This book discusses the concepts and technologies associated with the mitigation of urban heat islands (UHIs) that are applicable in hot and humid regions. It presents several city case studies on how UHIs can be reduced in various areas to provide readers, researchers, and policymakers with insights into the concepts and technologies that should be considered when planning and constructing urban centres and buildings. The rapid development of urban areas in hot and humid regions has led to an increase in urban temperatures, a decrease in ventilation in buildings, and a transformation of the once green outdoor environment into areas full of solar-energy-absorbing concrete and asphalt. This situation has increased the discomfort of people living in these areas regardless of whether they occupy concrete structures. This is because indoor and outdoor air quality have both suffered from urbanisation. The development of urban areas has also increased energy consumption so that the occupants of buildings can enjoy indoor thermal comfort and air quality that they need via air conditioning systems. This book offers solutions to the recent increase in the number of heat islands in hot and humid regions.

Several textbooks and edited volumes are currently available on general soil fertility but' to date' none have been dedicated to the study of "Sustainable Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling in Soil." Yet this aspect is extremely important, considering the fact that the soil, as the 'epidermis of the Earth' (geodermis)' is a major component of the terrestrial biosphere. This book addresses virtually every aspect of C and N cycling, including: general concepts on the diversity of microorganisms and management practices for soil, the function of soil's structure-function-ecosystem, the evolving role of C and N, cutting-edge methods used in soil microbial ecological studies, rhizosphere microflora, the role of organic matter (OM) in agricultural productivity, C and N transformation in soil, biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) and its genetics, plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs), PGPRs and their role in sustainable agriculture, organic agriculture, etc. The book's main objectives are: (1) to explain in detail the role of C and N cycling in sustaining agricultural productivity and its importance to sustainable soil management; (2) to show readers how to restore soil health with C and N; and (3) to help them understand the matching of C and N cycling rules from a climatic perspective. Given its scope, the book offers a valuable resource for educators, researchers, and policymakers, as well as undergraduate and graduate students of soil science, soil microbiology, agronomy, ecology, and the environmental sciences. Gathering cutting-edge contributions from internationally respected researchers, it offers authoritative content on a broad range of topics, which is supplemented by a wealth of data, tables, figures, and photographs. Moreover, it provides a roadmap for sustainable approaches to food and nutritional security, and to soil sustainability in agricultural systems, based on C and N cycling in soil systems.

Corporate social responsibility now touches upon most aspects of the interaction between business and society. The approaches taken to research in this area are as varied as the topics that are researched; yet this is the first book to address the whole range of methods available. The Handbook identifies the methods available, evaluates their use and discusses the circumstances in which they might be appropriate. The design of a research project is an essential part of undertaking research, as is choosing appropriate methods for investigation and analysis. In addition, business and management research raises theoretical and practical problems that are not encountered in other fields. The chapters address this challenge over distinct parts. Part I on methodology planning is concerned with various aspects of planning the research project, including secondary data and ethics in the research process. Parts II and III outline quantitative and qualitative methods respectively, covering the vast majority of relevant approaches. Part IV provides forward-thinking guidance from experienced academics on the future directions of research in the area. Aimed specifically at researchers, this comprehensive and in-depth Handbook provides and essential resource for anyone working at the forefront of CSR research. Contributors include: K. Abadi, G.K. Amoako, A. Behl, S. Bhattacharya, C. Boachie, N. Capaldi, J.G. Clavel, J. Claydon, D. Crowther, F. de Paiva Duarte, M. Green, J. Gunawan, M.A. Islam, R. Kalinauskaite, H.Z. Khan, Md.R. Khan, L.M. Lauesen, S. Moggi, E. Ortiz, I. Oruc, D.E.R. Ospina, J.F.M. Ospina, L. Raimi, J.D. Rendtorff, F. Robertson, M. Samy, S. Seifi, H. Semeen, M. Sethi, H.J. Shaw, J.J.A. Shaw, L. Tauginiene, D. Turker, V.G. Venkatesh, K. Yekini, V. Zydziunaite

