Earth Sciences, Geography & Environment Books

Book Synopsis(Edition revised in 2023) The MICHELIN Indre-et-Loire, Maine-et-Loire local map, scale 1/150,000 is the ideal companion to fully explore the doorstep of the Loire Valley and provides star-rated Michelin tourist itineraries and attractions, as well as impressive 3D relief mapping. MICHELIN local maps are perfect for cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts with over 20 leisure symbols, extensive coverage of cycling paths and nature trails. With MICHELIN local maps, find more than just your way! MICHELIN LOCAL MAPS provide detailed coverage of France are perfect for fully exploring these countries and are also ideal for cyclists. * Impressive & realistic 3D relief mapping * Michelin selected itineraries and must-sees of the area * A clear and comprehensive key with 20 leisure symbols, as well as cycling paths and nature trails. * Star rated tourist sights and attractions cross-referenced with the famous MICHELIN Green Guides. * Plans of main cities and a comprehensive place name index

Read more less

Book SynopsisA critique of modern conservation in the face of climate and biodiversity emergencies. It describes the author's journey from nature lover to conservationist

Read more less

Book SynopsisHuman life, and how we came to be, is one of the greatest scientific and philosophical questions of our time. This compact and accessible book presents a modern view of human evolution. Written by a leading authority, it lucidly and engagingly explains not only the evolutionary process, but the technologies currently used to unravel the evolutionary past and emergence of Homo sapiens. By separating the history of palaeoanthropology from current interpretation of the human fossil record, it lays numerous misconceptions to rest, and demonstrates that human evolution has been far from the linear struggle from primitiveness to perfection that we''ve been led to believe. It also presents a coherent scenario for how Homo sapiens contrived to cross a formidable cognitive barrier to become an extraordinary and unprecedented thinking creature. Elegantly illustrated, Understanding Human Evolution is for anyone interested in the complex and tangled story of how we came to be.Trade Review'For years, Ian Tattersall has been the go-to source for the latest facts and interpretations of human evolution. Here, in his clear, pithy style, he brings us up to date on the latest discoveries, weaving them skillfully into a coherent outline of hominid history extending back millions of years. It's all here-from the latest on DNA and radiometric dating of fossils, to the nature and origin of the still-mysterious self-consciousness that is unique to modern humans. A terrific resource and wonderful read!' Niles Eldredge, Curator Emeritus in the Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, USA'Ian Tattersall provides in this short and engaging book the story of how humans evolved, and, as importantly, how we have come to learn about our evolutionary history and the nature of being human through great discoveries and great scientific debates.' Robert Foley, Leverhulme Professor of Human Evolution, University of Cambridge, UK'Understanding Human Evolution provides a sweeping overview of the field of human evolution, giving equal attention to the history of the discipline as well as current thoughts and ideas about our attainment of the milestones of human evolution-upright posture and bipedal locomotion, the evolution of tool use, the expansion of the brain and human cognition, the development of language, and the spread of humans out of Africa around the globe. All of this is presented in a concise and accessible package by one of the most well-known popularizers of the field today. This is an excellent resource for anyone looking for an introduction to the fossil evidence for human evolution, as well as those who want to catch up on the current state of knowledge in this fast-moving discipline.' Leslie C. Aiello, FBA, Professor Emerita, University College London, UK'An enjoyable, highly informative, and scholarly read. Tattersall is at his best here. Engaging the reader with his inimitable style, he interprets and explains the convoluted evidence for how we became human. Written largely for the non-specialist, there is much here that will inform and even stimulate professional paleoanthropologists.' Donald Johanson, Founding Director of the Institute of Human Origins at Arizona State University, USATable of Contents1. Evolution; 2. Technology: dating, diets, and development; 3. Discovery and interpretation of the human fossil record: the early days; 4. Discovery and interpretation of the human fossil record: more recent developments; 5. Early bipeds; 6. The muddle in the middle; 7. Homo heidelbergensis and the Neanderthals; 8. The emergence and spread of Homo sapiens.