This collection of papers aims to draw lessons and apply indigenous knowledge, wisdom and cultural traditions to suit policy contexts describing the (a) role of individuals (b) communities, and (c) the state to ensure effectively manage water resources. Readers will discover ways in which water was conceptualized, conserved and managed. Contributions will also shed light on the historical, functional and futuristic perspectives of water resources management, and readers will be able to draw lessons and evolve policy guidelines. There are some studies related to scriptures across religions and their perceptions regarding ecological conservation. However, religious studies and their socio-economic and environmental relevance to society, more specifically to the current policy contexts, are limited. This book attempts to bridge this gap, in terms of learning lessons from the past to effectively address the challenges of the present and future. The book will be useful for historians and research scholars studying the place of water in different cultures, water pricing and water sharing; as well as ecologists and environmental scientists.

We are faced with the twin urgent challenges of delivering a low carbon and secure energy system. The last few years have seen Britain moving from being a net exporter to a net importer of energy. The threat of climate change has led to the slow but inexorable inclusion of environmental concerns in mainstream energy policy. Against this backdrop, economic and political power around the globe has altered, creating a complex, multipolar world. Rising concerns about the long term availability and price of oil, gas and uranium only add to the challenges facing Britain. This timely volume brings together key researchers and practitioners from a wide range of disciplines, including energy policy, international relations and supply chains, to explore the practical policy options in addressing energy security in Britain.

This volume presents nine chapters prepared by international authors and highlighting various aspects of climate change and water resources. Climate change models and scenarios, particularly those related to precipitation projection, are discussed and uncertainties and data deficiencies that affect the reliability of predictions are identified. The potential impacts of climate change on water resources (including quality) and on crop production are analyzed and adaptation strategies for crop production are offered. Furthermore, case studies of climate change mitigation strategies, such as the reduction of water use and conservation measures in urban environments, are included. This book will serve as a valuable reference work for researchers and students in water and environmental sciences, as well as for governmental agencies and policy makers.

This book provides an integrated approach to coastal dynamics and shoreline protection, aided by the use of specific case studies. It was developed from lecture notes for a course in Coastal Dynamics and Shoreline Protection addressed to students of Environmental Sciences, and for this reason it is organized in such a way as to introduce the reader to the fundamental principles of the topics discussed in each chapter. The text introduces both undergraduate and graduate engineering students, as well as practicing engineers, to the different meteo-marine factors that influence coastal dynamics. Using practical and theoretical application, this book explores factors such as winds, sea level variations, offshore waves (predicted and measured, regular and random), wave transformation and breaking as well as topics of sediment transport computation, beach profile and shoreline modeling and coastal protection systems.Some of the topics discussed are as follows: coastal remediation and management; mechanisms of sediment transport such as linear and higher order waves, random waves and spectra, wave transformation in the coastal zone, water levels, short-term and long-term wave prediction, sediment transport, shoreline and beach profile modeling; alternative protection systems; basic elements of hydraulic and structural design for both rigid structures and beach fills.

This is the first textbook to address quantified risk assessment (QRA) as specifically applied to offshore installations and operations. As the first part of the two-volume updated and expanded fourth edition, it adds a new focus on the EU Offshore Safety Directive, and discusses the new perspective on risk from the Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority, followed by new and updated international standards. New safety statistics for the Norwegian sectors are presented, as well as new case studies on international offshore accidents, such as the explosion on FPSO Sao Mateus in 2015, which involved 9 fatalities. Separate chapters analyse the main hazards for offshore structures: fire, explosion, collision, and falling objects, as well as structural and marine hazards. Risk mitigation and control are discussed, as well as how the results of quantitative risk assessment studies should be presented. The fourth edition presents updated hydrocarbon release statistics, together with new methods for modelling the risk from ignited hydrocarbon releases. There have been recent advances in the modelling of collision risk from passing and attending vessels, based on extensive research; these advances are described in detail, in addition to new developments in the safety of Dynamic Positioning vessels. In closing, the book provides updated statistics and lessons learned from accidents involving offshore helicopter transportation of personnel. The book offers a comprehensive reference guide for academics and students of marine/offshore risk assessment and management. It will also be of interest to professionals in the industry, as well as contractors, suppliers, consultants and regulatory authorities.

