The European Union's renewable energy policy is one of the most ambitious attempts to facilitate a transition towards more sustainable energy systems. This book provides a comprehensive guide to the policy and its implementation. It contains key case studies for understanding how member states have shaped the policy, how the EU has affected the policies of its member states and how renewable energy policies have diffused horizontally. An analysis of its external dimension is also included. This remarkable guide is the first comprehensive attempt to shed light on the complex dynamics of renewable energy promotion in the European multilevel system. Theoretically driven, the study employs Europeanization as an analytical framework for assessing policy change, both at the EU level and in the member states, and compares the development of renewable energy policies in the electricity and transport sectors from the 1980s to the present. Comprising contributions from leading scholars, the book is an indispensible guide for academics, researchers and students interested in EU energy and climate policies in general and EU renewable energy policy specifically, as well as practitioners and stakeholders involved in renewable energy policy and climate protection. Contributors include: A. Ancygier, M. Bechberger, P. Bocquillon, S. Davidescu, L. Di Lucia, M.R. Di Nucci, H. Dyrhauge, G. Escribano, A. Evrard, J. Fairbrass, R. Fernandez, B. Hirschl, R. Hiteva, T. Hoppe, K. Jankowska, H. Joergens, T. Maltby, D. Ohlhorst, E. OEller, D. Russolillo, I. Solorio, E. van Bueren, T. Vogelpohl

Smart Technologies for Sustainable Smallholder Agriculture: Upscaling in Developing Countries defines integrated climate smart agricultural technologies (ICSAT) as a suite of interconnected techniques and practices that enhance quantity and quality of agricultural products with minimum impact on the environment. These ICSAT are centered on three main pillars, increased production and income, adaptation and resilience to climate change, and minimizing GHG emissions. This book brings together technologies contributing to the three pillars, explains the context in which they can be scaled up, and identifies research and development gaps as areas requiring further investigation. It stresses the urgency in critically analyzing and recommending ICSAT and scaling out the efforts of both developing and disseminating these in an integrated manner. The book discusses, synthesizes, and offers alternative solutions to agriculture production systems and socio-economic development. It brings together biophysical and socioeconomic disciplines in evaluating suitable ICSAT in an effort to help reduce poverty and food insecurity.

The current political economic system is misaligned for meeting the global imperatives of rapidly reducing greenhouse gases and sharing wealth more equitably. This book makes the case for a new environmentalism that implements a systems change approach to reorient the economy to be more sustainable, just, and democratic. This book addresses the laws and policies needed to support the emergence of a new economy across a variety of major areas - including energy, food, common pool resources, and the shifting of investments to capitalize locally-connected and mission-driven businesses. The contributors take the approach that these challenges are much broader than setting parameters around pollution, and indeed go to the heart of the dominant global political economy. The authors also explore the values needed to transform our current economic system into a new economy supportive of ecological integrity, social justice, and vibrant democracy. Law and Policy for a New Economy: Sustainable, Just, and Democratic will be of interest to academics and scholars of environmental law, climate change, environmental studies, political ecology and environmental economics. Contributors include: S.H. Baker, D. Bollier, M. James, K.B. Jones, C.I. Magallanes, J. Orsi, J. Purdy, L. Ristino, M.K. Scanlan, L. Sheehan, J.G. Speth, J. Taub, D.R.H. Winters, M.C. Wood

Current social, economic, and environmental challenges presented by the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals may be partially attained by digitalization and sustainable practices diffusion. The antecedents, occurrences, and consequences of this process are currently under investigation, but the big challenge is to get a systemic view. This book attempts to bring such a view into focus. Digital and Sustainable Transformations in a Post-COVID World is dedicated to studying the consequences of the global crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the new needs and practices inherent in developing and disseminating digital and clean technologies.

