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Books > Earth & environment > The environment > Pollution & threats to the environment
This book focuses on threats, especially contaminants, to drinking water and the supply system, especially in municipalities but also in industrial and even residential settings. The safety, security, and suitability landscape can be described as dynamic and complex stemming from necessity and hence culpability due to the emerging threats and risks, vis-a-vis globalization resulting in new forms of contaminants being used due to new technologies. The book provides knowledge and guidance for engineers, scientists, designers, researchers, and students who are involved in water, sustainability, and study of security issues. This book starts out with basics of water usage, current statistics, and an overview ofwater resources. The book then introduces different scenarios of safety and security and areas that researchers need to focus. Following that, the book presents different types of contaminants - inadvertent, intentional, or incidental. The next section presents different methodologies of contamination sensing/detection and remediation strategies as per guidance and standards set globally. The book then concludes with selected chapters on water management, including critical infrastructure that is critical to maintaining safe water supplies to cities and municipalities. Each chapter includes descriptive information for professionals in their respective fields. The breadth of chapters offers insights into how science (physical, natural, and social) and technology can support new developments to manage the complexity resident within the evolving threat and risk landscape.
This book gives a much needed explanation of the basic physical principles of radiative transfer and remote sensing, and presents all the instruments and retrieval algorithms in a homogenous manner. The editors provide, for the first time, an easy path from theory to practical algorithms in one easily accessible volume, making the connection between theoretical radiative transfer and individual practical solutions to retrieve aerosol information from remote sensing, and providing the specifics and intercomparison of all current and historical retrieval methods.
In the continuing fight against organic environmental xenobiotics, the initial success attributed to bioremediation has paled, in part due to the low availability of xenobiotics entrapped within a soil or sediment matrix. This has generated a very significant wave of interest in the bioavailability issue. However, much experimental evidence is puzzling or contradictory, mechanistic theories are embryonic, and implications for the practice of bioremediation or concerning the natural fate of xenobiotics are still tentative. The debate in Europe and the USA is vigorous. Eastern Europe, following the liberalisation of the economy and political life, is evolving in a similar direction. In many cases, however, limited access to literature sources, severe language barriers, and the lack of a strong pluridisciplinary tradition are hampering the adoption of state of the art techniques. Originally intended to allow scientists in East European countries to become acquainted with the key aspects of the bioavailability debate that is unfolding in the scientific literature in the West, and with its implications for bioremediation efforts, the present book presents a very complete coverage of the theoretical and practical aspects of the (limited) bioavailability of organic xenobiotics in the environment.
At present, we have been living in an ice age for around 2.5 million years, a geological epoch in which there is ice on Earth and in which the curve of the global mean temperature is subject to significant fluctuations (current trend: temperature increase). At nearly 16 million square kilometers, about ten percent of the land surface is currently covered by glacial ice-and glacial ice plays a major role in shaping landscapes. This compact textbook sharpens the eye for such landscapes. It makes the forms and the shaping processes comprehensible, which the author illustrates with numerous regional examples, especially from Central Europe, such as the North German Plain and the Alpine foothills, but also from Iceland. What traces have the glaciers and their meltwaters left behind? What formation processes can be inferred? How can recent climate history, in particular that of the Ice Age, be reconstructed? It is exciting to look at current developments in glaciated areas and also to take a look at the (climate) future of the Earth. For example, the question arises as to what influence glaciers have on sea level and on future climate change. In this context, natural processes such as the ice age cycles, for which there are various ice age formation hypotheses, and anthropogenic influences in global warming must be weighed against each other. Practice questions help to deepen understanding.
