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.

Hydraulic Fracturing in the Karoo: Critical Legal and Environmental Perspectives explores a broad-ranging set of questions related to proposed hydraulic fracturing or `fracking' in the Karoo. The book is multidisciplinary, with contributors including natural scientists, social scientists, and academics from the humanities, all concerned with the ways in which scientific facts and debates about fracking have been framed and given meaning. The work comprises four parts: Part 1 provides an international, legal, energy, economic, and revenue overview of the topic. Part 2 has a physio-geographic theme, with chapters on the inter-related aspects of water, geology, geo-hydrology, seismicity and biodiversity, as well as archaeological and palaeontological considerations. Part 3 focuses on public health, and sociological and humanities-related aspects, and Part 4 addresses the relevant laws, emphasising their implementation and the role of governance. The underlying theme of Hydraulic Fracturing in the Karoo: Critical Legal and Environmental Perspectives is one of caution. The book emphasises the need for collaboration between the natural and social sciences and the responsibilities of those charged with the implementation and governance of the fracking enterprise if South Africa hopes to effectively manage fracking at all.

This new edition of "Environmental and Natural Resources Economics" provides an accessible yet rigorous treatment of the subject, including the economics of sustainability. The new edition has been updated extensively throughout. A new chapter has been added on fisheries economics and policy, and the chapter on global climate change has been substantially rewritten to incorporate new scientific information and evolving public policy. Many new figures and tables have been added, and the glossary has also been expanded. Readers will appreciate the balanced and accessible coverage, and the integration of economics with science and public policy.

Concerns about sustainability have brought environmental economics to the foreground. These volumes are particularly concerned with issues relating to the long-term depletion of non-renewable resources.

Ensuring an adequate, long-term energy supply is a paramount concern in Europe. EU member states now intervene by encouraging investment in generation capacity, offering an additional revenue stream for conventional power plants in addition to the existing, heavily subsidised investments in renewable energy sources. These capacity remuneration mechanisms (or simply capacity mechanisms) have become a hot topic in the wider European regulatory debate. European electricity markets are increasingly interconnected, so the introduction of a capacity mechanism in one country not only distorts its national market but may have unforeseeable consequences for neighbouring electricity markets. If these mechanisms are adopted by several member states with no supra-national coordination and no consideration for their cross-border impact, they may cause serious market distortions and put the future of the European internal electricity market at risk. This book provides readers with an in-depth analysis of capacity mechanisms, written by an expert team of policy-makers, economists, and legal professionals. It will be a first point of reference for regulators and policy-makers responsible for designing optimal capacity mechanisms in Europe, and will be an invaluable resource for academics and practitioners in the fields of energy, regulation, and competition.

This book provides a survey and analysis of the different ways in which women's work is valued throughout the world. It challenges the narrow definition of work as paid work, as that excludes so many of women's activities. It looks at ways in which women's worth has been consistently undervalued in industrial as well as non-industrial countries, in socialist as well as free-enterprise economies. These practices distort the national product of countries heavily dependent on women's labour, but, above all, they are among the most obvious marks of the exploitation of women. Technological changes are already altering established female/male divisions of labour. Transnational enterprises, often located in Special Economic Zones, are reducing differences between industrial and nonindustrial countries. Valuing women's work correctly, whether unpaid in the home or underpaid outside it, is part of the battle against discrimination and poverty. Men who do similar work also benefit. It is the crucial step towards the achievement of male/female equality. The book will be particularly valuable for those concerned with the issues, in trade unions, women's groups, international agencies and NGOs and for course in economics and social studies.

This thoroughly revised third edition offers comprehensive coverage of the economics of climate change and climate policy, and is a suitable guide for advanced undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral students. Topics discussed include the costs and benefits of adaptation and mitigation, discounting, uncertainty, equity, policy instruments, the second best, and international agreements. Key features: In-depth treatment of the economics of climate change Careful explanation of concepts and their application to climate policy Customizable integrated assessment model that illustrates all issues discussed Specific usage guidelines for each level of reader Companion website with data, quizzes, videos, and further reading Discussion of the latest developments in theory and policy Greater attention to policy and market imperfections than in the second edition. This book is an essential text for students in economics, climate change, and environmental policy, an excellent resource for researchers and practitioners, and a key text to support professors in their teaching.

