Capitalism’s addiction to fossil fuels is heating our planet at a pace and scale never before experienced.

Extreme weather patterns, rising sea levels and accelerating feedback loops are a commonplace feature of our lives. The number of environmental refugees is increasing and several island states and low-lying countries are becoming vulnerable. Corporate-induced climate change has set us on an ecocidal path of species extinction. Governments and their international platforms such as the Paris Climate Agreement deliver too little, too late. Most states, including South Africa, continue on their carbon-intensive energy paths, with devastating results. Political leaders across the world are failing to provide systemic solutions to the climate crisis. This is the context in which we must ask ourselves: how can people and class agency change this destructive course of history?

The Climate Crisis investigates ecosocialist alternatives that are emerging. It presents the thinking of leading climate justice activists, campaigners and social movements advancing systemic alternatives and developing bottom-up, just transitions to sustain life. Through a combination of theoretical and empirical work, the authors collectively examine the challenges and opportunities inherent in the current moment.

Most importantly, it explores ways to renew historical socialism with democratic, ecosocialist alternatives to meet current challenges in South Africa and the world.

Biological and Environmental Hazards, Risks, and Disasters, Second Edition provides an integrated look at major impacts to the Earth’s biosphere caused by diseases, algal blooms, insects, animals, species extinction, deforestation, land degradation, and comet and asteroid strikes, with important implications for humans. This second edition from Elsevier’s Hazards and Disasters Series incorporates perspectives from the natural and social sciences to offer in-depth coverage of threats from microscopic organisms to celestial objects and their potential impacts. Contributions from expert biological, health, ecological, environmental, wildlife, physical, and health scientists, readers will gain valuable insights on damages, causality, economic impacts, preparedness, and mitigation.

Encyclopedia of Inland Waters, Second Edition, focuses on a variety of key areas surrounding inland waters, from the distribution of water on Earth to the properties of water, including the hydrologic cycle, the physics of water movement in lakes and rivers; it includes topics such as waterborne diseases, the metabolism of aquatic ecosystems, pollution conservation, biodiversity, pollution and cycling of chemicals. New topics cover comprehensively recent advances in the field, explaining pressures and underlying concepts and theories.

Advances in Ecological Research, Part Two, Volume 64, the latest release in this ongoing series, includes specific chapters on Tropical Ecosystems in the 21st Century. Chapters in this volume cover topics such as landscape-scale expansion of agroecology to enhance natural pest control, a systematic review and ecosystem services, and the resilience of agricultural landscapes.

Advances in Agronomy, Volume 166, the latest release in this leading reference on agronomy, contains a variety of updates and highlights new advances in the field. Each chapter is written by an international board of authors.

Advances in Agronomy, Volume 165, the latest release in this leading reference on agronomy, contains a variety of updates and highlights new advances in the field. Each chapter is written by an international board of authors, with this release including chapters on Urban Anthropogenic Soils - A Review, Epichloe spp. And Serendipita indica Endophytic Fungi: Functions in Plant-Soil Relations, Heating Up a Cold Case: Applications of Analytical Pyrolysis GC/MS to Assess Molecular Biomarkers in Peat, The problem with "Apparent Electrical Conductivity" in Soil Electromagnetic Induction Studies, and more.

Next Generation Biomonitoring: Part Two, Volume 59, the latest release in the Advances in Ecological Research series, is the second part of a thematic on ecological biomonitoring. It includes specific chapters that cover aquatic volatile metabolomics using trace gases to examine ecological processes, next generation approaches to rapid monitoring Bio-aerosol and the link between human health and environmental microbiology, NGB in Canadian wetlands, CELLDEX/global monitoring of functional responses, Citizen Science and Biomonitoring, and more.

Networks of Invasion: Networks of Invasion: Empirical Evidence and Case Studies, Volume 57 bridges a conceptual gap between ecological network studies and invasion biology studies. This book contains chapters detailing pressing concerns regarding invasive species in food webs, but also extends the idea of networks of invasion to other systems, such as mutualistic networks or even the human microbiome. Chapters describe the tools, models and empirical methods adapted for tackling invasions in ecological networks, including sections on parasites and biological invasions, invasions in freshwater systems, and those in host-associated microbiome networks. In addition, the book provides interesting discussions on the importance of microorganisms and their relationship to macroorganisms.

Networks of Invasion bridges a conceptual gap between ecological network studies and invasion biology studies. This book contains chapters detailing pressing concerns regarding invasive species in food webs, but also extends the idea of networks of invasion to other systems, such as mutualistic networks or even the human microbiome. Chapters describe the tools, models, and empirical methods adapted for tackling invasions in ecological networks.