Over time, it is expected that climate change will have a profound impact on human and natural systems, and thereby impede future economic growth and sustainable development. In this innovative and authoritative work, leading international experts discuss the challenges and opportunities for building an economy and society that is more resilient to climate change. Building a Climate Resilient Economy and Society fulfils a long-felt need, which assumed added importance following the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015, for a comprehensive work on climate resilience. The chapters are organised into three thematic sections. The first part explores vulnerability, adaptation and resilience, whilst part two offers sectoral perspectives from agriculture, fisheries, marine ecosystems, cities and urban infrastructure, drought prone areas and renewable energy. In the final part, the authors examine incentives, institutions and policy, covering topics such as carbon pricing, REDD-plus, the role of institutions and communities, climate finance and policies. Combining a global focus with detailed case studies from a cross section of regions, countries and sectors, this book will prove to be an invaluable resource for researchers, scholars and students. Written in concise, non-technical language, it will also provide a thorough reference for those in civil society or government working on climate resilience and disaster risk reduction. Contributors include: I. Arakelyan, L. Barrage, I. Bateman, C. Carraro, W.W. L. Cheung, R. Costanza, P.M. Cury, M. Davide, S. Dekker, Y. Elhadi, C. Fezzi, I. Haque, A.R. Harwood, C. Hesse, M. Inoue, C. Johnson, A.A. Lovett, K. May, K.A. Miller, A.J. Mohammed, D. Moran, K. Mutafoglu, K.N. Ninan, V. Orindi, A. Panda, A. Patt, R. Pichs-Madruga, M. Rao, J.-P. Schweitzer, V. Shandas, U. Sharma, Y. Su, U.R. Sumaila, T. Tai, P. ten Brink, D. Timmons, C. Tisdell, A. van Diepen-Heyadat, J. Voelkel, R.T. Watson, J. Woollard, A. Wreford
Maize is a globally important crop mainly utilized as feed, food and raw material for diverse industrial applications. Among cereals, it occupies third place after rice and wheat and is a staple food for a large segment of population worldwide particularly in the Asian as well as African countries. This monogram discusses various aspects of nutritional quality of maize such as quality protein maize which has been considered as most significant discovery in enhancing nutritional quality of cereals in terms of increasing the concentration of essential amino acids. The biochemistry of starch which is an important industrial product of maize has been discussed in detail. Further, the role of maize oil which is highly regarded for human consumption as it reduces the blood cholesterol concentration has also been elaborated. Naturally, maize is a rich source of carotenoids such as beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, lutein, cryptoxanthin which have highly diverse health benefits ranging from maintaining normal vision to lowering of oxidative stress. The need for biofortification of maize for provitamin A carotenoids and their role in alleviating vision impairments have also been discussed. The effect of various biotic and abiotic stresses particularly carbon dioxide and temperature on quality has been discussed thoroughly. Many value-added products as well as fermented foods that have been produced from maize which is consumed in different forms worldwide are also discussed. The aspects related to the maize application as fodder and as a source of malting have also been covered concisely. Overall, the book provides complete information about various quality aspects of maize. The various stakeholders such as maize researchers, extension specialists, students, teachers as well as farmers will be immensely benefitted from this monogram.
CITIES: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUSTAINABILITY BRANTLEY LIDDLE AND FRED MOAVENZADEH OR at least 4000 years, cities have been centers of cultural, social, technological Fand economic innovation, inventions and their application, and political power. Only in the last 200 years, the industrial era, have urban areas grown so rapidly, and their populations increased so dramatically that their impacts on the natural environ- ment are being felt beyond their immediate geographic surroundings. As the 21" cen- tury dawns, megacities-great and far-reaching concentrations of power and influ- ence-have become centers of the phenomena of globalization and information ex- change. These concentrations of people and activity are placing stress on the natural environment so great that it is beginning to have extensive regional, and even global impacts. However, asconcentrations ofpower-political, economic, andintellectual- these great urban centers share with the ancestral cities of past millennia the resources to consciously shape the future. The management of these megacities (those having populations of over eight million) in their current formative stages so taxing to natural systems,paradoxicallypresents theopportunity torestoresustainableregional and global environments. Environmental problems consequent to urban growth have two sources: pov- erty and affluence. These two conditions often coexist in dramatic contrast within the same city, particularly in developing countries. In terms of environmental impact, poverty-based problems tend to have local effects, while affluence-based problems usually have transboundary and/or global effects.