In this book, leading international experts explore the emerging concept of the zero energy mass custom home (ZEMCH) - designed to meet the need for social, economic, and environmental sustainability - and provide all of the knowledge required for the delivery of zero energy mass customized housing and community developments in developed and developing countries. The coverage is wide ranging, progressing from explanation of the meaning of sustainable development to discussion of challenges and trends in mass housing, the advantages and disadvantages of prefabricated methods of construction, and the concepts of mass customization, mass personalization, and inclusive design. A chapter on energy use will aid the reader in designing and retrofitting housing to reduce energy demand and/or improve energy end-use efficiency. Passive design strategies and active technologies (especially solar) are thoroughly reviewed. Application of the ZEMCH construction criteria to new buildings and refurbishment of old houses is explained and the methods and value of building performance simulation, analyzed. The concluding chapter presents examples of ZEMCH projects from around the world, with discussion of marketing strategy, design, quality assurance, and delivery challenges. The book will be invaluable as a training/teaching tool for both students and industry partners.

Biomass obtained from agricultural residues or forest can be used to produce different materials and bioenergy required in a modern society. As compared to other resources available, biomass is one of the most common and widespread resources in the world. Thus, biomass has the potential to provide a renewable energy source, both locally and across large areas of the world. It is estimated that the total investment in the biomass sector between 2008 and 2021 will reach the large sum of $104 billion. Presently bioenergy is the most important renewable energy option and will remain so the near and medium-term future. Previously several countries try to explore the utilization of biomass in bioenergy and composite sector. Biomass has the potential to become the world s largest and most sustainable energy source and will be very much in demand. Bioenergy is based on resources that can be utilized on a sustainable basis all around the world and can thus serve as an effective option for the provision of energy services. In addition, the benefits accrued go beyond energy provision, creating unique opportunities for regional development. The present book will provide an up-to-date account of non-wood, forest residues, agricultural biomass (natural fibers), and energy crops together with processing, properties, and its applications to ensure biomass utilization and reuse. All aspects of biomass and bioenergy and their properties and applications will be critically re-examined. The book consists of three sections, presenting Non wood and forest products from forestry, arboriculture activities or from wood processing, agricultural biomass (natural fibers) from agricultural harvesting or processing and finally energy crops: high yield crops and grasses grown especially for energy production. "

This book addresses energy research from four distinct International Political Economy perspectives: energy security, governance, legal and developmental areas. Energy is too important to be neglected by political scientists. Yet, within the mainstream of the discipline energy research still remains a peripheral area of academic enquiry seeking to plug into the discipline's theoretical debates. The purpose of this book is to assess how existing perspectives fit with our understanding of social science energy research by focusing on the oil and gas dimension.

Cultural landscapes are a product ofthe interactions between humans and natural settings. They are landscapes and seascapes that are shaped by human history and land use. Socioeconomic processes especially, but also environmental changes and natural disturbances, are some of the forces that make up landscape dynamics. To understand and manage such complex landscapes, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches are necessary, emphasizing the integration of natural and social sciences and considering multiple landscape functions. The spatial patterns of Asian landscapes are strongly related to human activities and their impacts. Anthropogenic patterns and processes have created numerous traditional cultural landscapes throughout the region, and understanding them requires indigenous knowledge. Cultural landscape ecology from a uniquely Asian perspective is explored in this book, as are the management of landscapes and land-use policies. Human-dominated landscapes with long traditions, such as those described herein, provideuseful information for all ecologists, not only in Asia, to better understand the human environmental relationship and landscape sustainability. "