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.

This thoroughly revised second edition provides an up-to-date account of essential EU climate mitigation law, analysing an area that remains one of the most dynamic fields of EU law. Special attention is paid to the energy sector and to the impact of climate law on broader legal issues, such as energy network regulation and human rights. Written by leading scholars of EU climate law from the University of Groningen, the book addresses the relevant directives and regulations, examining their implementation and impact on current policy and academic debate. Chapters guide the reader through key topics including the EU emissions trading system, renewable energy consumption, and carbon capture and storage. Key features of the second edition include: A clear and accessible introduction to EU climate mitigation law Comprehensive coverage of the climate targets and instruments of the EU Special focus on the relationship between climate law and energy law New classroom questions to stimulate further discussion and debate Educational design based on reviews by climate law students and lecturers. Combining educational design and analytical accuracy, this book will be an indispensable guide for both students and professionals. It is highly recommended for courses on EU climate mitigation law, as well as climate law, energy law, environmental law and EU law.

Featuring real world examples of how risk information affects public choices, The Economics of Environmental Risk expertly demonstrates that policymakers need to consider how people learn about those risks. Offering insights into examples such as hazardous waste, radon, smoking, hurricanes and terrorist threats over the past four decades, this intuitive book illustrates environmental risks and the choices made to mitigate the potential effects. Providing a deep dive into how public policies and information affect private choices, this book highlights the successes and failings of these choices, recognising how decisions made can have an influence on the hazards that are faced. It also focuses on important lessons to be learnt by officials providing information on risk and designing policies for managing them. Further consideration is also given to how experts understand these risks and how the public interprets the information provided. Scholars and students of public policy, risk analysis and environmental and resource economics will value the useful examples found in this informative volume. Policymakers in risk and insurance, and risk management programs will also find this an instructive guide on the ever-changing environmental risks we face.

Economic issues arise in almost every water policy context. Water is of most concern when scarce, but physical scarcity is often overcome as human beings move water from place to place, sometimes creating monumental structures. The roles that cost and economic value play in water resource allocation are implicit, but often poorly understood. This second edition clarifies the role of economics and offers material that can be applied to water resource allocation problems around the world. Topics covered include: groundwater, floods and droughts, in situ uses of water, and institutions and law. New to the book is an exploration of water issues outside the United States as well as a new application of behavioral and experimental economics to the topic. A concise introduction to issues of water quality and quantity in both urban and agricultural settings, Water Resource Economics and Policy will be a valuable resource or text for students and researchers in the fields of agricultural economics, geography, law, and hydrology. Those involved in water resource agencies and private utilities will also find the book a useful reference. Acclaim for the first edition: 'This textbook is written for first-year graduate students and senior level undergraduates in economics. ... Graduate students in geography, water resources, and environmental management should also be interested. The well-done helpful diagrams and charts are those expected for a textbook in economics at this level. In every chapter many interesting real-world examples illustrate the concept being discussed. Some chapters have easy-to-read case studies set off from the text. ... I plan on keeping this excellent book as a shelf reference and would willingly adopt it for a class in water resource economics.' - Donald E. Agthe, Journal of the American Water Resources Association 'This is a much-needed book, which introduces the interested reader to the economics of water resource allocation, and analyzes relevant policy issues derived from all over the world. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first book which is focused on communicating the basic economic concepts that govern water resources allocation. ... The lively writing style of W. Douglass Shaw, which is enriched with excellent examples and case studies from various countries, makes this book an obvious choice for a textbook in relevant courses ... this excellent book should be a compulsory reading for all of us who work in the field of water resources management.' - Phoebe Koundouri, Ecological Economics

