This illuminating book analyses energy transitions, carbon dioxide emissions and the security of energy supply in Mediterranean countries. Unpacking the history of energy transitions, from coal to oil and natural gas, and from non-renewable to renewable energy sources, Silvana Bartoletto offers a comparative approach to the major trends in energy consumption, production, trade and security in Mediterranean countries in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.   Chapters illustrate the key similarities and differences between Mediterranean countries that have influenced energy supply and consumption patterns. Tracing economic convergence in the last century and highlighting its impact on energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions, this timely book offers critical insights into the problems of energy dependency and security in areas of political turmoil, as well as crucial insights into the future of the energy crisis. It concludes with a look to the future of energy consumption in the age of climate change and the slow but critical transition to renewable sources.   Enlightening and provocative, this book is key reading for scholars of political science and economics engaged with energy production and consumption, as well as those studying climate change. Its historical insights and overview of significant energy trends will also be useful for policymakers and climate scientists.

The ways in which rapid urbanization of the Global South are transforming food systems and food supply chains, and the food security of urban populations is an often neglected topic. This international group of authors addresses this profound transformation from a variety of different perspectives and disciplinary lenses, providing an important corrective to the dominant view that food insecurity is a rural problem requiring increases in agricultural production. Starting from the premise that food security in urban areas is primarily a challenge of food access, the chapters explore the various economic, social, and governance policies and structures that constrain and inhibit the access of all to food of sufficient quantity and quality. As the Global South continues to urbanize, the challenge of feeding hungry cities will become even more daunting, and this Handbook explains why the existing food system, although undergoing rapid change, is inadequate for this task and cannot meet the challenge without substantial reform. The Handbook as a whole, and the individual chapters, provide comprehensive overviews of relevant themes mixed with empirical, real-world examples for university readership teaching and taking courses on food systems, migration and urbanization, urban policy and planning, geography, agricultural economics, public health, and international development. It will also introduce practitioners to current debates in the field and provide strong support for the renewed, and growing, focus on the food security of urban populations. The Handbook's comprehensive overviews of relevant themes mixed with empirical, real-world examples are ideal for university readership. It will also introduce practitioners to current debates in the field and provide strong support for the renewed, and growing, focus on the food security of urban populations.

Offering a unique and critical perspective on energy justice, this Handbook delves into an emerging field of inquiry encapsulating multiple strands of scholarship on energy systems. Covering key topics including generation, transmission, distribution and demand, it explores fundamental questions surrounding policy, climate change, security and social movements. The Handbook illuminates the rapidly expanding and diversifying scholarly domains where energy justice has developed to date. Chapters provide an overview on energy justice issues across a range of socio-technical and political contexts, including differences along lines of race, gender, age, geography, housing, socio-economic status and infrastructure. The Handbook further incorporates non-Western perspectives to expand the transitional vocabulary and frameworks of energy justice. Grounded in empirically rich case studies from across the world to support nuanced framings, situated methods and informed policy, this Handbook will be of interest to students of development, human geography, environmental policy and politics. It will also be useful to practitioners working in international organisations and agencies working in development and the environment.

Despite the growing belief in the efficacy of market forces, the ownership and use of land in Britain are now '...subject to a greater array of statutory controls than at any time since the introduction of the 1947 Town and Country Planning Act'. 'Market failure' arguments are used in support of land use planning. However, in this radical attack on the present regime, Mark Pennington shows that such arguments are misguided. Planners, even if altruistic, could not gather and interpret the information which would be necessary to run an efficient land use planning system. In practice, planners have their own interests and are subject to pressure from special interest groups which benefit from the present regime. Fundamental change is required, according to Pennington. The system is over-centralised, there is too little experimentation, information is lacking and incentive structures are inappropriate. The costs of enforcing property rights could be reduced by entrepreneurial action in a market. Private covenants, deed restrictions and the establishment of proprietary communities are the way forward.

This crucial Handbook investigates an urgent area for policy-makers, academia and industries alike: the circular economy. International experts on the subject bring together the latest thinking on this critical global issue. Providing a comprehensive overview of the mechanisms and consequences of the circular economy, as well as its limitations, it raises important questions concerning how the world should proceed when non-renewable resources, such as fossil fuels and minerals, are being depleted and the environment is struggling to cope with the waste and emissions of unsustainable production and consumption systems. Contributors explore a broad range of themes, such as new sustainable production and consumption systems, new design requirements, recycling systems, new business models and the social impacts of the circular economy, while also consolidating the many ways in which the topic has been dealt with in research, business and policy-making. Shedding light on a concept that has become increasingly relevant during the last decade, the Handbook of the Circular Economy is essential reading for students, academics and policy-makers trying to make sense of the plethora of ways in which the term has been applied and interpreted.

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.

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

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.