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSocieties with common-property systems maintaining strong equality and extensive freedom were initially nearly ubiquitous around the world, and that the private property rights system was established through a long series of violent state-sponsored aggressions.Trade Review"This book fills an important interdisciplinary need in joining anthropology to philosophy. It continues the argument Widenquist and McCall started in their earlier book, Prehistoric Myths in Modern Political Philosophy. Both books debunk out-of-date and incorrect assumptions about human society that somehow remain foundational in political philosophy. The prior book focused on the ideas of Thomas Hobbes, and The Prehistory of Private Property develops and expands this line of thought. The authors do a real service by opening up comparative scholarship to new perspectives about the inevitability of inequality, capitalist markets, and private property. Anyone interested in how human societies operate and how western scholars have portrayed them will find this a compelling read." -Michael E. Smith, Arizona State University

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn 'Combining', Nora Bateson invites us into an ecology of communication where nothing stands alone, and every action sets off a chain of incalculable consequences. She challenges conventional fixes for our problems, highlighting the need to tackle issues at multiple levels, understand interdependence, and embrace ambiguity. Insisting on our collective responsibility to confront the looming threats to humanity's survival, she advocates change through interconnectedness and challenges us to rethink our perspectives on relationships, community, and the very essence of being human. A blend of intellectual inquiry, essays, emotional engagement, storytelling, poetry and graphic art, Combining is an invitation to nurture genuine connections and navigate a world brimming with "Warm Data" - the interrelationships that integrate elements of every complex system. The book calls on us to shed our linear thinking and embrace "Aphanipoiesis" - the unseen ways in which life comes together to foster vitality and propel evolution. In 'Combining', love, humor, curiosity, and vulnerability entwine amidst the trials of a world in flux. As we face the Polycrisis, Nora Bateson urges us to swerve from the traditional paths and to dismantle the illusions of fitting in. She beckons us to step into a world where learning, uncutness, and readiness converge, promising both revelation and revolution.Trade Review"Nora Bateson writes like no other - her 'ecology of communication' is poetry, observation, wisdom and rage blended into a coherent narrative that sinks down deep and swirls. ... Nora takes risks to behave differently, in how she gives us pieces of herself; in how she speaks with clarity about the messiness of being on the edge of destruction, whilst embodying the prayers of our ancestors. In how she brings together that which systems of harm repetitively sever - logic and heart, ecology and psychology, trauma and oppression, science and art. Prepare to go to the places we are not supposed to go, in order to be in the spaces we are truly meant to be."; Taiwo Afuape, Clinical Psychologist and Systemic Psychotherapist, Author of Power, Resisitance and Liberation in Therapy with Survivors of Trauma; "Nora Bateson is doing with words what language has no capacity for. I fell in love with it right from the start."; Bayo Akomolafe, Author of These Wilds Beyond our Fences: Letters to My Daughter on Humanity's Search for Home, Global Senior Fellow of The Othering & Belonging Institute; "A masterwork. Please avail yourself of this heartfelt, brilliant, yet entirely accessible guide to the lived experience of complexity. Bateson shows how to engage with our personal and collective challenges less as problems to be solved than as systems calling for understanding, compassion, and harmonious engagement. Continuing the inquiries of Donna Haraway, Bruno Latour, and a couple of Batesons before her, Nora has defined a new and vital landscape in a book that will take its place alongside their best remembered works. There is still a way for us to flourish; here's how."; Douglas Rushkoff, Author of Team Human and Survival of the Richest; " ... The imagery in Nora's writing is an exquisite depiction of Living Systems. We all can grow from this brilliant work of art, poetry, stories and more woven together, magically."; Carol Sanford, Author and Podcaster, Executive Producer of The Regenerative Business Summit; "This compilation is full of delicious insights that call us to witness the awe-inspiring breadth of possibilities