The Asia-Pacific Sustainable Development Journal (APSDJ) is a rebranded publication issued by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). It builds on the success of two former ESCAP journals - the Asia-Pacific Population Journal (APPJ), launched in 1986, and the Asia-Pacific Development Journal (APDJ), launched in 1994. APSDJ us based on the recognition of the interconnected and multidisciplinary nature of sustainable development. Published biannually, it aims to stimulate debate and assist in the formulation of evidence-based policymaking in the Asia-Pacific region towards the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Advances in Computers carries on a tradition of excellence, presenting detailed coverage of innovations in computer hardware, software, theory, design, and applications. The book provides contributors with a medium in which they can explore their subjects in greater depth and breadth than journal articles typically allow. The articles included in this book will become standard references, with lasting value in this rapidly expanding field.

This open access book presents a nuanced and accessible synthesis of the relationship between land tenure security and sustainable development. Contributing authors have collectively worked for decades on land tenure as connected with conservation and development across all major regions of the globe. The first section of this volume is intended as a standalone primer on land tenure security and its connections with sustainable development. The book then explores key thematic challenges that interact directly with land tenure security, followed by a section on strategies for addressing tenure insecurity. The book concludes with a section on new frontiers in research, policy, and action. An invaluable reference for researchers in the field and for practitioners looking for a comprehensive overview of this important topic. This is an open access book.

Rare Earths elements are composed of 15 chemical elements in the periodic table. Scandium and yttrium have similar properties, with mineral assemblages, and are therefore referred alike in the literature. Although abundant in the planet surface, the Rare Earths are not found in concentrated forms, thus making them economically valued as they are so challenging to obtain. Rare Earths Industry: Technological, Economic and Environmental Implications provides an interdisciplinary orientation to the topic of Rare Earths with a focus on technical, scientific, academic, economic, and environmental issues. Part I of book deals with the Rare Earths Reserves and Mining, Part II focuses on Rare Earths Processes and High-Tech Product Development, and Part III deals with Rare Earths Recycling Opportunities and Challenges. The chapters provide updated information and priceless analysis of the theme, and they seek to present the latest techniques, approaches, processes and technologies that can reduce the costs of compliance with environmental concerns in a way it is possible to anticipate and mitigate emerging problems.

This book presents an overview of current renewable energy sources, challenges and future trends. Drawing from their longtime expertise and deep knowledge of the field, the authors present a critic and well-structured perspective on sustainable power sources and technologies, including solar, wind, hydrogen and nuclear, both in large and small scale. Using accessible language they provide rigorous technological reviews and analyze the main issues of practical usage. The book addresses current questions in this area, such as: "Is there enough biomass to make a difference in energy needs? Should biomass be used in Energy Generation?"; "How mature is battery technology? Will it finally become cost effective, and will it make a significant difference this next decade?"; "How big a role will small and modular nuclear power generation play in the coming decades?"; "What will be the influence of national tax policies?". No prior technical knowledge is assumed of the reader. It is, therefore, ideal for professionals and students in all areas of energy and power systems, as well as those involved in energy planning, management and policy.

Cement production is known to be a polluting and energy-intensive industry. Cement plants account for 5 percent of global emissions of carbon dioxide and one of the main causes of global warming. However, cement it is literally the glue of progress. Designing Green Cement Plants provides the tools and techniques for designing new large cement plants that would promote sustainable growth, preserve natural resources to the maximum possible extent and make least possible additions to the Greenhouse Gases that cause global warming. Brief and but authoritative, this title embraces new technologies and methods such as Carbon Capture and Sequestration, as well as methods for harnessing renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. The author also discusses the efficient use of energy and materials through the use recycling. In addition, this book also examines thepossibilities of developing green cement substitutes such as Calera, Caliix, Novacem, Aether and Geopolymer cements.

In large parts of the world, the reduction in the viability of agriculture and rural areas is an escalating problem. Sustainable Land Management offers a contemporary overview of the strategies employed to cope with the marginalisation of agriculture, through analyses of case studies and regional trends in marginalisation.The authors argue that complexities and driving forces governing marginalisation are not always the same across nations and regions due to climate, geography, economics, legislation and political status. This book illustrates in what form these complexities exist, and how these unravel at the national and regional levels. As the need to understand and cope with marginalisation processes has developed, the concept of multi-functionality has also gained a vital place in the string of coping strategies. This work contributes essential knowledge for the development of marginalisation mitigation policy actions across the globe. Informative and well-documented, this book will appeal to those researching and working in the fields of agricultural and resource economics, rural geography, environmental governance and sustainable development.