This book presents strategies for managing disasters and reducing risks in Asian countries. Given the dynamic changes in the natural environment as well as the patterns of land use and management, the growing populations of the developing nations in Asia, migration patterns, and other social-cultural aspects, the impacts of disasters have increased manifold in Asian countries. Against this backdrop, the book examines disaster management issues such as disaster preparedness, post-disaster reconstruction, peace, development and corruption. The views of different groups of stakeholders are incorporated in the discussion to ensure a comprehensive analysis of and findings on the governance process, as well as best practices in pre- and post-disaster management. The book also includes chapters focusing on aspects often overlooked in the context of disaster management, such as the need to invest in public education to improve public awareness, and approaches to supporting the disabled, the vulnerable and the elderly from disaster risks. In closing, the book presents research on disaster management methods employed by different countries in the Asian region. Acknowledgement: The editors acknowledge the role of the Network of Asia Pacific Schools and Institutes of Public Administration and Governance (NAPSIPAG), which is the largest governance research network in the Asia Pacific region,in bringing out this book. NAPSIPAG has been regularly organizing international meetings of administrators, academia and non-state bodies to provide a forum to the regional scholars to deliberate with the international governance experts. It has also helped the international policy organizations to have a better understanding about the region through a local lens of Asiatic anthropology, ethnography and culture of administration.

This book highlights the advances in essential oil research, from the plant physiology perspective to large-scale production, including bioanalytical methods and industrial applications. The book is divided into 4 sections. The first one is focused on essential oil composition and why plants produce these compounds that have been used by humans since ancient times. Part 2 presents an update on the use of essential oils in various areas, including food and pharma industries as well as agriculture. In part 3 readers will find new trends in bioanalytical methods. Lastly, part 4 presents a number of approaches to increase essential oil production, such as in vitro and hairy root culture, metabolic engineering and biotechnology. Altogether, this volume offers a comprehensive look at what researchers have been doing over the last years to better understand these compounds and how to explore them for the benefit of the society.

The classical field dealing with earthquakes is called "earthquake engineering" and considered to be a branch of structural engineering. In projects dealing with strategies for earthquake risk mitigation, urban planning approaches are often neglected. Today interventions are needed on a city, rather than a building, scale. This work deals with the impact of earthquakes, including also a broader view on multihazards in urban areas. Uniquely among other works in the field, particular importance is given to urban planning issues, in conservation of heritage and emergency management. Multicriteria decision making and broad participation of those affected by disasters are included.

Air pollution policy is closely connected with climate change, public health, energy, transport, trade, and agriculture, and generally speaking, the Earth has been pushed to the brink and the damage is becoming increasingly obvious. The transport sector remains a foremost source of air pollutants - a fact that has stimulated the production of biofuels. This book focuses on the biodiesel industry, and proposes a modification of the entire manufacturing chain that would pave the way for further improvements. Oil derived from oilseed plantations/crops is the most commonly used feedstock for the production of biodiesel. At the same time, the UK's Royal Academy of Engineering and 178 scientists in the Netherlands have determined that some biofuels, such as diesel produced from food crops, have led to more emissions than those produced by fossil fuels. Accordingly, this book re-evaluates the full cycle of biodiesel production in order to help find optimal solutions. It confirms that the production and use of fertilizers for the cultivation of crop feedstocks generate considerably more GHG emissions compared to the mitigation achieved by using biodiesel. To address this fertilization challenge, projecting future biofuel development requires a scenario in which producers shift to an organic agriculture approach that includes the use of microalgae. Among advanced biofuels, algae's advantages as a feedstock include the highest conversion of solar energy, and the ability to absorb CO2 and pollutants; as such, it is the better choice for future fuels. With regard to the question of why algae's benefits have not been capitalized on for biofuel production, our analyses indicate that the sole main barrier to realizing algae's biofuel potential is ineffective international and governmental policies, which create difficulties in reconciling the goals of economic development and environmental protection.

At the beginning of the 21st century, Antarctica is poised at the edge of a warmer and busier world. Leading Antarctic researchers examine the needs and challenges of Antarctic environmental management today and tomorrow. Through: (i) investigating the impacts of human activities on specific ecosystems and species, (ii) examining existing environmental management and monitoring practices in place in various regions and (iii) interrogating stakeholders, they address the following questions: What future will Business-As-Usual bring to the Antarctic environment? Will a Business-As-Usual future be compatible with the objectives set out under the Antarctic Treaty, especially its Protocol on Environmental Protection? What actions are necessary to bring about alternative futures for the next 50 years? This volume is an outcome of the International Polar Year (2007-2009) Oslo Science Conference (8-12, June, 2010).