"We have to adapt to the impacts that, unfortunately, we can no longer avoid", said President Obama at the UN Climate Summit in September 2014. Adaptation and resilience are now a must in both academic research and international bodies. A fashionable concept, resilience's polysemy sparks many debates on its uses and operational relevance. This book bridges the increasing divide between academic research and the latest planning innovations, offering practical and conceptual insights for practitioners, researchers and students. Magali Reghezza-Zitt and Samuel Rufat present a cross-disciplinary, state-of-the-art debate and critical analysis of the social, spatial, practical and political implications of resilience.

Biological invasions are one of the strongest drivers of global environmental change, and invasive species are now often in the public discourse. At the same time, economists have begun to take a real interest in determining how invasive species interact with economic systems, and how invaders should be controlled to optimize societal wealth. Although the work from ecologists and economists have both greatly expanded our understanding of the drivers and impacts of invasions, little integration between the fields has occurred that would allow managers and policy-makers to identify the optical expenditures on, for example, prevention and control of invasive species. Because the level of effort expended on invasive species management is intricately linked to the costs and projected benefits of that management, there is an urgent need for greater synthesis between ecology and economics.
This book brings ecology and economics together in new ways to address how we deal with the dynamics and impacts of invasive species, and is the outcome fo many years of collaborative research between a small group of economists and ecologists. The outcome is clear demonstration of the utility of combining ecological and economic models for addressing critical questions in the management of invasive species.

Energy crises, which amount to painful combinations of energy shortages and soaring prices, have struck the United States several times in recent decades. Each time they have resulted in political and economic shockwaves because, when gasoline becomes more expensive, the American public tends to react with anger and suspicion. Energy crises instantly put related issues at the top of the nation's agenda, sometimes with dramatic consequences for public policy. What can we learn from recent history, particularly as it may predict the role that volatile public opinion will play throughout the energy policy making process? As The Politics of Energy Crises demonstrates, one can discern patterns in politics and policymaking when looking at the cycles of energy crises in the United States. As such it is the first systematic historical study of political conflict, public opinion, and organized interest group and presidential and congressional action on energy issues, starting with the 1973 OPEC boycott and continuing through the present day. By charting the commonalities in political battles during energy crises, the authors make prognoses about what future energy crises will mean for United States policy.

Half of all insect species are dependent on living plant tissues, consuming about 10 per cent of plant annual production in natural habitats and an even greater percentage in agricultural systems, despite sophisticated control measures. Plants possess defences that are effective against almost all herbivorous insect species. Host-plant specialization, observed in over 80 percent of these animals, appears to be an effective adaptation to breach these defence systems. The mechanisms underlying plant defence to invading herbivores on the one side, and insect adaptations to utilize plants for nutrition, defence and shelter on the other, are the main subjects of this book. For plants exposed to insect herbivores, these mechanisms include the activation of defence systems and the emission of chemical signals which may attract natural enemies of the invading herbivores and may even be exploited by neighbouring plants to induce an early defence.

Although the problem of controlling the spread of exotic invasive plant and animal species in the United States has been recognized for quite some time, it has been lacking an adequate legislative mandate, public awareness, and sufficient funding to meet the challenge. This ACS Symposium Series title showcases the many diverse efforts being made to control invasive species at the federal, state, and local levels. It recognizes the global extent of the problem and compares the methods used in other countries with those of the U.S., and includes recommendations of how best to proceed from here.

Restoring Layered Landscapes brings together historians, geographers, philosophers, and interdisciplinary scholars to explore ecological restoration in landscapes with complex histories shaped by ongoing interactions between humans and nature. For many decades, ecological restoration - particularly in the United States - focused on returning degraded sites to conditions that prevailed prior to human influence. This model has been broadened in recent decades, and restoration now increasingly focuses on the recovery of ecological functions and processes rather than on returning a site to a specific historical state. Nevertheless, neither the theory nor the practice of restoration has fully come to terms with the challenges of restoring layered landscapes, where nature and culture shape one another in deep and ongoing relationships. Former military and industrial sites provide paradigmatic examples of layered landscapes. Many of these sites are not only characterized by natural ecosystems worth preserving and restoring, but also embody significant political, social, and cultural histories. This volume grapples with the challenges of restoring and interpreting such complex sites: What should we aim to restore in such places? How can restoration adequately take the legacies of human use into account? Should traces of the past be left on the landscape, and how can interpretive strategies be creatively employed to make visible the complex legacies of an open pit mine or chemical weapons manufacturing plant? Restoration aims to create new value, but not always without loss. Restoration often disrupts existing ecosystems, infrastructure, and artifacts. The chapters in this volume consider what restoration can tell us more generally about the relationship between continuity and change, and how the past can and should inform our thinking about the future. These insights, in turn, will help foster a more thoughtful approach to human-environment relations in an era of unprecedented anthropogenic global environmental change.