The Economic Geology of Iran is a complete and comprehensive book about mineral deposits, energy and water resources of Iran. Dr. Mansour Ghorbani has travelled to each of the huge variety of locations that feature the resources covered, personally verifying the details of them all. The book starts by describing the geography and physiography of Iran as well as its various climatic regions and the diverse corresponding vegetation. Then the book gives an excellent overview of the geology of the country, followed by the history of mining in Iran up to now. The author describes also the metallogenic and mineralization phases of Iran, its mineral zones and belts, and, more generally, the distribution of mineral deposits in the country. Dr. Ghorbani gives us also an analysis of the position of Iran in terms of global mineral resources, as well as the role that the country s mineral, energy and natural resources play in its overall economy. The book finishes with also provides a complete list of Iranian mineral deposits. This book is a perfect source of information for all students and researchers in the field of geo-science at the university level but also for mining and oil companies that would like to work, invest and get involved in such businesses in Iran.
This book focuses on the linking of the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) with other independent regional ETS. While rich practical and academic research has evolved on the economic and technical side of ETS linking, political drivers and barriers have so far been underrepresented in this debate. Filling this lacuna and based on international relations theory, existing research and qualitative fieldwork, this book introduces the range of political conditions that influence linking, such as political leadership and stakeholder activity. Specifically, it analyzes which of these aspects have played a role in three different linking activities of the EU: (1) a failed linking attempt: EU ETS-California Cap-and-Trade Program; (2) a successful linking treaty: EU ETS-Switzerland Emissions Trading System; and (3) an agreed-upon but not realized link: EU ETS-Australia Carbon Pricing Mechanism. Through an interrogation of these examples, Dr. Unger concludes that it is not only the technical challenges or the overall economic benefit but rather domestic interests, structural aspects, and external international political developments that have jointly dominated linking activities, especially those in which the EU takes part. This book will be of great interest to scholars and policy-makers working in climate policy and EU environmental politics.
Three topics dominate discussions of the global environment: pollution; the consequences of the affluent running ever faster through finite resources; and the growing tensions between rich and poor as a third of humanity continues to live and die in desperate poverty. In this exceptional book Barbara Ward (co-author with Rene Dubos of the bestselling Only One Earth) refused to see these processes as inevitable. It describes new technologies for recycling waste, for energy, for ?getting more or less?, linking them to ordinary people's working lives. It also suggests a strategy for meeting the basic needs of the disadvantaged, and shows how the vast inequalities between countries can be reduced. This perceptive survey of policies outlines a planetary bargain between the world's nations that would guarantee individual freedom from poverty and keep our shared biosphere in good working order. Originally published in 1988
The changing climate, the warming of the world and acid rain are among the greatest problems facing us at the end of the twentieth century. This book describes, for the first time, the effects of these phenomena on the high mountains and the forests of Europe. Mountains and the frozen regions (the cryosphere) not only play a major part in our climatic system, but are also central to our water supplies. Yet our glaciers are shrinking, our lakes and soils are becoming acidified, our forests are damaged and the whole fragile ecosystem of ranges like the Alps and the Caucasus is threatened. Nilsson and Pitt present the evidence and assess the probable effects of these changes on mountain society, tourism, water, flora and fauna. They also examine the uncertainties. Above all they look, too, at the best possible strategies in response to What is happening and at what the next steps should be. Originally published in 1991
Recent and dramatic flooding in places as far apart as Bangladesh and North Wales are example. of what could become commonplace if sea levels rise. Most scientists are predicting a rise of about one metre and this book, based on research carried out for the Commonwealth governments, describes in simple terms what in. likely to happen as a result and where the worst effects will be.Martin Ince, a well-known scientific journalist, deals with the accuracy of our knowledge and the possible errors in assessment. He considers the different kinds of damage that higher seas could cause, inundation, increased salination, coral damage, increased flood and surge damage and so on. Brief case studies are included covering the UK, the Maldives, North America, Bangladesh, Guyana, Kiribati, The Netherlands, Italy, Egypt and Australasia.The book ends with an examination of the scientific and technical developments which could make the problems easier to deal with and, above all, set. out the policies on which governments must agree.Originally published in 1990