Forming the 10th volume from this successful international conference series, this book features research from scientists, practitioners and other experts working across the field of water resources management. Water is essential for sustaining life on our planet and its uneven distribution is a source of permanent conflict. The growth of human population combined with the irregularity in precipitation and water availability may restrict even further the access to water in certain regions of the world. This problem is made more severe by anthropogenic activities that affect its quality. Moreover, changes in the landscape, use of the land and climate conditions lead to a continuous revaluation of river basin management objectives. This requires the development of better measuring tools as well as the use of increasingly accurate computer software. This volume provides an insight into the state of the art in the current technology, techniques and solutions in sustainable water resources management as they have been developed and applied in different countries. Themes related to water resources include: Water management and planning; Water rights and accessibility; Water markets economics and policies; Climate change; Irrigation; Water resources in arid regions; Ground water; Hydraulic engineering; Trans-boundary water management; Water, food and energy; Water and the community; Integrated water analysis; Wetlands as water sources.

This book explores the relationship between the land use choices of small-scale farmers and the rate of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. Although sustainable agriculture was introduced to the Amazon area about 10 years ago, it has been adopted by only a few farmers. Jill L. Caviglia analyses why this practice has not been more widely adopted and offers policy prescriptions to address this. The major source of deforestation in the Amazon is the use of slash-and-burn agriculture by small-scale farmers. The adoption of sustainable agriculture by these farmers could reduce the rate of deforestation dramatically. The author uses new, original case studies of farms in the area to estimate the probability of the adoption of sustainable agriculture and, once the adoption decision has been made, the intensity of adoption. The author finds that this is influenced greatly by farmer organizations and by providing the farmers with the knowledge that sustainable agriculture is a viable alternative to slash-and-burn practices. This book will be of great interest to scholars and policymakers in the areas of environmental economics, environmental policy and Latin American studies.

This book focuses on land and disaster governance in Asian countries. The Asian region has become increasingly vulnerable to natural disasters, including floods, cyclones, storms, earthquakes, drought, typhoons and tsunamis. Further, as a result of unsustainable changes being made in patterns of land use, catchment and coastal zones, increasing population density, migration patterns, and the spread of consumer culture across countries, the impact of natural disasters has increased manifold. The book addresses two major concerns in this field. Firstly, it discusses topics intended to raise awareness among all stakeholders of the critical aspects of disaster management in the context of Asia. Secondly, it calls upon policymakers, researchers, academics, practitioners, private enterprises and civil society organizations, as well as all those who have been, are and will be affected by natural disasters to search for innovative and novel approaches to reducing risk and managing disasters.

This book addresses the need for deeper understanding of regulatory and policy regimes around the world in relation to the use of water for the production of 'unconventional' hydrocarbons, including shale gas, coal bed methane and tight oil, through hydraulic fracturing. Legal, policy, political and regulatory issues surrounding the use of water for hydraulic fracturing are present at every stage of operations. Operators and regulators must understand the legal, political and hydrological contexts of their surroundings, procure water for use in the fracturing and extraction processes, gain community cooperation or confront social resistance around water, collect flow back and produced water, and dispose of these wastewaters safely. By analysing and comparing different approaches to these issues from around the globe, this volume gleans insights into how policy, best practices and regulation may be developed to advance the interests of all stakeholders. While it is not always possible to easily transfer 'good practice' from one place to another, there is value in examining and understanding the components of different legal and regulatory regimes, as these may assist in the development of better regulatory law and policy for the rapidly growing unconventional energy sector. The book takes an interdisciplinary approach and includes chapters looking at water-energy nexus security in general, along with issue-focused and geographically-focused case studies written by scholars from around the world. Chapter topics, organized in conjunction with the stage of the shale gas production process upon which they touch, include the implications of hydraulic fracturing for agriculture, municipalities, and other stakeholders competing for water supplies; public opinion regarding use of water for hydraulic fracturing; potential conflicts between hydraulic fracturing and water as a human right; prevention of induced seismic activity, and the disposal or recycling of produced water. Several chapters also discuss implications of unconventional energy production for indigenous communities, particularly as regards sustainable water management. This volume will be of interest to scholars and students of energy and water, regulators and policymakers and operators interested in ensuring that they align with emergent best global practice.