This book presents modern Bayesian analysis in a format that is accessible to researchers in the fields of ecology, wildlife biology, and natural resource management. Bayesian analysis has undergone a remarkable transformation since the early 1990s. Widespread adoption of Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques has made the Bayesian paradigm the viable alternative to classical statistical procedures for scientific inference. The Bayesian approach has a number of desirable qualities, three chief ones being: i) the mathematical procedure is always the same, allowing the analyst to concentrate on the scientific aspects of the problem; ii) historical information is readily used, when appropriate; and iii) hierarchical models are readily accommodated. This monograph contains numerous worked examples and the requisite computer programs. The latter are easily modified to meet new situations. A primer on probability distributions is also included because these form the basis of Bayesian inference. Researchers and graduate students in Ecology and Natural Resource Management will find this book a valuable reference.

With one volume each year, this series keeps scientists and advanced students informed of the latest developments and results in all areas of the plant sciences. The present volume includes reviews on plant physiology, biochemistry, ecology, and ecosystems.

Periphyton: Functions and Application in Environmental Remediation presents a systematic overview of a wide variety of periphyton functions and applications in environmental remediation, providing readers with an understanding of the biological/ecological features of periphyton, the methodology of their study, and their application in environmental conservation. With increases in environmental stress, anthropogenic impacts, and the global decline in biodiversity, there is a pressing need for methods to assess and improve environmental quality that are rapid, reliable, and cost-effective. Periphyton is an important component of benthic communities and plays a crucial role in the functioning of microbial food webs. Because of a number of advantages, such as a short lifecycle, relative immobility, more rapid responses to environmental stress and anthropogenic impact than any metazoa, ease of sampling, availability of taxonomic/molecular identification, and standardized methodologies for temporal/spatial comparisons, there has, in recent decades, been an increased interest in periphyton as a tool in biological conservation in aquatic ecosystems.

This book contains the proceedings of the 3rd IUPAC International Conference on Biodiversity (ICOB-3), November 3-8, 2001, Antalya, Turkey. This book discusses the value of bioresources and the need for their conservation in terms of the biomolecular chemistry of naturally occurring molecular systems. The development of pharmaceutical, agricultural and industrial products from bioresources can be used to promote incentives for conservation by providing an economic return to sustainable use of those sources. The 54 chapters inform readers on the search for insight into the species and documents how much of life remains to be scientifically identified. They also explore identification strategies and methods along with the implications for protecting biodiversity. In summary, biomolecular aspects of biodiversity and innovative utilization of bioresources are discussed from very diverse points of view ranging from their botanical, zoological, taxonomic and genomic expressions to their biomolecular, structural, mechanistic and functional aspects.

This book explores the political aspects of China's climate change policy, focusing on the newly established carbon markets and carbon trading schemes. Lo makes a case for understanding the policy change in terms of discourse and in relation to narratives of national power and development.

This edited volume brings together contributions from experts on a range of food security issues, and examines them through a number of case studies. A Millennium Development goal and important policy concern, food security is experiencing renewed interest due to globalisation, which has led to population affluence, changing consumption, and production and trade patterns. The authors discuss how globalisation brings a new dimension to the discussion on public policy on food security, and consider the extent to which Global Value Chains (GVCs) dominate trade, investment and international agricultural markets. Food Security and Sustainability therefore sheds new light on the nexus of food security and globalization, as well as its implications for investment and financing in the agro-food sector. The volume draws on papers presented at the inaugural Workshop of the Mediterranean Center for Food Security and Sustainable Growth (MED-SEC), an international network of academics focusing on issues of development, sustainability and food security.

This comprehensive handbook provides a unique overview of the theory, methodologies and best practices in climate change communication from around the world. It fosters the exchange of information, ideas and experience gained in the execution of successful projects and initiatives, and discusses novel methodological approaches aimed at promoting a better understanding of climate change adaptation. Addressing a gap in the literature on climate change communication and pursuing an integrated approach, the handbook documents and disseminates the wealth of experience currently available in this field. Volume 3 of the handbook provides case studies from around the world, documenting and disseminating the wealth of experiences available.