Living off the Country changes the risk of moving around in the outdoors into trouble-free times...offering take-along tips for finding free appetite fillers, thirst quenchers, weapons and warmth in all kinds of situations. In a clear and understandable way, brad Angier provides a harvest of handy, helpful hints about the necessities of life...where to look for the natural-growing supply of edible, unusual, taste-tickling plants, bushes, and fruit; make-shift but sure-fire ways to catch fish; easy ways to utensil-less cooking; building and using first to the best advantages; constructing off-beat shelters handily; best ways to conserve and use available clothing; what to do about finding your way; backwoods medicine for emergencies...and much more to satisfy man's need to stay alive in the woods. For any kind of timber trek, pack Living Off the Country with other survival gear. Nature Magazine advises "if you're planning any wilderness adventure, you would do well to get acquainted with the valuable information in this book."

This book examines how Africa can secure a 'just transition' to low-carbon, climate-resilient economies.

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

This book provides a holistic overview of the history of sustainable development in Denmark over the last fifty years, covering a host of issues central to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): ending poverty; ensuring inclusive and equitable education; reducing inequality; making cities and settlements inclusive, safe and resilient; and fostering responsible production and consumption patterns, to name a few. It argues for a new framework of sustainability history, one that is truly global in outlook. As such, it explores what truly global sustainable development would look like. It considers how economic growth has been the driver for prosperity in the global north, and considers whether sustainable development and continued economic growth are irreconcilable, and what the future of sustainable development initiatives in Denmark might look like.

A major theme of this book is that, contrary to what many experts believe, being endowed with a plenitude of natural resources is not a curse: rather it provides a potential advantage, if capitalized by the well-endowed economy. Much depends on the institutions that help frame the decision-making process that affects the process of growth and development. Canada is an example of a successful export-oriented economy. And, its export-orientation has been a focal point of discussion and debate, going way back to discussions of the early fur trade, the fishing industry, wheat farming, and mining and oil and gas exploration. Unlike other economies well-endowed with natural resources, Canada does not appear to be at all cursed, but rather blessed with natural resource abundance. This book, which ranges from the late seventeenth to the early twentieth century, provides insights from Canadian economic history on how such abundance can be a handmaiden of successful growth and development. From this perspective, the natural resource curse appears to be more of a 'man-made' phenomenon than anything else. This book also investigates aspects of gender inequality in Canada as well as the evolution of hours worked as it intersects with worker preferences and 'market forces'. The narratives in this book are contextualised by the construction of new or significantly revised data sets, which speaks to the importance of data construction to robust economic analysis and economic history.

Redefining Diversity and Dynamics of Natural Resources Management in Southeast Asia, Volumes 1-4 brings together scientific research and policy issues across various topographical areas in Asia to provide a comprehensive overview of the issues facing the region. Upland Natural Resources and Social Ecological Systems in Northern Vietnam, Volume 2, provides chapters on natural resource management in northern Vietnam tied together by the concept that participatory local involvement is needed in all aspects of natural resource management. The volume examines planning for climate change, managing forestland, alleviating food shortages, living with biodiversity, and assessing the development projects and policies being implemented. Without the involvement of local communities, households, and ultimately individual people, the needed action will not be effectively taken. Upland Natural Resources and Social Ecological Systems in Northern Vietnam, Volume 2, goes beyond just Northern Vietnam to address the issue of transboundary natural resource management-an issue that Vietnam is dealing with in its relations with northern neighbor, China, and western neighbor, Laos-as well as the transboundary water governance between Pakistan and India in south Asia, with the hope that some of the lessons learned may one day be useful in the case of Vietnam and its neighbors.