The population of cities around the world is growing at an alarming rate, and as a result the landscapes of most cities are going through enormous changes. In particular, fertile agricultural lands at the periphery of cities are being developed without consideration of holistic planning. As such, peri-urban areas, zones of transition from rural to urban land uses located between the outer limits of the urban and the rural environment are experiencing significant losses of agricultural land, increased runoff, and water quality degradation. Concurrently, the demands for water, food and energy are increasing within cities, and unless a balance is struck the liveability of these cities will soon be compromised. The current water and land use changes have serious consequences on lifestyle, environment, health and overall well-being of urban communities. This book therefore helps readers to understand the current issues and challenges and examines suitable strategies and practices to cope with current and future pressures of urbanisation and peri-urban land-use changes.

The book examines a number of critical aspects in relation to the future of cities and peri-urban regions, including the suitability of policies and institutions to sustain cities into the future; impact of current trends in land use change, population increase and water demand; long term planning needs and approaches to ensure the secured future for generations ahead; and strategies to adapt the cities and land uses so that they remain viable and liveable.

The readership of the book will include policy makers, urban planners, researchers, post-graduate students in urban planning and environmental and water resources management and managers in municipal councils.

This volume brings together fourteen papers by leading economists, regulators, and industry practitioners presented at a historic conference on natural gas deregulation. From the origins of gas regulation in the last century to a reexamination of the policy reforms of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) over the last decade, these essays constitute a primer on today's major gas policy issues. These topics include the case for incentive regulation, the costs and benefits of mandatory open-access transportation, the methodology used for determining "workably competitive" markets, lessons from light-handed intrastate regulation, new transactions in the gas market, and private contracting to bypass regulation. Many of these issues and insights can be applied to restructuring other industries such as electric power and telecommunications. Academics and industry practitioners alike will find this book an indispensable reference guide to the history of gas regulation, the recent industry restructuring, and the options for future regulatory reform toward greater market reliance.

This book covers all sustainable fibres applicable in the fashion sector. It addresses the importance of these fibres in the fashion sector with the context of sustainability. This book, the first of its kind, addresses all the minute details pertaining to these fibres and connects these fibres with the world of sustainable fashion. It stresses the importance of having these fibres on board in developing sustainable apparels, as fibres play a major role as the starting point in the life cycle of apparel.

This book reviews and characterises promising single-compound solvents, solvent blends and advanced solvent systems suitable for CO2 capture applications using gas-liquid absorption. Focusing on energy efficient solvents with minimal adverse environmental impact, the contributions included analyse the major technological advantages, as well as research and development challenges of promising solvents and solvent systems in various sustainable CO2 capture applications. It provides a valuable source of information for undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as for chemical engineers and energy specialists.

The purpose of this book is to introduce the phosphorus (P) removal structure as a new BMP for reducing dissolved P loading to surface waters from non-point source pollution, provide guidance on designing site-specific P removal structures, and provide instruction on use of the design software, "Phrog" (Phosphorus Removal Online Guidance). The book initially provides a review of the nature and sources of non-point source P pollution, examines short and long term solutions to the problem, and provides detailed theory on design and operation of the P removal structure. As with many areas of study, one of the best methods of communicating concepts is through illustrations and examples. This book is no exception; several years of experience in studying P sorption and constructing P removal structures at multiple scales and settings is utilized for providing real examples and applications. With an understanding of the P removal structure established, the reader is instructed on how to obtain all of the necessary inputs for properly designing a site-specific P removal structure for meeting a desired lifetime and performance, or predict the performance and lifetime of a previously constructed P removal structure. For the readers who already possess the Phrog design software or are interested in obtaining it, one chapter is dedicated to detailed use of the software as demonstrated with various examples of structure design and also prediction.