European explorers were captivated by the seemingly endless bounty of natural resources on Cape Cod Bay. One Englishman declared that the codfish were so thick one "could" walk on their backs. Early settlers quickly learned how to harness the bay's resources and excelled at shore whaling, shipping and salt making. But as these new industries flourished, the native Wampanoag, who helped the fledgling colony to take root, nearly vanished. Author Theresa Mitchell Barbo's skillful narrative weaves together the natural and cultural histories of the bay, highlighting some of the region's diverse milestones- from the drafting of the Mayflower Compact in 1620 to the establishment of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant 350 years later. "Cape Cod Bay: A History of Salt & Sea" inspires new appreciation for this storied and stunning seascape, and underscores the importance of new efforts to preserve the bay's unique ecosystem.

'A brilliant synthesis of ecology and economics that provides a sure guide to a sustainable future. It is a must for all environmentalists and economists.'Charles Birch'Written by an impressive list of experts across a number of disciplines, this readable text provides not only analysis but vigorous criticism-and answers.'Robyn Williams'This book is such a useful guide to responsible decision-making that it should be supplied in bulk to senior government officials and managers in the private sector.'Ian Lowe'This is a fine contribution to ecological economics coming from Australia, and of interest worldwide.'Herman E DalyHuman well-being is wholly dependent upon the continued good health of the Earth s ecosystems. Human behaviour as it interacts with the biophysical environment is enormously complex, as governments (and individuals) who must make decisions about resource use are becoming increasingly aware. Human Ecology, Human Economy provides the basic concepts and tools for understanding how to analyse that interaction.The book is designed to be used as a text for undergraduate and graduate students in environmental studies, human and social ecology, ecological economics, futures studies, and science and technology studies. It is also intended for interested members of the public and for policy-makers working on environmental issues, especially where these intersect with economic policy.Human Ecology, Human Economy not only covers the basic concepts, but also moves to some of the frontiers of thinking in several case studies. It uses a problem and solution oriented approach which crosses disciplinary boundaries, drawing together elements from biology, economics, philosophy and political science.Professor Mark Diesendorf is Director of the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology, Sydney and Vice President of the Sustainable Energy Industries Council of Australia. Among the books he has edited are The Magic Bullet and Energy And People.Dr Clive Hamilton is Executive Director of the Australia Institute, Canberra and teaches in the Public Policy Program at the Australian National University. His books include Capitalist Industrialisation In Korea, The Mystic Economist and The Economic Dynamics Of Australian Industry.

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world'AEos leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. Providing a comprehensive overview of the current and developing state of environmental governance in the United States, this Advanced Introduction lays out the foundations of U.S. environmental law. E. Donald Elliott and Daniel C. Esty explore how federal environmental law is made and how it interacts with state law, highlighting the important role that administrative agencies play in the creation, implementation, and enforcement of U.S. environmental law. Key features include: an examination of the key statutes, case law, and controversies involved in the regulation of natural resources a survey of the broad range of regulations and legal principles that govern the protection of the environment in the United States analysis of relevant statutes for specific issues including air and water pollution, climate change, endangered species, wilderness preservation, hazardous waste, and pesticides. This Advanced Introduction will be a valuable resource for scholars and students of environmental law. It will also be beneficial for environmental lawyers, business executives, NGO leaders, policymakers, and think tank analysts who work on environmental issues.

Green issues are rising rapidly up the agenda in Latin America and the Caribbean as governments struggle to reconcile the demands of globalization with the quest for equitable and sustainable growth. This second volume of Environmental Politics in Latin America and the Caribbean reveals how the region is becoming a laboratory of change - and a source of inspiration in global affairs - as states, multilateral agencies and the private sector seek sustainable solutions to its pressing problems. This volume explains the roles institutions, policies and political actors play in green policymaking and builds on the introduction to the historical, political and economic context in which they have evolved provided in Volume I. It examines how democratization in the 1980s gave new space to environmental and indigenous activists, and surveys the ideas inspiring them to forge a new kind of politics. As institutional change has become a defining feature of political development throughout this region, new environmental ministries and agencies have established new standards of regulation and enforcement. Policymakers are advancing innovative ways to tackle complex environmental problems and constitutions, laws and treaties are enshrining new green rights that increasingly assertive courts are upholding. Together, both volumes of Environmental Politics in Latin America and the Caribbean provide the framework for a modular course on this essential topic, with each chapter structured to be the basis of a single teaching unit. Using tables, boxes and maps to support the student, the two volumes offer an accessible way of understanding the background and context of environmental politics in the region as well as theoretical debates and key developments.