Textile products are produced, distributed, sold and used worldwide. A quantitative assessment of sustainability in the textile manufacturing chain is therefore extremely important. The Handbook of sustainable textile production is a compilation of technical, economical, and environmental data from the various processes in this chain. This authoritative reference work provides a detailed study of the sustainable development of textiles. The book opens with an introduction to the topic. Chapters define the principles of sustainability and its use in legislation and industry before going on to investigate the impact of textiles throughout the supply chain, starting with the raw fibre through to fabric production, consumption and disposal. Textile process technology and methods for specifying quality and functions in textile products in order to reduce textile waste and improve sustainability are also examined. A series of Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) carried out in the European textile industry are investigated. These studies comprise a range of processes from cotton growing, spinning and weaving to the recycling of textiles. The book concludes with a discussion on sustainable textiles from a product development and marketing perspective. With an internationally recognised expert author, the Handbook of sustainable textile production is a valuable reference tool for academics and students as well as for companies across the textile supply chain concerned with developing a sustainable environment, from fibre manufactures and designers to regulatory bodies.

Decision Consequence Analysis (DCA) is a framework for improving the quality of decision results. The framework is a systematic, multi-criteria quantification of uncertainties and the opportunities for managing and reducing the potential negative consequences of such uncertainties. DCA is demonstrated throughout Sustainable Land Development and Restoration for each stage of system based management of environmental issues. DCA links disciplines and incorporates components of risk modelling, probability modelling and the psychology of decision making. Its goal is to provide a comprehensive unbiased decision making framework. Its foundation is accurately defining your problem statement and clearly vetting your objectives to build a structure for meaningful analysis of data. Employment of DCA consistently throughout the environmental industry can reduce decibel-driven, agenda-laden decision making, streamline expenditure of resources (financial, human, natural), and provide a clear path to the sustainable maintenance of balanced environmental systems as the penultimate objective. Sustainable Land Development and Restoration provides a toolbox to both the novice and experienced environmental practitioner of valuable techniques for addressing site specific environmental issues, as well as managing a portfolio of liabilities on an international scale. Ultimately, the authors are addressing the critical issue of balancing environmental asset balance sheets, whether on the scale of an individual project, across a company's portfolio, or for a community. The environmental manager who adopts the principles in this book will have greater confidence that environmental protection or restoration activities are providing measurable utility. The goal is that, through multidimensional resource management analysis and practices companies and societies can achieve sustainable maintenance of a balanced environmental system. Descriptions of technical, contracting and implementation processes are supported by detailed case studies to provide real world context rather than an academic exchange of theories.

Chitin and Chitosan: Discoveries and Applications for Sustainability provides the most comprehensive knowledge on these organic biopolymers which come from the cellular makeup of crustaceans, mollusks and arthropods. This book synthesizes historical information, fundamental properties, industrial applications, and recent discoveries and uses. Written by an international expert on chitin and chitosan sources and uses, the book discusses landmark discoveries and early uses in the research and applications of chitin and chitosan. It then explores the international use of chitin and chitosan as organic solutions across various disciplines such as aquaculture, agriculture, food and beverage industries, cosmetics and medicine. Finally, the book assesses their environmental applications for sustainable solutions, such as wastewater treatments and future chitin and chitosan usage as an organic solution for a more sustainable, green, healthy planet.

Biodynamic agriculture first originated in central Europe but is now practised in farms, vineyards and gardens all over the world. At the heart of the biodynamic approach are the eight preparations -- Horn manure, Horn silica, Yarrow, Chamomile, Nettle, Oak bark, Dandelion and Valerian -- which are often produced by local biodynamic practitioners using well-established recipes. But as the biodynamic approach expands beyond its European origins, its methods have been increasingly adapted to meet the needs and challenges -- climates, fauna, seasons and regulations -- of different regions around the globe. This fascinating book presents the results of a unique study, carried out by the Agricultural Section at the Goetheanum, Switzerland, into how the biodynamic preparations are used in fifteen countries worldwide, including Egypt, Brazil, New Zealand, India and across Europe. The detailed case studies explore how the preparations are modified to suit their locations, as well as offering an insight into the work of each practitioner and how their understanding has evolved over the years. Contributors include Ueli Hurter, Dr. R. Ingold, Dr. M. Kolar, J. Schoenfelder, Dr. A. Sedlmayr and A. van Leewen. This book is a valuable reference into the production and application of the preparations around the world and an inspiring endorsement of how biodynamic principles hold true in such varied environments.

