This open access book presents a nuanced and accessible synthesis of the relationship between land tenure security and sustainable development. Contributing authors have collectively worked for decades on land tenure as connected with conservation and development across all major regions of the globe. The first section of this volume is intended as a standalone primer on land tenure security and its connections with sustainable development. The book then explores key thematic challenges that interact directly with land tenure security, followed by a section on strategies for addressing tenure insecurity. The book concludes with a section on new frontiers in research, policy, and action. An invaluable reference for researchers in the field and for practitioners looking for a comprehensive overview of this important topic. This is an open access book.

This unique book explores a wide range of environmental issues centered on the Middle-East and North Africa region, where environmental degradation and impacts of climate change are known to be more critical than in others parts of the world. Extensive country analyses are supported by references to the economic literature on regulation and incentives, and encompass recent trends in environmental management modes and policy orientations. The topical chapters include a critical review of environmental policies with a focus on economic incentives on various environmental issues including irrigation water, air pollution, solid waste management and the impact of climate change and fisheries. The book combines econometric applications, theoretical models of regulation, and policy-oriented economic analyses with fundamental recommendations for policymakers. Economic Incentives and Environmental Regulation will attract a wide spectrum of audiences including academics, researchers, practitioners, students, and policymakers. Contributors: H. Abou-Ali, M.H. Babiker, A.R. Darwish, E. Deutsch, C. Dridi, M.A. Fehaid, V.I. Grover, L. Huang, M. Jeuland, N. Khraief, A.A. Kubursi, B. Larsen, D. Maradan, U.R. Sumaila, A. Thomas, K. Zein

Plastic bottles, cardboard boxes, aluminium cans... we all get through a lot of rubbish, but do you really know what happens after you put it in the bin? Are you even sure which bin it goes in? Recycling has never been more important - but it has also never been more complicated. Where do you put bottle lids? Why can't black plastic be recycled? What do you do with labels? The Rubbish Book answers all these questions and many more, providing you with all the information you need to become a true recycling expert, so you can help protect the planet with confidence. Written by an award-winning sustainability expert, it includes an A-Z of household items and whether they can be recycled; an in-depth look at the collection and sorting processes; a break-down of what the recycling symbols on our packaging actually mean; and an insight into the future of recycling and the new materials that will change the way we look at rubbish for ever.

This pathbreaking book contributes to the discourse of evidence-based policy-making. It does so by combining the two issues of policy evaluation and sustainable development linking both to the policy-cycle. It covers contributions: - examining the perception of sustainability problems, which analyze the relationship between sustainability and assessment; - highlighting the role of evaluation and impact assessment studies during policy formulation; - looking at policy implementation by examining sustainability and impact assessment systems in different application areas; - addressing policy reformulation by considering monitoring and quality improvement schemes; - assessing the quality of sustainability evaluation studies. Providing theoretic insights, reflections and case studies, this novel study will prove essential to postgraduate students, practitioners, policy makers and researchers in the area of sustainable development, policy making and evaluation. Contributors: J. Bakkes, S. Boschen, K. Diehl, F.J. Dietz, I. de la Flor, C. George, A.H. Hanemaaijer, K. Helming, A. Hirschbeck, B. Hirschl, T. Kaphengst, C. Kirkpatrick, D. Knoblauch, J. Koniecki, M. Lehtonen, A. Martinuzzi, A.C.M. Meuwese, W. Meyer, A. Neumann, F. Rubik, R. Stecker, C. Stevens, R. Stockmann, K. Umpfenbach, A. von Raggamby, S. White, T. Widmer

Containing a series of specially selected papers, this book deals with advances in disciplines contributing to sustainable development, such as planning, architecture, engineering, policy making, environmental sciences and economics, and identifies solutions to challenges posed by sustainable development. Written by researchers and practitioners from many different countries, the included papers provide a unique reference of experience and potential solutions to common problems via the application of planning and development strategies, assessment tools and decision making processes.

