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Books > Earth & environment > The environment > Pollution & threats to the environment
This book offers a concrete contribution towards a better
understanding of climate change communication. It ultimately helps
to catalyse the sort of cross-sectoral action needed to address the
phenomenon of climate change and its many consequences. There is a
perceived need to foster a better understanding of what climate
change is, and to identify approaches, processes, methods and tools
which may help to better communicate it. There is also a need for
successful examples showing how communication can take place across
society and stakeholders. Addressing the challenges in
communicating to various audiences and providing a platform for
reflections, it showcases lessons learnt from research, field
projects and best practices in various settings in various
different countries. The acquired knowledge can be adapted and
applied to other situations.
This book introduces readers to the development of novel optical
biosensors for environmental analysis. Environmental pollution has
now become a serious problem, which threatens the health of human
beings. Traditional analytical methods have a number of drawbacks,
such as the need for professional operators and complicated
instruments. After millions of years of evolution, biomolecules can
perform various functions with good accuracy and efficiency due to
their unique structures, offering a viable alternative to
traditional methods. This work focuses on using new biological
sensing strategies, e.g. those based on special biomaterials,
bio-reactions or living cells, to establish novel biosensors. As
these biosensors offer satisfactory optical response performance,
they can be used to transform the recognition behavior of specific
targets into optical signals and effectively detect target objects.
A concise yet thorough overview of the environmental issues,
problems, and controversies facing Latin America and the
Caribbean-from the tip of South America to the Windward Islands.
Snowy Andean peaks. Steaming Brazilian rainforest. Lush tropical
islands. Few regions on Earth are as diverse or spectacular as
Latin America and the Caribbean. And few are as threatened by
expanding populations, industrial pollutants, and unsustainable
farming methods. Latin America and the Caribbean, a new title in
the World Environments series, explores the environmental problems
facing our hemispheric neighbors. Home to the longest-mountain
range, largest river, and greatest rainforest on Earth, no region
on Earth boasts greater geographic extremes, faces greater
environmental dangers, and enjoys more economic potential from its
biodiversity than Latin America and the Caribbean. What are the
political and economic factors affecting the Amazon's rapidly
disappearing rainforest? What is being done to harvest life-saving
drugs from the plants of the Orinoco? And what lies behind the
mysterious disappearance of Central America's frogs? With essays,
chronologies, biographies, and directory of organizati
Climate change cannot be fully understood or effectively mitigated
without considering its ethical aspects. This volume brings
together recent journal articles, written by eminent experts in the
field, to illuminate the ethics of climate change and the related
questions of justice. The editor has selected works that explore
the themes of environmental philosophy, duties and
responsibilities, intergenerational justice, international equity,
cosmopolitanism, human rights, individual obligations and climate
policy. With an original introduction by the editor, this volume is
an essential resource for scholars, students, activists and
policymakers.
In its 27th edition the conference on Air Pollution continues to
produce valuable research on issues related to the modelling,
monitoring and management of air pollution. The papers included in
this book continue a wide ranging collection of high quality
research works that develop the fundamental science of air
pollution. Air pollution issues remain one of the most challenging
problems facing society. The scientific knowledge derived from
well-designed studies needs to be allied with further technical and
economic studies in order to ensure cost effective and efficient
mitigation. Increasingly, it is being recognised that the outcome
of such research needs to be contextualised within well formulated
communication strategies that help policy makers and citizens to
understand and appreciate the risks and rewards arising from air
pollution management. Details of the wide spread nature of the air
pollution phenomena and in depth explorations of their impacts on
human health and the environment are covered in this book. Topics
covered include: Air pollution modelling; Aerosols and particles;
Air pollutant emission studies; Air quality health effects; Indoor
air pollution; Air data quality; Air pollution control
technologies; Industrial air pollution; Climate change effects;
Emerging pollutants; Air pollution management, policy and
legislation.