Situating a comprehensive microbehavioral analysis of the economics of climate change within a discussion of the most pressing global climate change issues and policy negotiations, the Handbook of Behavioral Economics and Climate Change is a timely collection of new research on the behaviors of economic agents that are essential to an exposition of climate change economics and policymaking. Chapters identify both microbehavioral causes of and responses to climate change by numerous economic agents, in doing so elucidating the relationship between climate policies and behavioral changes. This includes examination of individuals' behaviors to cope with and adapt to climate change; the policy decisions aimed at altering behaviurs at individual, business, and international levels to achieve climate policy goals; and the motivations behind behaviours driven by culture, history, or religion with regards to climate change. These behaviors are contextualised within a global analysis of pressing climate change issues in land-based and ocean-based systems, including Sub-Saharan agriculture, hurricanes and sea-level rises in North America, Latin American Pampas, the small island alliance, South Asian rice agriculture, and hydroelectricity in the Himalayas. With a global scope, this Handbook will prove invaluable to students and scholars of climate change, environmental studies, and behavioral economics. With practical examples and case studies, it will also prove useful for policymakers working in climate legislation.

The concept of international climate finance channelled from developed to developing countries through public interventions for mitigation and adaptation has been developed over the last decade, but its roots date back to the early 1990s. Despite the high relevance of the topic in the international climate negotiations, illustrated by the (missed) target to mobilise USD 100 billion by 2020, there is no book that provides an overview accessible to academics and practitioners alike. This comprehensive Handbook of International Climate Finance closes this gap, with contributions from expert researchers and practitioners involved in key climate finance institutions. Chapters assess past approaches to international climate finance, discuss the effectiveness of different channels for climate finance, debate challenges encountered and elucidate national strategies of donors and recipients. An important section elaborates perspectives for sources of international climate finance from multilateral channels, the private sector, and blending of finance including through international carbon markets. The Handbook further elaborates perspectives on ownership and accountability and the role of the private sector. Mapping out pathways for the future, it concludes by providing a vision for international climate finance after 2025. This forward-thinking Handbook will be a critical resource for scholars and students with an interest in climate change and related policies and environmental politics, policy, and economics more broadly. It provides key input for international climate negotiators, climate activists and international climate finance institutions.

Evaluating the myriad dimensions of how disasters can affect economic activity and decision-making, this cutting-edge Handbook presents a timely analysis of the conditions that reduce or exacerbate disaster impacts. Addressing developments in research on disaster economics, internationally recognized scholars explore the role of both the private and public sectors in managing and mitigating disasters. Chapters discuss important theoretical considerations in the evaluation of the impacts of disasters on economic activity, including the behavioral consequences, biases and heuristics, and risk preferences. Delving deeper into disaster economics, the Handbook then presents empirical methods and applications used in modelling disaster impact evaluation, with research focusing on impacts on economic growth, government fiscal and social conditions, well-being, and migration. Informed by the latest research on the economics of pandemics, the Handbook concludes by presenting novel approaches to evaluating and improving risk management, resilience, recovery and adaptability in the face of disasters. A valuable resource for conducting research, this Handbook will prove vital to students and scholars of developmental and environmental economics. Providing a broad range of guidance from disaster response experts, it will also prove useful to practitioners and policymakers concerned with the economics of disasters.

As numerous jurisdictions implement emissions mitigation mechanisms that put a price on carbon, this incisive book explores the emerging emissions markets and their diverse and fragmented nature. It proposes an innovative model for connecting such markets, offering a significantly more successful and expeditious achievement of climate policy objectives. Justin D. Macinante proposes distributed ledger technology to foster fluid markets that price carbon emissions more effectively, achieve greater scale and efficiency, and are less susceptible to manipulation. He investigates the applicable regulatory frameworks, technology design issues and governance structures for the model proposed for networking emissions trading schemes within the context of the Paris Agreement. Providing a plausible and viable mechanism to achieve desired policy outcomes with economic, political and environmental benefits, Effective Global Carbon Markets will be a key resource for practitioners, policy makers and consultants alike, as well as being of value to scholars and students engaged with environmental and energy law, climate change and environmental economics.