The world is entering the Third Industrial Revolution, an era of remarkable progress in science and technology that will require a global shift away from reliance on fossil-fuel and carbon-based energy. This book explains how America can lead the effort to reverse global warming and become the world leader in global energy innovation. America is trailing other parts of the developed world in terms of its development of-and commitment to-renewable energy. In Europe and Asia, sustainable communities, smart green grids, and emerging environmentally sound technologies are becoming common. The United States must move beyond the lethargy and defeatism of the 9/11 era, rediscover its ability to lead in technological inventiveness, and revitalize its economy via the creation of green jobs and sustainable, carbon-neutral communities. Because the lives of America's children and grandchildren are at stake, America must act quickly. Global Energy Innovation: Why America Must Lead explains why the emerging Third Industrial Revolution will become the largest social and economic megatrend of the post-modern era. With its comprehensive, up-to-date examination of renewable energy systems and related green technologies, this book represents a call-to-action that will benefit any reader, regardless of their status as a lay person, scholar, or scientist. Describes numerous examples of Europe and Asia's emerging activities in the Third Industrial Revolution, as well as the EU and Asia's historical and current activities in climate change mitigation, renewable energy technologies, and economic models to promote the green revolution Covers new technologies across the globe, ranging from single-hut solar energy generation for African villages to industrial-scale wind farms in Mongolia Includes materials from the United Nations and information from scientific studies on climate change, global population growth, and environmental degradation Offers directions for the creation of successful public policies and sustainability strategies on a community level, from colleges and universities to towns and cities Details the benefits that the United States could enjoy in this new era of energy innovation

Developing countries need access to the technological advancements of the modern world in order to apply these advancements to their small-scale operations. Applying newly discovered information concerning efficient energy to remote corners of the world will ensure small-scale businesses can conduct successful production and sale of agricultural products. Advanced Agro-Engineering Technologies for Rural Business Development is an essential reference source that examines technological methods and technical means that ensure the organization of production of various products and adapts them for application in small-scale production. Additionally, it seeks to organize an efficient production process in the face of energy resource scarcity and emphasizes the need to rationally use them. This book is ideally designed for students, managers, experts, and small businesses.

The book addresses the gap that exists in sustainable value chain development in the context of developing and emerging economies in meeting the sustainable development goals. The book adopts a holistic approach and discusses significant aspects of the topic such as challenges, opportunities, best practices, technology and innovation, business models, and policy formulation. The chapters focus on all the existing and potential actors in the value chain. Comprising invited chapters from leading researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and academicians working on this topic, this edited book is useful for scientists, researchers, students, research scholars, and practitioners as it builds the latest interdisciplinary knowledge in the area. An important aspect of the book is the case studies of already ongoing projects from various emerging economies around the world. Contributions are divided into four sections-sustainable food systems and circular economy: tackling resource use, efficiency, food loss, and waste problems; technology and innovation for food value chain development; toward responsible food consumption; linking small farmers to markets: markets, institutions, and trade. Significantly, the book is organized in the context of Sustainable Development Goals and has direct relevance and linkages with SDG 1 (poverty alleviation), SDG 2 (zero hunger), SDG 3 (good health and well-being), SDG 4 (quality education), SDG 5 (gender equality), SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production), SDG 13 (climate action), and SDG 17 (partnerships).

Global Sustainability and Innovation offers an in-depth look into the theory and practice of sustainability. This text seeks to provide students with a straightforward and accessible guide to understanding this rapidly emerging and widely misunderstood field. A diverse range of essential topics in sustainability are examined, including energy, environmental conservation, and the green revolution. New topics explored in this edition include climate change, recycling, and the effect of renewable energy sources on the environment. The anthology offers an innovative approach to studying sustainability. By exploring the roles of reuse, recycling, and remanufacturing in business decisions, it illustrates the techniques necessary to establish sustainable business practices. The text features several real-world case studies from leading experts that give readers a glimpse into how sustainability is currently being implemented in product and process design decisions at several major organizations. The third edition features increased focus on hydrogen power (including hydrogen-based transportation systems), sustainable operations and closed loop supply chains, and fuel cells. Five new readings in support of these topical areas have been added to the text. Global Sustainability and Innovation ties together diverse elements to impart a holistic overview of the sustainability spectrum. It is ideal for courses in sustainability and courses focused on the environment and renewable energy.