The Handbook of Sustainable Innovation maps the multiple lineages of research and understanding that constitute academic work on how technological change relates to sustainable practices of production and consumption. Leading academics contribute by mapping the general evolution of this academic field, our understanding of sustainable innovation at the firm, user, and systems level, the governance of sustainable innovation, and the methodological approaches used. The Handbook explores the distinctiveness of sustainable innovation and concludes with suggestions for generating future research avenues that exploit the current diversity of work while seeking increased systemic insight. This unique and original book will have a broad appeal among scholars, researchers and advanced students interested in innovation, environmental studies and technological transitions.

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. The Advanced Introduction to Applied Green Criminology provides a comprehensive overview of interventions and practices that contribute to environmental protection. Topics include crime prevention, environmental regulation and law enforcement, environmental forensics, greening of criminal justice institutions, and social activism. Underpinning these topics is the notion of eco-justice, which focuses on environmental justice (humans), ecological justice (ecosystems) and species justice (non-human animals and plants). Key Features: Discusses practical ways to prevent and stop environmental crimes and harms Presents grounded examples and knowledge gained from years of experience and expertise reflecting a 'pracademic' orientation Provides insightful summaries of intervention practices This Advanced Introduction will be invaluable to practitioners, such as green criminologists, conservation scientists, and environmental lawyers and regulators, as well as academics and students interested in preventing, stopping, and deterring environmental crimes and harms.?

This Handbook provides a comprehensive overview of how water, energy and food are interconnected, comprising a coherent system: the nexus. It considers the interlinkages between natural resources, governance processes seeking coherence among water, energy and food policies, and the adoption of transdisciplinary approaches in the field. With contributions covering a broad range of disciplinary perspectives and cross-cutting themes, the Handbook has a well-balanced mix of conceptual chapters and empirical studies. It includes a state-of-the-art analysis of the concepts and experiences in implementing the nexus in different policy environments, providing examples of successful integrated decision-making across the domains of water, energy and food. Offering a global perspective on water, energy and food security, the Handbook contains insights into achieving both national development goals and the Sustainable Development Goals. Chapters further highlight how to understand the concepts of the nexus in practice, impacts of the nexus in governance, policy and business, and methods and tools to strengthen the nexus. Interdisciplinary and thorough, this Handbook will be critical reading for environmental management, public policy and human geography scholars. It will also be a useful tool for policymakers looking for successful examples of policy coherence towards an integrated management of water, energy and food resources.

This ground-breaking Handbook uniquely focuses on the business of sustainability, offering a fresh insight and practical solutions to the challenges that businesses face in making human activity sustainable. It is organized into four distinctive themes that cut across levels of analysis and illustrate a rich set of solution contexts that will guide future research. The Handbook on the Business of Sustainability offers a comprehensive review of research and empirical evidence on sustainable business, exploring the importance of private sector engagement and implementation. World leading scholars cover the key areas such as organization, execution and the measurement of outcomes and social impact. The insightful case studies also provide critical context and complement the chapters highlighting emerging practices and solutions for the successful application of sustainability initiatives in business. The Handbook will be an invaluable resource for academics, practitioners, and policymakers to reflect on the 'concept and practice' of articulating and strategizing in order to achieve sustainability targets.

Communication and assessment of scientific information is as important as the science itself, especially when policy-makers, politicians, and media specialists lack scientific backgrounds. Scientific advice has never been in greater demand; nor has it been more contested. This book explores the effect of the public communication of science on the interaction between science and policy development in the regulation of the environment, food, health, and transport sectors. This second "Science and the Law" book by these editors presents a series of case studies that illustrate the impact of science communication to lawmakers and the general public in other areas of policy development, including nutrition, tobacco science, drugs, and environmental issues. The chapter contributors all present an interesting cross-section of current, hot-button issues that revolve around scientific principles, and they clearly demonstrate the extent to which accurate and appropriate communication of science influences leaders and legislation.