`Human rights and environmental sustainability have virtually unassailable legitimacy as objectives in the contemporary world. But do they work with or against each other? In this forensic dissection of the relationship between the two concepts, Kerri Woods raises the analytical bar to new heights. The result is a striking combination of intellectual sophistication and political sensitivity - not to be missed.' - Andrew Dobson, Keele University, UK Human Rights and Environmental Sustainability challenges the assumed harmony between human rights norms and the demands of environmental sustainability, by addressing conceptual, normative, and political questions surrounding the interaction between the two. What is gained and lost by environmental theorists and activists adopting the language and institutions of human rights? Is there coherence or tension between the values of human rights and environmental sustainability? Is the idea of environmental human rights plausible, and defensible? Whereas previous studies have considered the interface between human rights and environmental sustainability on an empirical level, this pioneering book engages the theoretical and philosophical issues at stake. Given the significant environmental challenges we face, and the dominance of human rights as a normative framework, these concerns demand our attention. This timely work will appeal to scholars in the fields of environmental politics, philosophy, human rights theory and global or international ethics, as well as postgraduate students in environmental politics, and philosophy. Postgraduate students in human rights - particularly human rights theory - global or international ethics, and scholars working in environmental law or human rights law will also find this book invaluable.

Life cycle assessment (LCA) of production and processing in the food industry is an important tool for improving sustainability. Environmental assessment and management in the food industry reviews the advantages, challenges and different applications of LCA and related methods for environmental assessment, as well as key aspects of environmental management in this industry sector. Part one discusses the environmental impact of food production and processing, addressing issues such as nutrient management and water efficiency in agriculture. Chapters in Part two cover LCA methodology and challenges, with chapters focusing on different food industry sectors such as crop production, livestock and aquaculture. Part three addresses the applications of LCA and related approaches in the food industry, with chapters covering combining LCA with economic tools, ecodesign of food products and footprinting methods of assessment, among other topics. The final part of the book concentrates on environmental management in the food industry, including contributions on training, eco-labelling and establishing management systems. With its international team of editors and contributors, Environmental assessment and management in the food industry is an essential reference for anyone involved in environmental management in the food industry, and for those with an academic interest in sustainable food production.

The objective of Sustainable Communities Design Handbook is to ensure a better quality of life for everyone, both now and for generations to come. This means creating a better and safer environment internationally through the sustainable use of natural resources, encouraging sustainable development which supports a strong economy, and ensuring a high quality environment that can be enjoyed by all. Sustainable Development Partnerships brings together in one reference today's most cutting edge technologies and methods for creating sustainable communities. With this book, Environmental Engineers, Civil Engineers, Architects, Mechanical Engineers, and Energy Engineers find a common approach to building environmental friendly communities which are energy efficient. The five part treatment starts with a clear and rigorous exposition of sustainable development in practice, followed by self-contained chapters concerning applications.

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 degradation of our life-enhancing planet Earth has resulted in climate change, desertification, wild fires, livestock mortality, microbial ecosystem alteration, floods, extreme weather conditions, economic meltdown, poverty, resource conflicts, disease, death, and desperate migration from the most vulnerable regions. Africa, the world`s hottest continent, has deserts and drylands that cover about 60 percent of its land surface area and remains the most vulnerable continent to climate change. At the same time, Africa is the world's second most populous continent and is projected soon to be the most populous. Dr. Popoola's work highlights the uniqueness of Africa and the extent of its vulnerability to global climate change as well as its advantages and limitations in context of current mitigation and adaptation strategies. Africa and Climate Change is an indispensable guide to ensuring global food security, sustainable livelihoods, and ecosystem survival, not only in Africa, but in other less vulnerable continents.