that emerge from our entanglement. When we loosen our grip, and dive into the web of relationships we will begin to understand the abundance of potential pathways we have before us..."; Vicki Saunders, Founder, Coralus (formerly SheEO); "Nora Bateson reminds us in this book - and in how she thinks, speaks, and inhabits this world - that our hope lives not in our cleverness, but in our vulnerability, in our wildness, in our feral creativity, and most of all among our relationships, in our animate communications with each other and all living beings. This book is an exercise in living ecologically." Rex Weyler, Co-Founder, Greenpeace InternationalTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction Where Prose Stumbles To Live in Another Way The Moths Do Something Eggs Are Time Possibility Meet Not Match Hallway of Hallways Moving Edges Mama Now Juicy The Caramels of Autumn Un-Pick-Apart-Able Communing Uncut A Pineapple & Tarantulas Where Is the Edge of Me? One Thing Without Shields (The Voice of Change Is Changing) Finding a WayTone Traveling on a Paved Road Somehow Stretching Edges Self Portrait Every Hole Is a Story I Love You Without Going Blank Now What I Learned It's Fantastic Simultaneously Implicating Life Is Art Seasons Change Everything While Breaking Nothing Symmathesy Reunion I Fear A Fear Of Fear Contents Cracks and Fissures Just Sing Frost Tacit Wild What Is Submerging? Affection for Life Urgent Mud Untamed Aphanipoiesis It's a Gap Listening to the Listeners Noticing Kinky The Meadow-Verse Creature I Am a Crayon Time in Winter Is Underground Unsilent Marrow New Blank Document Yes Divided We Fall Together For You How Do You Pack? Sacred Communication An Ecology of Assholes The Cringe Rejection Two Bad Questions Something New Swerving A Letter To My Imagination Liminal Leadership Words to Be Careful With Ideas Are Their Stories Theory Is Beautiful The Reasons Salt and Iron The Zombie Caterpillar Bacteria Nocturnal Building an Arc Freak Out and Freak In The Rubric Lurking Monster What Is Sanity? Common Sense Is Sense-Making in the Commons (There Is No Script) Minutiae of the Day In the Fire Tearing and Mending Unbreakable Who-New? What Am I Not Able to Receive? Surreal Decontextualized Family Is Where We Live Meeting Double Binds in the Polycrisis Slow Truth I Want You to Want Me to Want You Silences Predatory Skills Harvest Integrity Ecology of Communication To Live It Something Has To Matter Home Cupped Hands References

Read more less

Book SynopsisFOYLES NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEARA SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLERTHE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE FOR NATURE WRITING - HIGHLY COMMENDEDLONGLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTIONA BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR IN THE SUNDAY TIMES, TELEGRAPH, PROSPECT, THE NEW YORKER AND BBC HISTORY WATERSTONES NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE MONTH''The best book on the history of life on Earth I have ever read'' Tom Holland''Epically cinematic... A book of almost unimaginable riches'' Sunday TimesThis is the past as we''ve never seen it before. Otherlands is an epic, exhilarating journey into deep time, showing us the Earth as it used to exist, and the worlds that were here before ours.Award-winning young palaeobiologist Thomas Halliday immerses us in a series of ancient landscapes, from the mammoth steppe in Ice Age Alaska to the lush rainforests of Eocene Antarctica, with its colonies of giant penguins, to Ediacaran Australia, where the moon is far brighter than ours today. We visit the birthplace of humanity; we hear the crashing of the highest waterfall the Earth has ever known; and we watch as life emerges again after the asteroid hits, and the age of the mammal dawns.Otherlands is a staggering imaginative feat: an emotional narrative that underscores the tenacity of life - yet also the fragility of seemingly permanent ecosystems, including our own. To read it is to see the last 500 million years not as an endless expanse of unfathomable time, but as a series of worlds, simultaneously fabulous and familiar.Sunday Times bestseller, March 2023Trade ReviewThis book takes us through the natural history of previous forms of life in the most beguiling way. It makes you think about the past differently and it certainly makes you think about the future differently. This is a monumental work and I suspect it will be a very important book for future generations -- Ray Mears, Chair of the Wainwright Prize for UK Nature WritingThe word "original" is really overworked. But Thomas Halliday has produced a book the like of which I have never come across -- Jeremy PaxmanAn extraordinary history of our almost-alien Earth... Epically cinematic... The writing is so palpably alive. A book of almost unimaginable riches. It is a book that will make its own solid and lasting contribution. It could well be the best I read in 2022 - and I know it's only January -- James McConnachie * Sunday Times *A poet among palaeontologists -- David P. Barash * Wall Street Journal *A mesmerising journey into those vast stretches of Earth's pre-history that lie behind us, on such a scale that you experience a kind of temporal vertigo just thinking about it... [Halliday is] a brilliant writer, his lyrical style vividly conjuring myriad lost worlds... It's obviously a bit of a gamble choosing one's Book of the Year in March - but there's a very good chance already that mine will be Otherlands. Stunning -- Christopher Hart * Mail on Sunday *An impressive, tightly packed, long view of the natural world. In cinematic terms, this book would be a blockbuster... Riveting scientific reading; a remarkable achievement of imagination grounded in fact -- NJ McGarrigle * Irish Times *An immersive world tour of prehistoric life... Halliday never loses sight of the bigger picture, nimbly marshalling a huge array of insights thrown up by recent research. Each chapter gives not only a vivid snapshot of an ecosystem in action but also insights into geology, climate science, evolution and biochemistry... Mind-blowing -- Neville Hawcock * Financial Times *A sweeping, lyrical biography of Earth -- the geology, the biology, the extinctions and the ever-shifting ecology that defines our living planet -- Adam Rutherford * BBC Radio 4 Start the Week *Superb... [An] epic, near-hallucinatory natural history of the living earth... Dazzling -- Simon Ings * Telegraph *Remarkable... Ingenious... A work of immense imagination [...] rooted firmly in the actual science -- Stuart Kelly * Scotsman *A fascinating journey through Earth's history... [Halliday] is appropriately lavish in his depiction of the variety and resilience of life, without compromising on scientific accuracy... To read Otherlands is to marvel not only at these unfamiliar lands and creatures, but also that we have the science to bring them to life in such vivid detail -- Gege Li * New Scientist *Riveting... An intense and imaginative reading of fossils as runes that tell us about our own times, and possible future. Halliday is a Time Lord at heart, eager to lead us back to, say, the Permian or Oligocene epochs and unpack their lessons for 21st Century humanity. For all its scholarship, this is a very readable book, full of literary reference and accessible metaphor. Otherlands is also a wise manual for adaptive change rather than a prophecy of inevitable doom -- Matthew D'Ancona * Tortoise *Thomas Halliday offers a 550m-year tour of the incredible diversity of life that has existed on our planet... Halliday's trick is to tell his story in reverse. The first hominids exit early; the continents merge and drift and merge again; the sounds of the cretaceous forest fall silent as we pass beyond the evolution of birdsong. Life retreats from land to ocean, and the first eyes give way to the sightless world of the Ediacaran, an alien realm of crawling beings -- David Farrier * Prospect *A brilliant series of reconstructions of life in the deep past, richly imagined from the fine details of the fossil record... A real achievement... Reading Halliday's book is as near to the experience of visiting these ancient worlds as you are likely to get -- Jon Turney * Arts Desk *Writing with gusto and bravado [...] Halliday has honed a unique voice... Otherlands is a verbal feast. You feel like you are there on the Mammoth Steppe, some 20,000 years ago, as frigid winds blow off the glacial front... Along the way, we learn astounding facts -- Steve Brusatte * Scientific American *Vivid... An intricate analysis of our planet's interconnected past, it is impossible to come away from Otherlands without awe for what may lie ahead -- Amancai Biraben * Independent *Halliday takes us on a journey into deep time in this epic book, showing us Earth as it used to be and the worlds that were here before ours -- ‘The Hottest Books of the Year Ahead’ * Independent *This is a piece of nature writing that covers millions of years, from the very start of evolution, while capturing the almost unthinkable ways geography has shifted and changed over time. Epic in scope and executed with charming enthusiasm, Otherlands looks set to be a big talking point for fans of non-fiction in 2022 -- ‘The 15 New Novels And Non-Fiction Books To Read In 2022’ * Mr Porter *Palaeobiologist Thomas Halliday embraces a yet more epic timescale in Otherlands: A World in the Making, touring the many living worlds that preceded ours, from the mammoth steppe in glaciated Alaska to the lush rainforests of Eocene Antarctica. If you have ever wondered what sound a pterosaur's wings made in flight, this is the book for you -- 'The best science books coming your way in 2022’ * New Scientist *Full of wonder and fascination, exquisitely written, this is time travel of spectacular dimensions - a journey into our planet's evolution and the world in which we live. A compellingly important read -- Isabella Tree, author of WILDINGThe best book on the history of life on Earth I have ever read -- Tom Holland, author of DOMINIONThomas Halliday's debut is a kaleidoscopic and evocative journey into deep time. He takes quiet fossil records and complex scientific research and brings them alive - riotous, full-coloured and three-dimensional. You'll find yourself next to giant two-metre penguins in a forested Antarctica 41 million years ago or hearing singing icebergs in South Africa some 444 million years ago. Maybe most importantly, Otherlands is a timely reminder of our planet's impermanence and what we can learn from the past -- Andrea Wulf, author of THE INVENTION OF NATUREDeep time is very hard to capture - even to imagine - and yet Thomas Halliday has done so in this fascinating volume. He wears his grasp of vast scientific learning lightly; this is as close to time travel as you are likely to get -- Bill McKibben, author of FALTERAn absolutely gripping adventure story, exploring back through the changing vistas of our own planet's past. Earth has been many different worlds over its planetary history, and Thomas Halliday is the perfect tour guide to these past landscapes, and the extraordinary creatures that inhabited them. Otherlands is science writing at its very finest -- Lewis Dartnell, author of ORIGINSOtherlands is one of those rare books that's both deeply informative and daringly imaginative. It will change the way you look at the history of life, and perhaps also its future -- Elizabeth Kolbert, author of THE SIXTH EXTINCTIONThis stunning biography of our venerable Earth, detailing her many ages and moods, is an essential travel guide to the changing landscapes of our living world. As we hurtle into the Anthropocene, blindly at the helm of this inconstant planet, Halliday gives us our bearings within the panorama of deep time. Aeons buckle under his pen: the world before us made vivid; the paradox of our permanence and impermanence visceral. Wonderful -- Gaia Vince, author of TRANSCENDENCEStirring, surprising and beautifully written, Otherlands offers glimpses of times so different to our own they feel like parallel worlds. In its lyricism and the intimate attention it pays to nonhuman life, Thomas Halliday's book recalls Rachel Carson's Under the Sea Wind, and marks the arrival of an exciting new voice -- Cal Flynn, author of ISLANDS OF ABANDONMENTImaginative -- Andrew Robinson * Nature *This study of our prehistoric earth is "beyond cinematic", James McConnachie says. "It could well be the best book I read in 2022 -- Robbie Millen and Andrew Holgate, Books of the Year * Sunday Times *It's phenomenally difficult for human brains to grasp deep time. Even thousands of years seem unfathomable, with all human existence before the invention of writing deemed 'prehistory', a time we know very little about. Thomas Halliday's book Otherlands helps to ease our self-centred minds into these depths. Moving backwards in time, starting with the thawing plains of the Pleistocene (2.58 million - 12,000 years ago) and ending up in the marine world of the Ediacaran (635-541 mya), he devotes one chapter to each of the intervening epochs or periods and, like a thrilling nature documentary, presents a snapshot of life at that time. It's an immersive experience, told in the present tense, of these bizarre 'otherlands', populated by creatures and greenery unlike any on Earth today -- Books of the Year * Geographical *Each chapter of this literary time machine takes us further back in prehistory, telling vivid stories about ancient creatures and their alien ecologies, ending 550 million years ago -- The Telegraph Cultural Desk, Books of the Year * Telegraph *The largest-known asteroid impact on Earth is the one that killed the dinosaurs 65?million years ago, but that is a mere pit stop on Thomas Halliday's evocative journey into planetary history in Otherlands. Each chapter of this literary time machine takes us further back into the deep past, telling vivid stories about ancient creatures and their alien ecologies, until at last we arrive 550?million years ago in the desert of what is now Australia, where no plant life yet covers the land. Halliday notes the urgency of reducing carbon emissions in the present to protect our settled patterns of life, but adds: "The idea of a pristine Earth, unaffected by human biology and culture, is impossible." It's an epic lesson in the impermanence of all things -- