This book is a must read for those interested in the role cooperatives play in fostering local rural development and alleviating rural poverty. Through conceptual pieces, case studies, essays and empirical work, the papers in this volume illustrate the complex challenges facing cooperatives as they attempt to address market failures, remain cost competitive vis-a-vis transnational agribusinesses, adopt good internal governance practices, navigate the political challenges in their local environments and adapt to and influence the institutional environment in which they operate.' - Murray Fulton, University of Saskatchewan, CanadaAgricultural cooperatives and producer organizations are institutional innovations which have the potential to reduce poverty and improve food security. This book presents a raft of international case studies, from developing and transition countries, to analyse the internal and external challenges that these complex organizations face and the solutions that they have developed. The contributors provide an increased understanding of the transformation of traditional community organizations into modern farmer-owned businesses. They cover issues including: the impact on rural development and inclusiveness, the role of social capital, formal versus informal organizations, democratic participation and member relations, and their role in value chains. Students and scholars will find the book's multidisciplinary approach useful in their research. It will also be of interest to policy-makers seeking to understand the wide diversity of organizational forms and functions. NGOs, donors and governments seeking to support rural developments will benefit from the discussions raised in this book. Contributors: J. Bijman, K. Blokland, M.L. Cook, J. Duncan, A.Groot Kormelinck, M. Hanisch, J. Hellin, G. Hendrikse, Y. Hu, X. Jia, B. Losch, R. Muradian, G. Muricho, D.J. O'Brien, S. Pascucci, D. Pesche, C. Plaisier, R. Ruben, J. Schuurman, B. Shiferaw, S. Singh, K. Wedig

Founded on the core notion that we have reached a turning point in the governance, and thus the conservation, of ecosystems and the environment, this edited volume features more than 20 original chapters, each informed by the paradigm shift in the sector over the last decade. Where once the emphasis was on strategies for conservation, enacted through instruments of control such as planning and polluter pays legislation, more recent developments have shown a shift towards incentive-based arrangements aimed at those responsible for providing the environmental services enabled by such ecosystems. Encouraging shared responsibility for watershed management, developed in Costa Rica, is a prime example, and the various interests involved in its instauration in Java are one of the subjects examined here.

This volume is a much-needed addition to the literature on ecological economics. The essays in this volume represent a return to the basic ontological foundations which distinguished the field from standard economics at its inception over three decades ago-the insistence that the economy is grounded in biophysical reality and that human needs cannot be reduced to economic calculation. As the authors argue, the inspiration for a revitalization of ecological economics lies not in welfare economics but in new developments in the biophysical and behavioral sciences.' - John Gowdy, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, US'What is distinct about ecological economics? This excellent volume, with essays by some of the leading thinkers in the field, provides answers. Tracing its history, its ontological foundations, and its future directions, this Handbook not only delineates the essential features of an expanding area of knowledge, it also demonstrates the critical importance of interdisciplinary and institutional approaches to finding solutions.' - Bina Agarwal, University of Manchester, UK This comprehensive Handbook neatly encapsulates the field of ecological economics, the fluid interface between the economic and ecological systems. Leading scholars systematize the state-of-the-art and put forward their insights about future development in their respective areas of expertise. The result is a compendium of stimulating and outstanding contributions, interesting for both junior and more experienced readers alike. Subjects covered include the analytical and philosophical foundations of ecological economics, deliberative valuation methods, social metabolism, ecological macroeconomics, the de-growth movement, socio-environmental conflicts, the scope and valuation of ecosystem services, traditional ecological knowledge, social dilemmas in common pool resource management; consumption patterns, global environmental governance and emerging tools for dealing with environmental problems, such as payments for ecosystem services. Covering the most salient topics in the field of ecological economics and with a wide scope, from philosophical foundations to practical applications, this book will be invaluable to students, scholars, researchers and policy makers. Contributors: D.N. Barton, L. Braat, J.C. Cardenas, M. de Carvalho Amazonas, E. Coudel, R. de Groot, L. Eloy, J. Ferreira, M. Fischer-Kowalski, E. Gomez-Baggethun, A. Guarin, H. Haberl, M. Hercowitz, G. Kallis, B. Martin-Lopez, J. Martinez-Alier, L. Mattos, P. May, B. Muraca, R. Muradian, A. Nadal, J. O'Neill, P. Petridis, M.-G. Piketty, V. Reyes-Garcia, I. Ring, B. Rodriguez-Labajos, I. Ropke, I. Scholz, C.L. Spash, F. Toni, T. Uebel, A. Vatn, P.A. Victor, C. Zografos

Founded on the core notion that we have reached a turning point in the governance, and thus the conservation, of ecosystems and the environment, this edited volume features more than 20 original chapters, each informed by the paradigm shift in the sector over the last decade. Where once the emphasis was on strategies for conservation, enacted through instruments of control such as planning and 'polluter pays' legislation, more recent developments have shown a shift towards incentive-based arrangements aimed at those responsible for providing the environmental services enabled by such ecosystems. Encouraging shared responsibility for watershed management, developed in Costa Rica, is a prime example, and the various interests involved in its instauration in Java are one of the subjects examined here.

In this open access book, ecological economics and political ecology traditions converge into a single academic school. The book constitutes a common ground where multiple and critical voices are expressed, covering a broad scope of urgent matters at the crossroad between society, economy and the natural environment. The manuscripts composing this compendium offer appealing material for both experienced and younger researchers interested in interdisciplinary exchanges in the field of the social environmental sciences. It combines historical accounts with recent theoretical and empirical developments revolving around the interaction between three foundational notions of the Barcelona School: social metabolism, environmental justice and self-reflective science.