'The authors take us into less-known corridors of climate Realpolitik and energy power play. We are provided with the essential vocabulary to understand what is at stake and how the challenge should be tackled' Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan Global warming and the resulting climate change present one of the greatest potential threats humanity has had to face. Every country contributes to them and they affect every person. Correspondingly, the Framework Convention on Climate Change, negotiated at the Earth Summit and since, is potentially one of the most significant international agreements ever reached and its successful implementation is vital if the threat is to be averted. This book provides a guide to the Convention and explains in very clear terms what is involved: the background which makes it so necessary; the tortuous process involved in negotiating it; what it says; and most importantly, how it must be interpreted and implemented, making clear the scale of the changes involved and the dangers of evading them. Sten Nilsson is leader of the forest resources project at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis. David Pitt is a consultant to the Bellerive Foundation and Alp Action. They are the authors of Mountain World in Danger, published by Earthscan in 1991. Originally published in 1994
The world is moving into a new era which will be dominated by a new range of threats and a new range of priorities. Already headlines tell of storms and droughts, mass emigrations, the danger of old Soviet nuclear reactors and the thinning ozone layer, and with the menaces of global warming, deforestation, pollution and loss of biodiversity, the picture is likely to get bleaker. Unlike traditional threats, these are not made deliberately and standard military responses are usually inappropriate They are threats without enemies and they present quite new and fundamental challenges to the international community which has to find new methods and institutions, as well as the resolve, to tackle them. In this book, eminent experts describe the new threats and the scale of the dangers which they present and set out the political, military and institutional changes needed. Gwyn Prins is Director of the Global Security Programme at the University of Cambridge. He is author of Top guns and Toxic Whales, also published by Earthscan. Progress For A Small Planet Three topics dominate discussions of the global environment: pollution; the consequences of the affluent running ever faster through finite resources; and the growing tensions between rich and poor as a third of humanity continues to live and die in desperate poverty. In this exceptional book Barbara Ward (co-author with Rene Dubos of the bestselling Only One Earth) refused to see these processes as inevitable. It describes new technologies for recycling waste, for energy, for 'getting more for less' ,linking them to ordinary people's working lives. It also suggests a strategy for meeting the basic needs of the disadvantaged, and shows how the vast inequalities between countries can be reduced. This perceptive survey of policies outlines a planetary bargain between the world's nations that would guarantee individual freedom from poverty and keep our shared biosphere in good working order. Originally published in 1993
The globe is warming and while no one knows what will happen as a result, it is clear that slowing the process is a necessary goal. Other studies have considered ?warming fates?, this one brings sophisticated computer modeling to bear on ways of minimizing the risks. Fossil carbon emissions, other trace gases and releases from other sources are all taken into account, and the authors demonstrate the global need to produce a budget for cumulative releases between now and the year 2100. They also demonstrate the need to return to a rate of forest carbon storage equal to that of the mid-1980s. These budgets look at issues of international equity and the ways of moving to a binding agreement. The price of failure to control GHG emissions may be uncertain, but it will be more than anyone can afford. Political will lies at the root of successful climate stabilization and major capital and technology transfers to Third World countries will be needed if there is to be any chance of success. This book provides an agenda for advance. ?A book which] throws into stark relief the mountain still to be climbed before the world community can agree on a credible programme to tackle global warming.? David Thomas, Financial Times Originally published in 1991
The issue of 'sustainability' in the developed world is nowhere more critical than in the field of personal travel, which in many countries has become the fastest-growing contributor to global warming. Unless the use of cars can be brought under control, there is little chance of meeting government targets for reducing greenhouse emissions. Personal Transport and the Greenhouse Effect sets out the steps that could be taken to lessen the conflict between personal mobility and long-term environmental security. It provides a detailed analysis of the policy options available for limiting carbon dioxide emissions, and highlights the limitations of technological measures in solving the problem. Instead, the book's 12-point plan for sustainability shows how a significant reduction in emissions requires the use of all the policy measures available. This valuable contribution to a crucial area of debate covering energy, transport policy and the environment will be essential reading for policy makers, planners and students alike. Peter Huges is deputy editor of Local Transport Today, and has contributed to a wide range of publications including The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, New Scientist and Energy Policy. Originally published in 1993
