Renewable energy (RE) is a subject of great interest today. It is one of the two main means for implementing climate change mitigation programmes, and presently the only perceived means for replacing the declining global fossil fuel reserves. It also helps fight poverty and assists in the global quest for gender equity by taking clean energy where it is needed most for development. It is perhaps not surprising therefore that there is so much coverage of RE in both the conventional media and the internet by media and tech writers, economists and bloggers, many of who only have a partial understanding of the technology itself. The end result is mostly promotional rhetoric that says little about the true value of the technology, and leads to a confused picture for the serious individual or decision-maker who wants to know what the technology is really capable of doing. This book provides a clear and factual picture of the status of RE and its capabilities today. The need for such a book was first realized by the author when he was engaged in a renewable energy capacity-building project encompassing countries from Europe, the Caribbean, Africa, and the Pacific. The book is largely non-technical in nature; it does however contain enough mention of the science and technology to enable readers to go further with their own investigations should they wish to. The book covers all areas of renewable energy (RE), starting from biomass energy and hydropower and proceeding to wind, solar and geothermal energy before ending with an overview of ocean energy. It begins with a simple introduction to the physical principles of the RE technologies, followed by an enumeration of the requirements for their successful implementation. The last two chapters consider how the technologies are actually being implemented today and their roles in climate change mitigation and poverty alleviation.

The first volume to focus on suburbs and sustainability in the United States, this collection approaches the topic through regionally diverse case studies. Departing from the more widely examined issue of urban sustainability, contributors argue that the suburbs present a unique and important challenge given their greater land mass, lower population density, lower tax rates, and more limited government services. The studies featured in this volume analyze the impact of planning, social and economic concerns, environmental factors such as air pollution and climate change, and water management on suburban communities. Areas of focus include suburbs of New York City, Seattle, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Phoenix, New Orleans, and Tampa. In these examples, contributors show that activism and leadership are currently advancing a strong sustainability agenda in regions many would have believed unlikely. Through these case studies, this volume demonstrates that the suburbs are a crucial nexus for sustainability in the United States. Because suburbs have been overlooked in most green initiatives, and because they play such a vital role in the future of American housing and development, these essays call for more research and continued creative innovation in these areas.

The field of environmental history emerged just decades ago but has established itself as one of the most innovative and important new approaches to history, one that bridges the human and natural world, the humanities and the sciences. With the current trend towards internationalizing history, environmental history is perhaps the quintessential approach to studying subjects outside the nation-state model, with pollution, global warming, and other issues affecting the earth not stopping at national borders. With 25 essays, this Handbook is global in scope and innovative in organization, looking at the field thematically through such categories as climate, disease, oceans, the body, energy, consumerism, and international relations.

Hydrology is a key influence on water security, environmental sustainability, agricultural production, energy, and transport, especially in unique environments such as arid regions and the tropics, where degradation issues on water and land can threaten the livelihoods of poor communities. With implications in urbanization, landscape architecture, and sanitation, enhancing the practice of water use, management, and planning is imperative for the sustainable development of these regions. Hydrology and Water Resources Management in Arid, Semi-Arid, and Tropical Region is an essential research publication that seeks to improve scientific understanding and sharing of data in hydrology and integrated water resources management of arid, semi-arid, and tropical regions in order to enhance water governance and alleviate reduction in the vulnerability of water resources systems to global changes. Featuring a wide range of topics such as hydrometeorology, sustainable development, and climate change, this book is ideal for researchers, technology developers, academicians, policymakers, government officials, and students.

Research on the cutting edge of economics, ecology, and ethics is presented in this timely study. Building from a theoretical critique of the tradition of cost-benefit analysis, the contributors lay the foundation for a macroeconomics of environmental sustainability and distributive justice. Attention is then turned to three of the most critical areas of social and environmental applied research - biodiversity, climate change, and energy. The contributors redefine progress away from growth and toward development. To this end, the first section of the book tackles the dominant framework used in the US today to evaluate tradeoffs between economic growth and its inherent externalities. Succeeding chapters cover a wide variety of studies related to biodiversity health and energy. Each section is anchored with overviews by top scholars in these areas - including Herman Daly, Carl McDaniel, Stephen Schneider, and Nathan Hagens - and followed by detailed analyses reflecting the transdisciplinary approach of ecological economics. Students and scholars of ecological, environmental, and natural resource economics, sustainability sciences, and environmental studies will find this book of great interest. Non-profit and government agencies in search of methods and cases that merge the study of ecology and economics will also find the analyses of great practical value.