This open access book contains 13 contributions on global animal law, preceded by an introduction which explains key concepts and methods. Global Animal Law refers to the sum of legal rules and principles (both state-made and non-state-made) governing the interaction between humans and other animals, on a domestic, local, regional, and international level. Global animal law is the response to the mismatch between almost exclusively national animal-related legislation on the one hand, and the global dimension of the animal issue on the other hand. The chapters lay some historical foundations in the ius naturae et gentium, examine various aspects of how national and international law traditionally deals with animals as commodity; and finally suggest new legal concepts and protective strategies. The book shows numerous entry points for animal issues in international law and at the same time shifts the focus and scope of inquiry.

We humans value a great variety of plant and animal species for their usefulness to us. But what is the value-if any-of a species that offers no practical use? In the face of accelerating extinctions across the globe, what ought we to do? Amid this sea of losses, what is our responsibility? How do we assess the value of nonhuman species? In this clear-spoken, passionate book, naturalist and philosopher Edward L. McCord explores urgent questions about the destruction of species and provides a new framework for appreciating and defending every form of life. The book draws insights from philosophy, ethics, law, and biology to arrive at a new way of thinking about the value of each species on earth. With meticulous reasoning, McCord demonstrates that the inherent value of species to humanity is intellectual: individual species are phenomena of such intellectual moment-so interesting in their own right-that they rise above other values and merit enduring human embrace. The author discusses the threats other species confront and delineates the challenges involved in creating any kind of public instrument to protect species. No other scholar has advocated on behalf of biodiversity with such eloquence and passion, and none provides greater inspiration to defend nonhuman forms of life.

Critically synthesising a range of disparate literatures and debates, this book asks what is at stake in mounting a decisive response to the 'socio-ecological crisis' - a crisis of humanity's relationship with the rest of nature that places social life as we know it in jeopardy. Martin Craig proposes that political economists within and beyond the field of political ecology make an indispensable contribution to the diagnosis of this crisis and the formulation of prescriptions for its resolution. In a wide-ranging yet concise exposition, he assess the fraught relationship between capitalist societies and the biosphere of which they are a part, and urges a renewed emphasis on political-economic structure and strategy when considering responses to the crisis. The result is a proposal for a critical yet inclusive research enterprise - 'ecological political economy' - within which a wide variety of researchers can readily participate.

This book, which is the first to be published in the emerging field of farm-level microsimulation, highlights the different methodological components of microsimulation modelling: hypothetical, static, dynamic, behavioural, spatial and macro-micro. The author applies various microsimulation-based methodological tools to farms in a consistent manner and, supported by a set of Stata codes, undertakes analysis of a wide range of farming systems from OECD countries. To these case studies, O'Donoghue incorporates farming policies such as CAP income support payments, agri-environmental schemes, forestry planting incentives and biomass incentives - in doing so, he illuminates the merits of microsimulation in this environment.

Meso and Microplastic Risk Assessment in Marine Environment: New Threat and Challenges in Marine Environment presents an interdisciplinary approach, offering key techniques and management of microplastic contamination in the disciplines of environmental science, fisheries, oceanography, geology, chemistry, biology and ocean science. Sections cover an overview of microplastic in the marine environment, deal with the origin, occurrences, distribution and various methodologies (for dealing with microplastics) available for microplastics, address the global case study of microplastic separation using recent techniques, and discuss the impact of microplastics on human health and the surrounding environment. This book is an important step in the field of microplastic pollution mitigation in environmental science as it offers a thorough accounting of the effects of pollutants on the environment, marine organisms, and the public health implications, as such it is relevant for aquatic ecologists, oceanographers, toxicologists, and marine biologists.