The book seeks to comprehend how indigenous knowledge systems of local communities can be effectively used in disaster management of various types. A prime example is the 2015 Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, promoting indigenous environmental management knowledge and practices. Traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples includes information and insight that supplement conventional science and environmental observations, a comprehensive understanding of the environment, natural resources, culture, and human interactions with them which is not documented before. A great deal of this knowledge have been lost in translation. In this book, the authors attempt to keep a record of each and every traditional knowledge study of the indigenous communities in managing the disasters. The use of indigenous knowledge systems in disaster understanding and management is the primary focus of the chapters.   This book is organized into four major sections. The first part gives an overview and help in conceptualizing the different concepts of hazard and disaster perception and how response and adaptation are connected with it. This part also discusses the concept of the connection between hazard and sustainable development and how the understanding of risk reduction and resilience can happen with the help of indigenous knowledge, insights, and strategies. The second part of the book introduces the different approaches to disaster and risk management. It establishes how vulnerability influences the risk associated with a hazard and the responses can be both positive and negative in disaster management. The approaches of the indigenous communities in managing a disaster, their resilience, capacity building, and community-based preparedness will be the area of prime focus in this chapter. Part 3 of this book describes the concept of sustainability through indigenous knowledge and practice. The sole highlight of this chapter is the indigenous knowledge efficacies in disaster identification, risk reduction, climate risk management, and climate action. The last section of the book explores how to meet the gaps between local knowledge and policy formulation. It highlights how traditional knowledge of the indigenous communities can prove to be beneficial in developing a holistic regional-based policy framework which will be easily accepted by the target stakeholders since they will be more acquainted with the local strategies and methods. This section ends with an assessment and discussion of the gaps and future scopes in disaster risk reduction through integrating local knowledge and modern technologies.

Professor William Nordhaus was honored with a Nobel Prize in Economics for his lifetime contributions to research and policy on climate change and macroeconomics. This book contains a collection of essays written by eleven leading climate change economists describing precisely how Professor Nordhaus changed climate change economics. The essays highlight the major contributions that Professor Nordhaus has made to understanding climate change. The book also discusses the important contributions Professor Nordhaus has made to develop effective policies to manage greenhouse gases both now and far into the future. Several authors also thank Professor Nordhaus for the influence he has had on the trajectory of their own careers. Finally, the essays press forward and discuss how the entire field continues to work on perfecting both climate change economics and policy.

In recent decades, the industrial revolution has increased economic growth despite its immersion in global environmental issues such as climate change. Researchers emphasize the adoption of circular economy practices in global supply chains and businesses for better socio-environmental sustainability without compromising economic growth. Integrating blockchain technology into business practices could promote the circular economy as well as global environmental sustainability. Integrating Blockchain Technology Into the Circular Economy discusses the technological advancements in circular economy practices, which provide better results for both economic growth and environmental sustainability. It provides relevant theoretical frameworks and the latest empirical research findings in the applications of blockchain technology. Covering topics such as big data analytics, financial market infrastructure, and sustainable performance, this book is an essential resource for managers, operations managers, executives, manufacturers, environmentalists, researchers, industry practitioners, students and educators of higher education, and academicians.

This collection features four peer-reviewed literature reviews on soil health indicators. The first chapter describes indicators and frameworks for soil health currently in use. It evaluates the principles underpinning current approaches to monitoring soil quality/health and shows these principles have been applied in the development of a practical soil health toolkit for use by UK farmers. The second chapter reviews the range of physical, chemical and biological indicators of soil health and how they can be used in practice. It focusses on measuring soil health in organic vegetable cultivation and, in particular, ways of measuring the effects of adding organic amendments to improve soil health. The third chapter discusses key issues in soil organic carbon (SOM) modelling and the development of increasingly sophisticated, dynamic SOM models. It looks at the role of SOM models in improving soil health monitoring and developing decision support tools for farmers The final chapter reviews current challenges in collecting more systematic and reliable data on earthworm communities, including issues in identifying different earthworm groups. It includes a case study on developing a robust method for accurate measurement of earthworm communities in soil in assessing and improving soil health.