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. In this authoritative Advanced Introduction, Ken Conca expertly examines the fundamentals of water politics, covering poverty, health and livelihoods alongside key areas such as water law, the environment, international politics and the growing role of climate change in water governance. Key features include: analysis of water politics and policy grounded in law, politics, economics, and environmental management a detailed overview of not only research and scholarship in the field but also the perspectives and activities of the community of practice examination of the major areas of contention in current water policy, including pricing and privatization, large dams and contentious infrastructure, water and climate adaptation, cooperation and conflict in international river basins, and the food-water-energy nexus. This book provides essential reading for scholars and students of political science, public policy, environment studies, human geography and related social sciences, in addition to decision makers and policy makers in the water and environmental policy fields.

This comprehensive guide provides readers with strategies for teaching Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in all its forms, whether through formal university programmes or in the form of short courses offered to professionals and practitioners. Featuring contributions from 39 university teachers and short course trainers, the centerpiece of the book is the suite of 37 recipes for teaching different aspects of EIA. This internationally relevant resource collectively embodies and applies the best practice principles for teaching EIA, developed through a two-year research project with input from a diverse group of international experts. It provides practical and innovative learning activities with complete instructions for successful delivery, and thus represents a truly comprehensive and up-to-date contribution to the field. This latest contribution to our Elgar Guides to Teaching series serves as both a basis for reflection upon curricula and teaching practices, and as a source of inspiration for learning activities that can be adopted and adapted for different contexts by EIA teachers and trainers. It will be a valuable resource to help both new and seasoned EIA educators expand their toolbox in order to teach EIA more effectively.

Presenting critical insights on how economic activity is constrained by the environment's ability to provide material and energy resources, this timely Research Agenda explores how humanity shapes, and is shaped by, environmental change and sustainability challenges. Chapters highlight how, under these constraints, people may seek to improve their lives and standards of living without undermining the abilities of others to do so now or in the future. With contributions from top economic scholars, as well as from a range of other disciplines including ethics, law, and the physical and life sciences, this book explores how interdisciplinary insights can be integrated to provide meaningful investment and policy advice. Offering diverse understandings of the topic from both the Global North and South, this Research Agenda challenges previous economic conceptualizations of human-environment interactions, exploring resource use and environmental impact from micro- and macro-economic perspectives. Students of environmental and ecological economics will find this to be a thought-provoking and stimulating read. The suggestions for future research and use of clear case studies will also prove valuable for environmental law and ethics scholars, as well as environmental policy-makers. Contributors include: D.C. Andersen, Y. Bramoulle, L.P. Breckenridge, M. Faber, M. Frick, A. Kander, R. Kemp, D. Malghan, R.B. Norgaard, C. Orset, S.V. Ramani, M. Ruth, J. Sager, M. Sagoff, M.R. Sers, D.I. Stern, D.J. Thampapillai, E. van Leeuwen, M.d.M.R. Varas, P.A. Victor

Exploring water scarcity issues in light of the growing crisis in global water management, this book examines the applicability of water markets. It provides an overview and understanding of the presence of water markets across the globe, analysing the ways in which different countries and regions are grappling with water scarcity. This timely book offers an insight into the benefits of water markets, and their identified market failures. A water market framework is applied to key case studies, highlighting that the majority of regions have not had sufficient water reforms to allow for the introduction of water markets without negative social consequences. The book addresses existing hydrological and institutional capacity across countries and areas where water reform is needed, and lessons are provided for future water markets, taking into account these limitations. The case studies of different countries tackling water scarcity issues and reform will make this an essential read for scholars of environmental studies, water economics, sustainability management and environmental policies. It will also be an invigorating book for water policy-makers interested in lessons for change, and in how to better implement reforms for water markets to help address both water scarcity and improve productivity.

Fruit and Vegetable Waste Utilization and Sustainability presents strategies to address the amount of waste generated from the industrial processing of fruits and vegetables. Sections address the valorization of fruit and vegetable waste for high-value products, the techno-economic assessment of fruit and vegetable biorefinery/valorization, environmental impacts through real-life examples of lifecycle assessment, and content on integrated biorefineries, policies and case studies. Food scientists and nutrition researchers, as well as food industry professionals working toward zero waste and academics and students studying related fields, are sure to benefit from this reference.

This incisive Research Handbook examines the relationship between energy and society, across both macro- and micro-scales, in the context of the climate crisis. Featuring an extensive examination of current research in the field from fifty expert international contributors, it offers important insights into the inter-connections between the globally organised fossil fuel energy system and the changing structures of society. Structured in four thematic parts, the Research Handbook begins with an analysis of the evolution of large-scale energy production and consumption using coal, oil and gas. Chapters then explore social divisions and inequalities in energy systems in different countries, before moving on to discuss energy governance, policy and politics, along with strategies to achieve transformation. In the final part, the Research Handbook investigates forms of knowledge, stories and public engagement being used to re-make energy futures, concluding that social sciences are identifying the inter-locking societal and technical changes needed to enable rapid systemic changes in energy. The Research Handbook on Energy and Society will be a crucial resource for social science scholars and students interested in the intersections of energy, climate change and society, including aspects of governance, policy and politics, social identity, social justice and inequalities.