Since the first works introducing the aluminum intercalated clay
family in the early 1970s, interest in the synthesis of pillared
interlayered clays has increased tremendously, especially research
into the properties and applications of new synthesis methods. The
need for solids that could be used as cracking catalysts with
larger pores than zeolitic materials has spurred the synthesis of
new porous materials from clays. Pillared Clays and Related
Catalysts reviews the properties and applications of pillared clays
and other layered materials used as catalysts, focusing on: the
acidity of pillared clays and the effect it has on catalytic
performance the use of pillared clays as supports for catalytically
active phases, and the use of the resulting solids in
environmentally friendly reactions the applications of the
selective reduction of NOx the comparison between the reactions of
pillared clays and anionic clays.
This compendium contains a collection of key papers from the
journal "Energy Policy," offering a valuable reference point on the
role of flexibility mechanisms in the mitigation of climate change.
Originally published between December 1999 and August 2001, all of
these articles concern particular aspects of the Kyoto mechanisms
or variations on the theme of flexibility that have evolved
elsewhere.
For better or for worse, flexibility mechanisms have become a part
of the institutional architecture of energy policy in the 21st
Century.
As the contributions to this compendium illustrate, this fact has
both positive and negative connotations. Flexibility mechanisms
have the potential to unleash exciting market-led emission
reduction initiatives, and to promote both technological and
institutional innovation. At the same time, the complexity of
establishing credible and robust arrangements, in which
practicality and viability are balanced with appropriate safeguards
against loopholes and gaming, should not be underestimated. In the
longer term, the flexibility mechanisms may turn out to be
unhealthy distractions from the much more important task of
restructuring domestic energy systems. Or they might just turn out
to be indispensable instruments for achieving the deep cuts in
emissions that climate change demands. One thing, however, is
abundantly clear: climate policy has guaranteed that energy policy
will never be the same again.
This book presents the spatial and temporal dynamics of land use
and land cover in the central Tibetan Plateau during the last two
decades, based on various types of satellite data, long-term field
investigation and GIS techniques. Further, it demonstrates how
remote sensing can be used to map and characterize land use, land
cover and their dynamic processes in mountainous regions, and to
monitor and model relevant biophysical parameters. The Tibetan
Plateau, the highest and largest plateau on the Earth and well
known as "the roof of the world," is a huge mountainous area on the
Eurasian continent and covers millions of square kilometers, with
an average elevation of over 4000 m. After providing an overview of
the background and an introduction to land use and land cover
change, the book analyzes the current land use status, dynamic
changes and spatial distribution patterns of different land-use
types in the study area, using various types of remotely sensed
data, digital elevation models and GIS spatial analysis methods to
do so. In turn, it discusses the main driving forces, based on the
main physical environment variables and socioeconomic data, and
provides a future scenario analysis of land use change using a
Markov chain model. Given its scope, it provides a valuable
reference guide for researchers, scientists and graduate students
working on environmental change in mountainous regions around the
globe, and for practitioners working at government and
non-government agencies.
Climate Change: Alternate Governance Policy for South Asia provides
an assessment of climate change issues through the socioeconomic
lens of one of the world's poorest, most populous regions. Although
climate change is a global issue, localized solutions have become
increasingly necessary to address political, economic and cultural
factors in underdeveloped regions. Identifying successes, gaps and
shortcomings in existing policies and regional laws relating to
climate change, this book evaluates the sustainability of current
practices, examining mitigation strategies and suggesting a
comprehensive, innovative model of sustainable policies and
governance strategy specific to the region. While the book
approaches climate change, policy and mitigation from a
regionally-focused standpoint, it has an underlying philosophy of
Think Global, Act Local, making it universally applicable to anyone
interested in climate change and its effects.