The terrestrial organisms of the Galapagos Islands live under conditions unlike those anywhere else. At the edge of a uniquely rich mid-ocean upwelling, their world is also free of mammalian predators and competitors, allowing them to live unbothered, exuberant lives. With its giant tortoises, marine iguanas, flightless cormorants, and forests of giant daisies, there's no question that this is a magnificent place. Long before people traversed the Earth, evolution endowed native species with adaptations to these special conditions and to perturbations like El Nino events and periodic droughts. As the islands have grown ever-more connected with humanity, those same adaptations now make its species vulnerable. Today, the islands are best viewed as one big social-ecological system where the ability of each native organism to survive and reproduce is a product of human activity in addition to ecological circumstances. In this book, William H. Durham takes readers on a tour of Galapagos and the organisms that inhabit these isolated volcanic islands. Exuberant Life offers a contemporary synthesis of what we know about the evolution of its curiously wonderful organisms, how they are faring in the tumultuous changing world around them, and how evolution can guide our efforts today for their conservation. The book highlights the ancestry of a dozen specific organisms in these islands, when and how they made it to the Galapagos, as well as how they have changed in the meantime. Durham traces the strengths and weaknesses of each species, arguing that the mismatch between natural challenges of their habitats and the challenges humans have recently added is the main task facing conservation efforts today. Such analysis often provides surprises and suggestions not yet considered, like the potential benefits to joint conservation efforts between tree finches and tree daisies, or ways in which the peculiar evolved behaviors of Nazca and blue-footed boobies can be used to benefit both species today. In each chapter, a social-ecological systems framework is used to highlight links between human impact, including climate change, and species status today, Historically, the Galapagos have played a central role in our understanding of evolution; what these islands now offer to teach us about conservation may well prove indispensable for the future of the planet.

As population growth accelerates, researchers and professionals face challenges as they attempt to plan for the future. Urban planning is a significant component in addressing the key concerns as the world population moves towards the city and leaves the rural environment behind, yet there are many factors to consider for a well rounded community. The Handbook of Research on Social, Economic, and Environmental Sustainability in the Development of Smart Cities brings together the necessary research and interdisciplinary discussion to address dilemmas created by population growth and the expansion of urban environments. This publication is an essential reference source for researchers, academicians, investors, and practitioners interested in the urban planning and technological advancements necessary for the creation of smart cities.

Comprises four parts, the first of which provides an overview of the topics that are developed from fundamental principles to more advanced levels in the other parts. Presents in the second part an in-depth introduction to the relevant background in molecular and cellular biology and in physical chemistry, which should be particularly useful for students without a formal background in these subjects. Provides in the third part a detailed treatment of microscopy techniques and optics, again starting from basic principles. Introduces in the fourth part modern statistical approaches to the determination of parameters of interest from microscopy data, in particular data generated by single molecule microscopy experiments. Uses two topics related to protein trafficking (transferrin trafficking and FcRn-mediated antibody trafficking) throughout the text to motivate and illustrate microscopy techniques

Maintaining and preserving the environment is a crucial consideration in an era where climate change and rising sea levels are common knowledge. It is important for researchers and developers alike to explore potential solutions for a steadily warming world. The Handbook of Research on Uncovering New Methods for Ecosystem Management through Bioremediation focuses on the agricultural industry's impact on climate change, presenting critical concerns as well as innovations and contemporary research toward the solutions sorely needed by the global economy. With a primary consideration of bioremediation as an effective environmental management tool, this handbook provides insight to researchers, agricultural specialists, biologists, chemists, environmental engineers, and policymakers. Covering a broad range of topics such as pollution, microbial ligninolysis, environmental restoration, ecosystem management, and more, the chapters in this handbook are written by specialists and experts in their respective fields, offering a comprehensive compendium of current research in the industry.

In the current era of globalisation, national governments are increasingly exposed to international influences which can present many new constraints and opportunities for domestic environmental policies. This comprehensive Handbook pushes the frontiers of theoretical and empirical knowledge, and provides a state-of-the-art examination of the critical effects of globalisation on environmental governance. Following a comprehensive introduction by the editors, the expert contributors analyse key concepts and recent developments in themes such as national regimes, types of environmental goods, trade rules and environmental policies, eco-innovation policy, government-business cooperation, the role of citizen-consumers in environmental politics, and governance in developing countries. They also present various societal perspectives, including the role of businesses and non-governmental organisations. Eight original case studies address global influences on domestic environmental policies and government participation in international and supranational fora. The Handbook concludes with innovative and challenging views on the future role of national governments in global environmental governance. Including contributions from leading authorities in academia, government, and business, this comprehensive new Handbook provides an insightful overview of the powerful effect of globalisation on national environmental policy. The depth and scope of the work will ensure a broad and varied readership, including academics, students, and policymakers in the fields of governance, environmental politics and law, international relations, and political science.

Each monograph is written by leading experts in their field and examines the relationship and contributions of engineering to the topic of study. As a series, TSL addresses a long-awaited niche in engineering publishing, providing in-depth discussions of environmental significance set within a technology, economic, and policy context.

The ever-increasing awareness and growing focus on environmental issues such as climate change and energy use is bringing about an urgency in expanding research to provide possible solutions to these problems. Through current engineering research and emerging technologies, scientists work to combat modern environmental and ecological problems plaguing the globe. Advanced Methodologies and Technologies in Engineering and Environmental Science provides emerging research on the current and forthcoming trends in engineering and environmental sciences to resolve several issues plaguing researchers such as fossil fuel emission and climate change. While highlighting these challenges, including chemical toxicity environmental responsibility, readers will learn how engineering applications can be used across disciplines to aid in reducing environmental hazards. This book is a vital resource for engineers, researchers, professors, academicians, and environmental scientists seeking current research on how engineering tools and technologies can be applied to environmental issues.