This timely Handbook draws together insightful analyses of natural resource management challenges and solutions in the face of sustainable development targets and a changing global climate. Expert contributors illustrate the ways in which resource- and region-specific challenges shape national and global strategies, exploring the institutional aspects of resource management and their implications for policy making. They consider the economic, legal, environmental, social, financial and technological dimensions of resource management, consolidating interdisciplinary knowledge and setting the agenda for future research. Advancing scientific knowledge in the field, the Handbook offers a roadmap for well-informed policy making, highlighting the uncertainties and risks associated with climate change, energy and sustainability transition, and the need for a forward-looking approach to resource management. Assembling state-of-the-art contributions to provide a clearer understanding of the transformative policy developments ahead, this Handbook is crucial reading for academics and researchers of resource management, public policy, sustainability, energy transition, climate change and environmental studies. It also offers critical empirical insights for policy makers and practitioners developing innovative strategies to meet sustainability targets.

Elgar Research Agendas outline the future of research in a given area. Leading scholars are given the space to explore their subject in provocative ways, and map out the potential directions of travel. They are relevant but also visionary. We face many important global environmental problems today, including climate change, biodiversity destruction, and environmental health issues. Key among the tools we have to understand and solve these problems is research. This Research Agenda argues for a transdisciplinary approach to the study of environmental management to provide better understanding and outcomes leading to practical solutions. By describing the key strategies needed to overcome common global environmental challenges and to undertake successful interdisciplinary environmental research, this Research Agenda demonstrates the possibilities for successful transdisciplinary environmental research. A series of case studies shows how this transdisciplinary approach to research has improved understandings of environmental problems and their potential solutions. Discussing the types of participation required and the difficulties of incorporating diverse groups into research projects, this Research Agenda provides lessons in how to successfully undertake transdisciplinary research in order to meet these challenges. A Research Agenda for Environmental Management provides invaluable insights for interdisciplinary researchers in all fields affected by environmental management as well as students and scholars engaged in environmental research looking for ways to successfully integrate transdisciplinary approaches into their work. Contributors include: J. Abrams, D.B. Agusdinata, G. Alonso-Yanez, B. Barnett, N. Basiliko, K. Calvert, D. Cordoba, T. de Souza, M. del Carmen Fragoso Medina, J.L. Dunn, A. Eastmond, D.J. Flaspohler, K. Floress, V.S. Gagnon, A. Giang, H.S. Gorman, R.B. Guerrero, K.E. Halvorsen, R.M. Handler, M.A. Hanif, R.J. Heffron, J. Heyman, L. House-Peters, A. Kantamneni, J.L. Knowlton, R.A. LaFave, J. Licata, H.K. Lukosch, E.E. Mata-Zayas, R. Medeiros, M.A. Mesa-Jurado, D. Minakata, A. Mirchi, C. Moseley, T. Moya Mose, T.H. Mwampamba, C.J.V. Navarrete, E.A. Nielsen, M. Ohira, E. Ortega, J.A. Perlinger, E.C. Pischke, E.W. Prehoda, V.D.P. Risso, J.C. Sacramento-Rivero, M. Samimi, D. Sanchez, C. Schelly, T.L. Selfa, R. Shwom, R.V. Sidortsov, B. Tarekegne, G. Tchobanoglous, N.R. Urban, L.P. Volkow, S. Walker, D. Watkins, R.L. Winkler

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. In this authoritative Advanced Introduction, Ken Conca expertly examines the fundamentals of water politics, covering poverty, health and livelihoods alongside key areas such as water law, the environment, international politics and the growing role of climate change in water governance. Key features include: analysis of water politics and policy grounded in law, politics, economics, and environmental management a detailed overview of not only research and scholarship in the field but also the perspectives and activities of the community of practice examination of the major areas of contention in current water policy, including pricing and privatization, large dams and contentious infrastructure, water and climate adaptation, cooperation and conflict in international river basins, and the food-water-energy nexus. This book provides essential reading for scholars and students of political science, public policy, environment studies, human geography and related social sciences, in addition to decision makers and policy makers in the water and environmental policy fields.

This comprehensive Handbook tackles the increasingly urgent problem of the impact of climate change on conflict and human security. It analyses the ways in which scarcity of resources leads to food, water and health insecurities, resulting in population migration. Chapters cover how these contribute globally to societal insecurity and violent conflict in a growing number of regions. Featuring contributions from leading international scholars, the Handbook is divided into thematic sections, examining first the effects of environmental scarcity on security at a macro level before delving into region-specific issues and challenges. The final section investigates the actors, institutions and processes engaged with environmental security, discussing the shifting international political discourse and how this is challenging the conservative military security paradigm. The combination of comparative global analysis alongside regionally focused studies makes this Handbook an invaluable resource for all scholars and students of environment and climate security. It will also be of interest to policy professionals working on issues of environmental scarcity and new security challenges.