The threat of climate displacement looms large over a growing number of countries. Based on the more than six years of work by Displacement Solutions in ten climate-affected countries, academic work on displacement and climate adaptation, and the country-level efforts of civil society groups in several frontline countries, this report explores the key contention that land will be at the core of any major strategy aimed at preventing and resolving climate displacement. This innovative and timely volume coordinated and edited by the Founder of Displacement Solutions, Scott Leckie, examines a range of legal, policy and practical issues relating to the role of land in actively addressing the displacement consequences of climate change. It reveals the inevitable truth that climate displacement is already underway and being tackled in countries such as Bangladesh, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and the United States, and proposes a series of possible land solution tools that can be employed to protect the rights of people and communities everywhere should they be forced to flee the places they call home.

This book presents a vibrant study of the rise, decline, and transformation of environmental thinking. The author's analysis moves from the proclaimed death of environmentalism toward the emerging theory and practices of postenvironmentalism in its manifold interpretations. Building upon current transformation of the relationship between science, technology, society and the environment, the book combines a theory-informed presentation of worldwide cases and crucial events in the history of environmentalism with a journey into scholarly explorations in order to answer the crucial question: where is environmental thinking heading?

Addressing the area of shared leadership, also known as collective or distributed leadership, this edited book embraces the underlying idea that leadership is a dynamic process that intersects closely with followership. While some authors present rigorously researched qualitative and quantitative case studies that investigate the dynamics of followership in distributive leadership in terms of collective decision-making, leadership identity, roles and demographic composition of groups in a variety of settings, other authors take a critical look at distributed leadership models by viewing them through the lens of nature and ecosystems as well as human development processes. The chapters aim to inspire readers to challenge the current definition of leadership and explore more inclusive and holistic paradigms. Distributed Leadership provides a comprehensive and constructive contribution to the field of leadership and will be an essential read for academics and scholar-practitioners interested in business management.

There is no question that Africa is endowed with abundant natural resources of different magnitudes. However, more than a decade of high commodity prices and new hydrocarbon discoveries across the continent has led countless international organizations, donor agencies, and non-governmental organizations to devote considerable attention to the potential of natural resource-based development. Natural Resource-Based Development in Africa places a particular emphasis on the actors that help us understand the extent to which resources could be transformed into broader developmental outcomes. Based on a wide variety of primary sources and fieldwork, including in-person interviews and participant observations, this collection contributes to both scholarly and policy discussions around the governance and economic development roles of local entrepreneurs, transnational firms, civil society groups, local communities, and government agencies in Africa's natural resource sectors. Natural Resource-Based Development in Africa explores the impact that these actors have on regional trends such as resource nationalism and local procurement policies as well as grassroots-related issues such as poverty, livelihoods, gender equity, development, and human security.

John Muir (1838- 1914) was a Scottish-born American naturalist, author, and the modern day "patron saint of ecology." His writings on his adventures in the various wildernesses of America have been enjoyed by millions. His ecological activism helped to preserve many of the national parks, enabling others to enjoy nature. He founded the Sierra Club, which is one of the most important conservation organizations in the United States. Although his upbringing put him off religion for life he was an immensely spiritual man, and this quality and enthusiasm pervades all his writings, inspiring his readers, including politicians to preserve the natural landscapes. For this reason he is known as the "Father of the National Parks." Author William Anderson, said that Muir exemplified "the archetype of our oneness with the earth," and biographer Donald Worster said he believed his mission was ..".saving the American soul from total surrender to materialism." The Mountains of California (1894) draws on his many, decades of exploration, describing with poetic beauty and awe the lakes, mountains, plants and animals. Stickeen (1909) is Muir's most popular book, describing his adventures in Alaska with a dog. My First Summer in the Sierra (1911) is Muir's description of his spiritual awakening when he first encountered the mountains and valleys of central California. The Story of My Boyhood and Youth (1913) is Muir's autobiography, detailing his strict upbringing in Scotland, his emigration with his family to America, aged eleven, and of his first delight with the natural world. Travels in Alaska (1915), In the late 1800s, Muir made several trips to the pristine, unspoilt territory of Alaska, drawn to its beauty and purity, its glaciers and its wild animals - bears, bald eagles, wolves, and whales. The Cruise of the Corwin (1917), In 1881, the steamship Thomas Corwin voyaged into the treacherous Arctic seas to search for the lost ship Jeannette, which had been lost. The ship was not found, but Muir's account of this expedition is poetic and magical, describing the glaciers, vegetation and seas of this mysterious land. Steep Trails(1919), This book was derived from letters, articles and local publications written by John Muir, arranged in roughly chronological sequence. The chapters describing Nevada, San Gabriel and Utah were written in the field, and have great immediacy, describing Muir's first impressions. The Yosemite(1920), In this book Muir recounts his adventures during the years he lived in the Yosemite Valley's spectacular scenery. Muir captures the breath-taking beauty of the area alongside his most ambitious adventures; looking over the brink of Yosemite Falls, climbing a hundred feet up into a high, hollow ice-cone, and climbing to the top of Half Dome, covered with a fresh blanket of snow.