Selected paper presented at the 1st International Conference on Urban Agriculture and City Sustainability are contained in this book. The research reviews ways in which urban agriculture can contribute to achieve sustainable cities and considers ways of reducing the impact in terms of use of natural resources, waste production and climate change. The increasing number of people in cities requires new strategies to supply the necessary food with limited provision of land and decreasing resources. This will become more challenging unless innovative solutions for growing and distributing food in urban environments are considered. The scale of modern food production has created and exacerbated many vulnerabilities and the feeding of cities is now infinitely more complex. As such the food system cannot be considered secure, ethical or sustainable. In the last few years there has been a rapid expansion in initiatives and projects exploring innovative methods and processes for sustainable food production. The majority of these projects are focused on providing alternative models that shift the power back from the global food system to communities and farmers improving social cohesion, health and wellbeing. It is therefore not surprising that more people are looking towards urban farming initiatives as a potential solution. These initiatives have demonstrated that urban agriculture has the potential to transform our living environment towards ecologically sustainable and healthy cities. Urban agriculture can also contribute to energy, natural resources, land and water savings, ecological diversity and urban management cost reductions. The impact urban agriculture can have on the shape and form of our cities has never been fully addressed. The studies included in this volume look at how cities embed these new approaches and initiatives, as part of new urban developments and show that a city regeneration strategy is critical.

This specially formulated collection features 3 reviews of current topics and key research in sweetpotato. The first chapter examines the origin and dispersal of sweetpotato, considers in vitro germplasm storage in sweetpotato genebanks, and looks at the importance of managing sweetpotato crop wild relatives (CWR). The chapter also considers the specific issues associated with sweetpotato germplasm, as well as the application of next-generation sequencing to sweetpotato and its CWR. The second chapter reviews the development and application of genetic transformation and trait improvement to sweetpotato, including the development of sweetpotato plants which are resistant to disease and abiotic stress, and sweetpotatoes with improved starch quality and higher anthocyanin content. The final chapter examines the nutritional contribution made by OFSP (orange-fleshed sweetpotato) in poor rural communities in Malawi, Ghana, Nigeria and Burkina Faso; sustainable breeding and seed systems; and effective commercialisation and marketing to benefit the communities concerned. This chapter includes detailed case studies from Ghana and Malawi.

Copper Nanostructures: Next-Generation of Agrochemicals for Sustainable Agroecosystems considers the impact of copper-based nanostructures on agri-food sectors. Sections highlight the green synthesis of copper nanoparticles, production mechanisms, eco-safety, and future perspectives, discuss the increasing importance of copper nanomaterials in plant protection applications, describe the use of copper nanostructures in plant science applications, cover antimicrobial applications, explore copper nanostructure applications, and summarize current applications in agroecosystems, such as copper nanoparticles as nanosensors, their negative ecological effects, estimation risks, and more.

This book highlights the notion of Circular Economy under the umbrella of Sustainability because of the widespread momentum it is gaining. Today the whole world is certainly in emergent need of an alternative system to traditional economy which is linear, i.e. make, use and dispose to get rid-off the waste and very important to ensure continuous use of resources, which is possible by the advent of circular economy. A circular economy aims to utilize the resources in use for as long as possible, extract the maximum value from them during use, then recover and regenerate products and materials at the end of each service life vis-a-vis traditional linear model. This book discusses circular economy in terms of assessment with various case studies.

Sustainability is becoming an increasingly urgent factor in all areas of life, and its effect on contemporary economies can be vast. Sustainable development can truly propel modern economies forward, and it is important to study the impacts of such progress. Measuring Sustainable Development and Green Investments in Contemporary Economies provides an authoritative look at how green investments are shaping global economies. Highlighting emerging topics such as socio-economic systems, green performance strategies, forest ecosystems, and food security, this is a detailed reference resource for all practitioners, academicians, graduate students, and researchers interested in discovering more about the impact of sustainable development on modern economies.