This thesis investigates the combustion chemistry of cyclohexane,
methylcyclohexane, and ethylcyclohexane on the basis of
state-of-the-art synchrotron radiation photoionization mass
spectrometry experiments, quantum chemistry calculations, and
extensive kinetic modeling. It explores the initial decomposition
mechanism and distribution of the intermediates, proposes a novel
formation mechanism of aromatics, and develops a detailed kinetic
model to predict the three cycloalkanes' combustion properties
under a wide range of conditions. Accordingly, the thesis provides
an essential basis for studying much more complex cycloalkanes in
transport fuels and has applications in engine and fuel design, as
well as emission control.
This book aims to provide a comprehensive picture of UK and EC
pollution regulation. Although written by a lawyer,it adopts an
interdisciplinary approach to regulation, which seeks to move
beyond the sociological and economic frameworks within which
pollution regulation has typically been analysed in the UK. The UK
and EC regulatory systems are examined within the context of
'regulatory federalism'. The aim of this is to explore how and why
regulatory decisions concerning pollution are taken at different
levels of a federal regulatory hierarchy. The book begins with a
discussion of the essentials of pollution regulation, including
traditional economic justifications for regulation and non-economic
ones based on environmental ethics. It goes on to examine
subsidiarity and the appropriate level for regulation - a
particularly topical issue in the light of recent devolution within
the UK. Models of regulatory decision-making are then addressed,
comparing the rigours of 'ecologism' with the cost-benefit based
alternative of 'economism' and the more participatory style of
'republicanism'. Other chapters include a comparison of the various
regulatory techniques in terms of the values of accountability,
equality, certainty, efficiency and effectiveness, and an
examination of regulatory enforcement, covering issues such as
accountability for enforcement decisions, corporate liability,
strict liability and a critical analysis of the so-called
'co-operative' approach. CONTENTS 1 Regulatory Essentials 2
Privatisation, Liberalisation and Deregulation 3 Choosing the
Level: Regulation and Federalism 4 The Institutional Legitimacy of
Pollution Regulation 5 Deciding Regulatory Goals 6 Regulatory
Techniques 7 Enforcement I: Enforcing National Command-and-control
8 Enforcement II: Enforcing EC Regulation, and Alternative
Instruments 9 Pollution Regulation and Growth
A concise yet thorough overview of the environmental issues,
problems, and controversies facing the world's largest and most
populous continent-Asia. Asia tackles the tough issues, the complex
problems, and the political controversies surrounding the
environment of this vast landmass. This volume encompasses
everything from economics, land use, energy and transportation, to
air pollution, rivers and lakes, oceans, and species and habitat
protection. In Malaysia, unchecked discharges of industrial waste
and human sewage led the government to label 42 of its rivers
officially "dead." According to some estimates, Southeast Asia
alone accounts for more than half of the world's total transport of
sediment to the oceans. In the Philippines, the Chico River dam
project, which would have subjected 100,000 tribespeople to
relocation, was canceled when the World Bank withdrew funding after
fierce resistance from the indigenous people. This fascinating book
offers a comprehensive look at how the most populated continent on
earth contends with its complicated environment. Interesting
sidebar articles, tables and figures, and photographs Overview maps
of the continent and a listing of environment-related organizations
on the Internet
This book provides a unique and comprehensive assessment of the
changes that have been taking place in the Himalayas. It describes
in detail all the aspects of change, both natural and cultural,
along with their implications, and suggests policy measures to help
mitigate them. The book is divided into two major sections - on
natural changes and cultural changes - and 11 chapters: an
introduction, six addressing changes that concern natural aspects,
and four exploring cultural changes and presenting the book's
conclusions. The content is based on a study conducted using a
participatory observation/empirical method. Time series data from
secondary sources is also included, helping to analyze the various
changes. The findings are presented in the form of color graphs,
models, maps, photographs, and tables. The book offers a valuable
resource for policymakers, and will prove equally useful for all
other stakeholders, e.g. researchers, students and development
agents.