This book gives insights into sustainable development and how MNEs and other enterprises are responding to this in their business models. It places special emphasis on the Indian story and, at the same time, tries to explore alternative business models from other parts of the world (such as Africa) that can ensure sustainable development globally. Taking a balanced and multidimensional approach, this book discusses a wide range of literature, opinions, empirical models and case studies, dealing with complex dimensions of the thematic issues.' - Paul Shrivastava, Executive Director of Future EarthEconomic development that meets the needs of the global population without jeopardizing the capacity of future generations is a worldwide challenge for Multinational Enterprises (MNEs). They are expected to balance their role as global economic actors and environmental stewards in the environment in which they operate. Contributors from India, Europe and the United States offer new perspectives, contrasting US, European and emerging economies' approaches to sustainability and how they can generate roadmaps which yield innovative solutions for one of the most contentious issues of our era. Their review suggests that the differential performance across developed and emerging economies has exposed potential weaknesses. Emerging Dynamics of Sustainability in Multinational Enterprises promotes greater emphasis on experimenting with unique local and sustainable approaches to solving problems faced by firms in, or from, emerging economies. This is a critical resource for researchers, practitioners and policy-makers concerned with sustainable development issues, and a fresh reference for graduate-level students and academics focusing on corporate governance, sustainable development and ethics as well as multinational enterprise management. Contributors: M. Bansal , N. Bhasin, J. Effiong, C. Gendron, B. Girard, P. Goel, D. Griffith, R. Guimaraes, T. Houe, S. Ivanaj, S.K. Jain, V. Jain, R.N. Kar, A. Kaur, Y. Kebede, J.R. McIntyre, Minakshi, K.V. Bhanu Murthy, G.A. Raikar, K.N. Schmidt, K. Sharma, K. Sorsa, G. Suder, A.K. Swain, S. Varma, N.H. Vaz

This book examines selected actions and investments of the European Central Bank (ECB) from a climate and sustainability standpoint. Shedding new light on the topic from various angles - ethical, philosophical, political, economical and legal - it situates sustainability mainstreaming in the finance and investment field at all levels. The former ECB President Mario Draghi once said that he considered sustainable development and an intact environment to be human rights, and therefore enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The acting ECB President Christine Lagarde added that the future path for the climate is uncertain, but it would remain within our power to influence it. However, with all that in mind the ECB's policy of buying assets as securities is often questionable. This volume analyzes these actions in connection with sustainability, and puts forward practical recommendations for improving the ECB's investment strategy on its way creating a sustainable financial market.

Concerns surrounding environmental sustainability have led to an increase of interest in environmentally-friendly systems. In the ICT realm, attention has been largely paid to green aspects of hardware; however, it is equally necessary to address this issue from the software perspective. Green Services Engineering, Optimization, and Modeling in the Technological Age is a valuable reference source of the latest scholarly research on the implementation of green processes into software systems, contributing novel principles, methodologies, and tools to improve software development. Featuring comprehensive and timely coverage on various areas in service strategy and modeling, engineering, and sustainability, this publication is a pivotal reference source for researchers, practitioners, advanced-level students, and end users in the software development realm.