This report explores the growth prospects for the ocean economy, its capacity for future employment creation and innovation, and its role in addressing global challenges. Special attention is devoted to the emerging ocean-based industries in light of their high growth and innovation potential, and contribution to addressing challenges such as energy security, environment, climate change and food security.The report examines the risks and uncertainties surrounding the future development of ocean industries, the innovations required in science and technology to support their progress, their potential contribution to green growth and some of the implications for ocean management. Finally, and looking across the future ocean economy as a whole, it explores possible avenues for action that could boost its long-term development prospects while managing the use of the ocean itself in responsible, sustainable ways. This book belongs to the OECD Report Series

Greenhouse gas concentrations are rapidly increasing and pathways to limit global warming require fundamental economic transitions. Green Deals in the Making addresses the challenges and opportunities associated with the implementation of Green Deals, in particular the use of market-based instruments. Expert contributors shed light on the complexities arising for the implementation of Green Deals in times of the context of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, which puts considerable strains on national economies. Chapters present theory and empirical analysis of green pricing instruments and national experiences, assessing the critical issue of finance and recycling carbon tax revenue. The book concludes with an analysis of key issues relating to circular economy considerations and plastics in achieving Green Deal goals. A critical analysis of important topics is presented including green fiscal reform, carbon taxation and sustainable urbanism. This timely book will be of great interest to researchers, students and scholars interested in environmental policy, tax and law, as well as the industry sector, policy makers and government officials.

Hundreds of millions of people still suffer from chronic hunger and food insecurity despite sufficient levels of global food production. The poor's inability to afford adequate diets remains the biggest constraint to solving hunger, but the dynamics of global food insecurity are complex and demand analysis that extends beyond the traditional domains of economics and agriculture. How do the policies used to promote food security in one country affect nutrition, food access, natural resources, and national security in other countries? How do the priorities and challenges of achieving food security change over time as countries develop economically? The Evolving Sphere of Food Security seeks to answer these two important questions and others by exploring the interconnections of food security to security of many kinds: energy, water, health, climate, the environment, and national security.
Through personal stories of research in the field and policy advising at local and global scales, a multidisciplinary group of scholars provide readers with a real-world sense of the opportunities and challenges involved in alleviating food insecurity. In sub-Saharan Africa, for example, management of HIV/AIDS, the establishment of an equitable system of land property rights, and investment in solar-powered irrigation play an important role in improving food security---particularly in the face of global climate change. Meanwhile, food price spikes associated with the United States' biofuels policy continue to have spillover effects on the world's rural poor with implications for stability and national security.
The Evolving Sphere of Food Security traces four key areas of the food security field: 1) the political economy of food and agriculture; 2) challenges for the poorest billion; 3) agriculture's dependence on resources and the environment; and 4) food in a national and international security context. This book connects these areas in a way that tells an integrated story about human lives, resource use, and the policy process.

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. Advanced Introduction to Water Economics and Policy highlights various aspects of economic and policy considerations as they are applied to water decision-making and evaluation in a comprehensive and clear manner. Key Features: Presents example-based simplified descriptions of water problems and economic principles used to address them Provides examples from different countries and analysis of main water-using sectors Highlights emerging topics in water economics that address water scarcity and discusses economic and policy aspects related to the management of water at local, regional and international scales Researchers and students will appreciate the comprehensive, straightforward presentation of critical information in this Advanced Introduction that does not get lost in technical jargon.

Economics of the Environment, Seventh Edition is a compendium of the best, most timely articles by a dream team of environmental economists, together with an original introductory chapter by the editor. Now in its seventh edition, Economics of the Environment serves as a valuable supplement to environmental economics text books and as a stand-alone reference book of key, up-to-date readings from the field. Edited by Robert N. Stavins, the book covers the core areas of environmental economics courses as taught around the world; and the included authors are the top scholars in the field. Overall, more than half of the chapters are new to this edition while the rest have remained seminal works. This text will prove invaluable to undergraduates and graduates studying environmental economics, environmental policy, and climate change policy. Economics of the Environment will also be a vital resource to practitioners in government, private industry, and advocacy groups and other NGOs working on environmental policy. Contributors include: J. Aldy, D. Bodansky, S. Borenstein, T.A. Cameron, R. Carson, T. Covert, M. Cropper, A. Dechezlepretre, G. Eads, K. Fisher-Vanden, M. Freeman, D. Fullerton, S. Gaines, T. Gayer, T. Gerardon, M. Greenstone, C. Gollier, L. Goulder, B. Groom, R. Hahn, J. Hausman, G. Heal, S. Hoedl, K. Jack, C. Kling, C. Knittel, A. KrupnickIan Parry, E. Maskin, G. Metcalf, R. Newell, R. Noll, W. Nordhaus, S. Olmstead, D. Phaneuf, R. Pindyck, W. Pizer, P. Portney, D. Raimi, F. Reinhardt, L. Reisch, M. Russell, M. Sandel, M. Sato, R. Schmalensee, S. Shavell, J. Shogren, K. Smith, N. Stern, T. Sterner, C. Sunstein, C. Taylor, L. Taylor, R. Tol, K. Viscusi, M. Weitzman, J. Zhao