'An important tool for researchers and decision-makers alike' Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO) 'An invaluable source for everyone who needs to be up-to-date on international efforts to solve global environmental challenges. Unique in its presentations of the interrelationship between treaties, IGO, NGOs and governments' Jonathan Lash, President, World Resources Institute (WRI) The essential reference to all the rapidly multiplying international agreements on environment and development issues. This ninth annual edition of the Yearbook demonstrates the international community's position on specific environment and development problems, the main obstacles to effective international solutions, and how to overcome them. It assesses both the achievements and shortcomings of co-operation, distinguishing between the rhetoric and the reality of environment world politics. Contents * Current Issues and Key Themes * Agreements on Environment and Development Systematically listed key data and illustrations concerning the most important international agreements presented on the basis of information from the organizations in question and other sources, covering such matters as: objectives ? scope ? time and place of establishment ? status of participation ? affiliated instruments and organizations ? major activities ? secretariat ? finance ? rules and standards ? monitoring and implementation ? decision-making bodies ? key publications ? Internet sources. This edition includes the new International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. * Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs), including UN specialized agencies objectives ? type of organization ? membership ? date of establishment ? secretariat ? activities ? decision-making bodies ? finance ? key publications ? Internet sources. * International Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) * objectives ? type of organization ? membership ? date of establishment ? secretariat ? activities ? budget ? key publications ? Internet sources. Originally published in 2002
Did dinosaurs contribute to global warming? What is rubbish theory and what indeed is rubbish? And how did the whale become a cuddly toy? And why did we decide to saturate our land and food with pesticides? Dirty Words examines all of these questions and also includes a study of pollution in fiction, from the fogs of Dickens to the smog of Chandler, advice on how to be an environmental troublemaker, and a suggestion of our choice of futures: the world as an icebox or a greenhouse. This entertaining and provocative collection of pieces by a group of environmental experts challenges the reader to take a closer look at the current pollution debate. Originally published in 1991
Agriculture Pollutes: pesticides can destroy wildlife and some are toxic to humans; some fungicides and herbicides cause cancer. Nitrates result in the contamination of drinking water and produce the risk of the ?blue-baby? syndrome in infants and of stomach cancer in adults. Agriculture produces methane, ammonia, nitrous oxide and the products of burning off, all of which add to the world's problems of acid rain, depletion of the ozone layer and global warming. This book, which focuses on the UK, the USA and Third World countries, is the first comprehensive review of agriculture and pollution: it examines the facts and assesses the relative dangers of each pollution problem. It also considers the effects of pollution on agriculture itself ? crop yields are depressed and livestock damaged by various forms of pollution from all sources. The authors offer solutions to these apparently overwhelming problems, and describe existing technology which would allow us to deal with them. Originally published in 1991
Tropical rain forest is being cleared so rapidly and on such a scale that it is a major global environmental problem, threatening the survival of half of the world's plant and animal species and contributing to global climate change through the greenhouse effect. But, despite widespread concern for over twenty years, only limited progress has been made in controlling deforestation and improving forest management in the humid tropics. In this book Alan Grainger offers afresh analysis of the causes of deforestation and presents an integrated strategy for controlling it. His strategy embraces agriculture, forestry and conservation and stresses the need for changes in government policies if land use is to be made more sustainable and the underlying causes of the problem are to be addressed. Controlling Tropical Deforestation is essential reading for policy makers, agronomists, foresters, conservationists and development professionals. To general readers and students on introductory courses at schools and universities it also offers the first concise but comprehensive overview of the causes, scale and consequences of deforestation. Alan Grainger is a lecturer in geography at the University of Leeds. He is author of The Threatening Desert: Controlling Desertification, also published by Earthscan. Originally published in 1992