This book is devoted to investigating the policy design and effectiveness of financial and market-based instruments to promote energy efficiency financing. The concept of this monograph is to present the latest results related to energy efficiency funding schemes, energy efficiency obligations, voluntary agreements, auction mechanisms, and Super Energy Services Companies (Super ESCOs) in major jurisdictions across the world. The book focuses on financial and market-based instruments as they deliver a price signal, which provides an incentive for firms to invest in innovation or implement more energy-efficient technologies and deliver energy savings while minimizing costs. Such instruments can have significant advantages for the government, supporting the fiscal sustainability of the government's energy efficiency efforts, requiring less enforcement than regulation and according the market flexibility to select the most cost-efficient technologies. This book is highly recommended to researchers, policy experts, and business specialists who seek an in-depth and up-to-date integrated overview of energy efficiency financing.

This book focuses mainly on strategic decision making at a global level, which is rarely considered in approaches to sustainability. This book makes a unique contribution as the work looks at global consequences of mineral exhaustion and steps that can be taken to alleviate the impending problems. This book highlights how sustainability has become one of the most important issues for businesses, governments and society at large. This book explores the topic of sustainability as one that is under much debate as to what it actually is and how it can be achieved, but it is completely evident that the resources of the planet are fixed in quantity, and once used, cannot be reused except through being reused in one form or another. This is particularly true of the mineral resources of the planet. These are finite in quantity, and once fully extracted, extra quantities are no longer available for future use. This book argues and presents evidence that the remaining mineral resources are diminishing significantly and heading towards exhaustion. Once mined and consumed, they are no longer available for future use other than what can be recycled and reused. This book demonstrates that future scarcity means that best use must be made of what exists, as sustainability depends upon this, and best use is defined as utility rather than economic value, which must be considered at a global level rather than a national level. Moreover, sustainability depends upon both availability in the present and in the future, so the use of resources requires attention to the future as well as to the present. This book investigates the alternative methods of achieving the global distribution of these mineral resources and proposes an optimum solution. This book adds to the discourse through the understanding of the importance of the depletion and finiteness of raw materials and their use for the present and the future, in order to achieve and maintain sustainability.

This book highlights the notion of Circular Economy under the umbrella of Sustainability because of the widespread momentum it is gaining. Today the whole world is certainly in emergent need of an alternative system to traditional economy which is linear, i.e. make, use and dispose to get rid-off the waste and very important to ensure continuous use of resources, which is possible by the advent of circular economy. A circular economy aims to utilize the resources in use for as long as possible, extract the maximum value from them during use, then recover and regenerate products and materials at the end of each service life vis-a-vis traditional linear model. This book discusses circular economy in terms of assessment with various case studies.

Selected paper presented at the 1st International Conference on Urban Agriculture and City Sustainability are contained in this book. The research reviews ways in which urban agriculture can contribute to achieve sustainable cities and considers ways of reducing the impact in terms of use of natural resources, waste production and climate change. The increasing number of people in cities requires new strategies to supply the necessary food with limited provision of land and decreasing resources. This will become more challenging unless innovative solutions for growing and distributing food in urban environments are considered. The scale of modern food production has created and exacerbated many vulnerabilities and the feeding of cities is now infinitely more complex. As such the food system cannot be considered secure, ethical or sustainable. In the last few years there has been a rapid expansion in initiatives and projects exploring innovative methods and processes for sustainable food production. The majority of these projects are focused on providing alternative models that shift the power back from the global food system to communities and farmers improving social cohesion, health and wellbeing. It is therefore not surprising that more people are looking towards urban farming initiatives as a potential solution. These initiatives have demonstrated that urban agriculture has the potential to transform our living environment towards ecologically sustainable and healthy cities. Urban agriculture can also contribute to energy, natural resources, land and water savings, ecological diversity and urban management cost reductions. The impact urban agriculture can have on the shape and form of our cities has never been fully addressed. The studies included in this volume look at how cities embed these new approaches and initiatives, as part of new urban developments and show that a city regeneration strategy is critical.