This book brings out the innovations in textile wet or chemical
processing to alleviate the environmental impacts arising from this
sector. The major challenge in the textiles and fashion sector is
that it requires a massive sustainable innovation to mitigate the
huge environmental impacts arising from chemical or wet processing.
This book also discusses innovations in eco-friendly methods for
textile wet processes and applications of enzymes in textiles.
Chemistry is considered to be one of the prime causes of
environmental pollution and degradation. The United Nations General
Assembly also addressed the environmental challenges in its
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which have been adopted in
2015. A closer look shows that to meet these goals chemistry will
play an important role. Green chemistry encompasses design and
synthesis of environmentally benign chemical processes, green
approaches to minimize and/or remediate environmental pollution,
the development of biomaterials, biofuel, and bioenergy production,
biocatalysis, and policies and ethics in green chemistry. When
products in use today become waste, we need to treat that waste so
that hazardous substances are not re-circulated into new products.
In this context, circular economy is also an important point of
discussion, which focuses on recycling, reuse and use of renewable
sources. The theme of the International Conference on "Green
Chemistry in Environmental Sustainability & Chemical Education
(ICGC-2016) held in Delhi from 17-18 November 2016 was to discuss
the emerging green trends in the direction of sustainability and
environmental safety. ICGC-2016 consisted of keynote, plenary and
invited lectures, panel discussion, contributed oral papers and
poster presentations. The conference provided a platform for high
school students, undergraduate and postgraduate students, teaching
fraternity and young researchers to interact with eminent
scientists and academicians from all over the world who shared
their valuable views, experience and research on the harmonious
methods in chemistry for a sustainable environment. This volume of
proceedings from the conference provides an opportunity for readers
to engage with a selection of refereed papers that were presented
during the ICGC-2016 conference. The overarching goal of this book
is to discuss most recent innovations and concerns in green
chemistry as well as practical challenges encountered and solutions
adopted to remediate a scathed environment into a pristine one. It
includes an extensive variety of contributions from participants of
ICGC-2016 that demonstrate the importance of multidisciplinary and
interdisciplinary approach to problem solving within green
chemistry and environmental management. The proceedings is thus a
green chemistry monograph resulting from the fruitful deliberations
in the conference, which will deeply enhance awareness about our
responsibility towards the environment.
Britain's supremacy in the nineteenth century depended in large
part on its vast deposits of coal. This coal not only powered steam
engines in factories, ships, and railway locomotives but also
warmed homes and cooked food. As coal consumption skyrocketed, the
air in Britain's cities and towns became filled with ever-greater
and denser clouds of smoke. In this far-reaching study, Peter
Thorsheim explains that, for much of the nineteenth century, few
people in Britain even considered coal smoke to be pollution. To
them, pollution meant miasma: invisible gases generated by
decomposing plant and animal matter. Far from viewing coal smoke as
pollution, most people considered smoke to be a valuable
disinfectant, for its carbon and sulfur were thought capable of
rendering miasma harmless. Inventing Pollution examines the
radically new understanding of pollution that emerged in the late
nineteenth century, one that centered not on organic decay but on
coal combustion. This change, as Peter Thorsheim argues, gave birth
to the smoke-abatement movement and to new ways of thinking about
the relationships among humanity, technology, and the environment.
The book principally addresses climate change and describes the remedial strategies for developing countries based on the 'Clean Development Mechanism' of the 'Kyoto Protocol'. It provides a very comprehensive account of the array of proposals and economic instruments devised by the international community - including the Joint Implementation and Emissions Trading initiatives of the Protocol - to abate global warming. The effects of other major atmospheric, land and water pollutants from industries and domestic sources are also covered.
When it comes to the environment, Europe is a land of contrasts.