Behind the headlines about the loss of tropical forests in Latin America lies a complex and fascinating story of the social pressures which cause it. Trees, People and Power looks at the various groups, interests and conflicts involved, and explores the repercussions for forestry, the environment and the livelihoods of the rural and urban poor. Until the social and political dimensions of deforestation and forest protection schemes are understood, measures to prevent or slow deforestation are likely to involve technical interventions which will prove ineffective in the long run, and may well result in further impoverishment and environmental degradation. Peter Utting takes a critical look at the experience of forest protection and tree planting in a number of countries and considers how social and political factors affect the feasability of such schemes. Many environmental projects and programmes have failed to balance concerns for the environment with those of human welfare. Until they do, it is unrealistic to expect any significant progress towards sustainable development. Peter Utting is a senior researcher coordinator with the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development. He is the author of Economic Adjustment under the Sandinistas (UNRISD, 1991) and Economic Reform and Third World Socialism (Macmillan, 1992). Originally published in 1993
This publication characterizes the environmental burden of disease in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), measured by the excess number of deaths and illnesses in the population due to exposure to environmental hazards. The robust methods used in this risk analysis can be applied to any country or region. This publication documents the systematic, multi-step process used to identify environmental priorities and the detailed methods used to quantify the disease burden attributable to each risk. Based on the results of the burden of disease assessment, the publication summarizes the subsequent steps that are recommended to further reduce the burden of disease resulting from various environmental risk factors. Authors and Contributors Lead Authors Jacqueline MacDonald Gibson, Frederic J. P. Launay, Jens T. W. Thomsen, Angela Brammer, Christopher Davidson Additional Contributors (by Chapter) Chapter 2: Prioritizing Environmental Risks to Health Chapter 3: Assessing the Environmental Burden of Disease: Method
Overview Chapter 4: Burden of Disease from Outdoor Air Pollution Chapter 5: Burden of Disease from Indoor Air Pollution "" Chapter 6: Burden of Disease from Occupational Exposures Chapter 7: Burden of Disease from Climate Change Chapter 8: Burden of Disease from Drinking Water
Contamination Chapter 9: Burden of Disease from Coastal Water Pollution Chapter 11: Burden of Disease from Produce and Seafood
Contamination
The Arctic is now experiencing some of the most rapid and severe climate change on earth. Over the next 100 years, climate change is expected to accelerate, contributing to major physical, ecological, social, and economic changes, many of which have already begun. Changes in arctic climate will also affect the rest of the world through increased global warming and rising sea levels. The volume addresses the following major topics: - Research results in measuring and observing aspects of the Arctic climate system and its processes across a range of time and space scales - Representation of cryospheric, atmospheric, and oceanic processes in models, including assimilation of observations into models - Our understanding of the role of the Arctic in the global climate system, its response to large-scale climate variations, and the processes involved.
Metal contamination is an increasing ecological and eco-toxicological risk. Understanding the processes involved in metal mobilization, sorption and mineralization in soils are key features for soil bioremediation. Following an introduction to the physical, chemical and biological components of contaminated soils, various chapters address the interactions of soil, microorganisms, plants and the water phase necessary to transfer metals into biological systems. These include topics such as potential hazards at mining sites; rare earth elements in biotic and abiotic acidic systems; manganese redox reactions; biomineralisation, uranium in seepage water; metal-resistant streptomycetes; mycorrhiza in re-forestation; metal (hyper)accummulation in plants; microbial metal uptake; and their potential for bioremediation. This book will be of interest to soil biologists, geologists and chemists, researchers and graduate students, as well as consulting companies and small enterprises involved in bioremediation.
The Arctic sea-ice reached record lows in 2007, and again in 2012. In the international news media, these moments were reflected via striking images of polar bears, crumbling ice chunks and the use of more alarmist metaphors about global climate change. Through these narratives, and despite the periodic disappearance of climate change from media reports due to issue fatigue, a sharper narrative of climate change has entered public discourse: a new global reality where the future is no longer a given. Going beyond media studies as well as descriptive or highly scientific accounts of the impacts of climate change in the Arctic, this book explores how both historical and contemporary mediations, scientific narratives and satellite technology simultaneously capture and reconstruct this new reality of the Anthropocene, where human activities shape the planet. By highlighting the linkages between science, media, environmental change and geopolitics, the informed contributors to the volume invite the reader to reflect on what is local and what is global in today's connected mediatized world. |
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