismo, y presentando medidas para no repetir los errores que llevaron a la actual decadencia. Cada capítulo de esta obra elabora el diagnóstico de los principales problemas que enfrentará el próximo gobierno y expone las reformas económicas orientadas a resolverlos. El mensaje del libro es esperanzador: si al capital humano y los recursos naturales de nuestra tierra sumamos la determinación política de dejar atrás las recetas del pasado y avanzar hacia el desarrollo, lograremos el país grande y respetado que ansiamos.
The Desert Alphabet Book (Jerry Pallotta's Alphabet Books)
by Jerry PallottaThe parched, mysterious deserts of the world are the landscapes for this alphabet array of plants, animals, and phenomena. Meet the colorful Crimson Chat, the deadly Inland Taipan, and the cartwheeling Golden Wheel Spider. Look beneath and beyond the sand for familiar, unfamiliar, and comical desert dwellers.Author Jerry Pallotta and illustrator Mark Astrella invite readers to one of nature's most forbidding environments. And if you feel thirsty after reading about some of the driest places on earth, don't worry. There's a Water-holding frog!
Desert Edens: Colonial Climate Engineering in the Age of Anxiety (Histories of Economic Life #9)
by Philipp LehmannHow technological advances and colonial fears inspired utopian geoengineering projects during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries From the 1870s to the mid-twentieth century, European explorers, climatologists, colonial officials, and planners were avidly interested in large-scale projects that might actively alter the climate. Uncovering this history, Desert Edens looks at how arid environments and an increasing anxiety about climate in the colonial world shaped this upsurge in ideas about climate engineering. From notions about the transformation of deserts into forests to Nazi plans to influence the climates of war-torn areas, Philipp Lehmann puts the early climate change debate in its environmental, intellectual, and political context, and considers the ways this legacy reverberates in the present climate crisis.Lehmann examines some of the most ambitious climate-engineering projects to emerge in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Confronted with the Sahara in the 1870s, the French developed concepts for a flooding project that would lead to the creation of a man-made Sahara Sea. In the 1920s, German architect Herman Sörgel proposed damming the Mediterranean in order to geoengineer an Afro-European continent called &“Atlantropa,&” which would fit the needs of European settlers. Nazi designs were formulated to counteract the desertification of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Despite ideological and technical differences, these projects all incorporated and developed climate change theories and vocabulary. They also combined expressions of an extreme environmental pessimism with a powerful technological optimism that continue to shape the contemporary moment.Focusing on the intellectual roots, intended effects, and impact of early measures to modify the climate, Desert Edens investigates how the technological imagination can be inspired by pressing fears about the environment and civilization.