The countries of the West have some of the most vigorous
anti-pollution laws and some of the most energetic environmental
parties in the world. The countries of the East, saddled with the
legacy of a communist system that emphasized economic production
over environmental protection, host some of the most ecologically
devastated landscapes on the planet. What does the future hold for
this ancient continent's environment? issues, the complex problems,
and the political controversies surrounding the continent's
checkered environmental past, complicated present and uncertain
future. The book looks at the catastrophes - in January 2000, a
massive spill of cyanide and heavy metals from a gold mining
operation in Romania destroyed all biological life in the Tisza,
Hungary's second biggest river. The poisons travelled 1000
kilometres through Hungary and Yugoslavia where they wreaked havoc
on the Danube. It also examines the progress - European society has
shown a greater interest in renewable energy technologies than most
other industrialized regions in the last 30 years. Serving as a
blueprint for the future, as well as a roadmap of the past, this
work offers a look at Europe's ecological history.
This book systematically introduces readers to the framework of
China's ETS pilots, exploring their design and operating process,
the current state of the carbon market, and various barriers
encountered. To do so, it deconstructs the Guangdong ETS, which is
the largest and most representative of China's seven ETS pilots.
The book subsequently describes and evaluates all seven pilots in
terms of their efficiency, macro and micro effects, the method
involved in the DEA model, the CGE model, and cost-benefit
analysis. In turn, in the assessment section it demonstrates how
some ETS pilots have failed to control carbon emissions due to
inordinately high emissions quotas issued by the local government
etc. Further, it argues that ETS should focus on those industries
with large emissions and high mitigating potential for the time
being, and then gradually expand the scale of its coverage. As
China's national ETS is slated for launch on the basis of the
lessons learned from the ETS pilots, the book offers a timely and
valuable resource for all those who want to understand and forecast
the development of China's ETS. It includes a wealth of
descriptions and explanations of Chinese government policies
involving carbon emissions control, making it a unique resource.
This book focuses on the role of higher education institutions in
addressing climate change mitigation and adaptation challenges,
contributing to the development of this fast-growing field.
Further, it includes the results of empirical research and offers
ideas regarding on-going and future research initiatives. The
contributions also * showcase the research and projects on issues
pertaining to climate change at universities from across the globe;
* document and promote ideas and experiences acquired in the
execution of research projects, especially successful initiatives
and best practices; and * introduce methodological approaches and
projects that offer a better understanding of climate change across
society and economic sectors. The book is structured around two
parts: lessons learned from climate change research, education,
studies and projects. Each part focuses on mitigation and
adaptation respectively, with many responses of the two modalities
overlapping. This book is a valuable resource for researchers and
practitioners in the fields of environment, human geography,
business and economics, as well as academics and students, as it
presents education, communication and awareness-raising projects on
matters related to climate change at universities in both
industrialised and developing countries, often in cooperation with
government bodies, NGOs and other stakeholders.
This book focuses on managing risks and building resilience to
climate change, showcasing experiences from research, field
projects and best practices to foster climate change adaptation in
Eastern Europe that can be implemented elsewhere. Climate change
affects countries in Eastern Europe, i.e. the Western Balkans and
Southeast Europe in a variety of ways. Apart from severe floods,
there are reports of decreasing water reserves in the southern
regions, and of gradual changes in biodiversity and agricultural
production. In the South Caucasus area, for instance, climate
change models project a decline in precipitation and suggest that
it will continue to become drier this century. Many Eastern
European countries, especially the non-EU ones, have weak national
climate policies, and transboundary collaborations, as well as
limited public engagement in matters related to climate change. As
a result, climate change poses a serious threat to their economic
stability and development and to the sustainable development of the
region. The above state of affairs illustrates the need for a
better understanding of how climate change influences Eastern
Europe, and for the identification of processes, methods and tools
that may help the countries and the communities in the region to
adapt. There is also a perceived need to showcase successful
examples of how to cope with the social, economic and political
problems posed by floods/droughts in the region, especially ways of
increasing the resilience of agriculture systems and of
communities. Addressing this need, the book presents papers written
by scholars, social practitioners and members of government
agencies involved in research and/or climate change projects in
Eastern Europe.
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