Can global warming be mitigated by carbon trading? With climate change posing perhaps the gravest threat to humanity in coming decades, and with free market economics still dominated by a few wealthy nations, it is little wonder so much effort has gone into creating a carbon market, no matter how much evidence has recently emerged about its flaws. South Africa, a revealing pilot site, has initiated carbon trading projects with adverse economic, environmental and social impacts. This country pollutes at a rate twenty times higher than even the United States of America, measured by CO2 emissions generated by each GDP dollar per person, so the idea of trading for carbon reductions is seductive - and potentially lucrative. Current state policy is supportive and a former environment minister is a market promoter, alongside the World Bank, the Dutch government and big oil companies.

Recognizing the urgent need to transform energy systems to low-carbon alternatives, this timely book offers evidenced and credible ways to accelerate actions towards meeting the Paris Agreement goals and achieving net zero emissions. Steven Fries analyses through the lens of government, business and household actions-their policies and investments-the systemic changes needed to eliminate net carbon dioxide emissions from energy. Fries explores how advancing low-carbon alternatives could maintain current economic activities while halting climate impacts. But his analysis of accumulating evidence on transforming energy shows how multiple market imperfections hold back alternatives. To overcome these barriers, the book develops heterodox energy reform strategies and ways to coordinate actions across countries, recognizing differences in their specializations and renewable resources. Going beyond orthodox economics, it sets out the role for supporting deployment of low-carbon alternatives in initial markets, calibrating emissions pricing to net zero emission goals, and adapting institutions and infrastructures to low-carbon alternatives. It also signposts policy sequencing and differentiation across sectors and countries. Providing comprehensive energy policy assessments and sound reform strategies, this book will be essential reading for government policymakers and business investors. Its rigorous approach to systemic change also makes it a valuable reference for energy economics and environmental economics scholars.

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. Advanced Introduction to Water Economics and Policy highlights various aspects of economic and policy considerations as they are applied to water decision-making and evaluation in a comprehensive and clear manner. Key Features: Presents example-based simplified descriptions of water problems and economic principles used to address them Provides examples from different countries and analysis of main water-using sectors Highlights emerging topics in water economics that address water scarcity and discusses economic and policy aspects related to the management of water at local, regional and international scales Researchers and students will appreciate the comprehensive, straightforward presentation of critical information in this Advanced Introduction that does not get lost in technical jargon.

Public understanding of, and outcry over, the dire state of the climate and environment is greater than ever before. Parties across the political spectrum claim to be climate leaders, and overt denial is on the way out. Yet when it comes to slowing the course of the climate and nature crises, despite a growing number of pledges, policies and summits, little ever seems to change. Nature is being destroyed at an unprecedented rate. We remain on course for a catastrophic 3 DegreesC of warming. What's holding us back? In this searing and insightful critique, Adrienne Buller examines the fatal biases that have shaped the response of our governing institutions to climate and environmental breakdown, and asks: are the 'solutions' being proposed really solutions? Tracing the intricate connections between financial power, economic injustice and ecological crisis, she exposes the myopic economism and market-centric thinking presently undermining a future where all life can flourish. The book examines what is wrong with mainstream climate and environmental governance, from carbon pricing and offset markets to 'green growth', the commodification of nature and the growing influence of the finance industry on environmental policy. In doing so, it exposes the self-defeating logic of a response to these challenges based on creating new opportunities for profit, and a refusal to grapple with the inequalities and injustices that have created them. Both honest and optimistic, The Value of a Whale asks us - in the face of crisis - what we really value. This book is relevant to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11, Sustainable cities and communities -- .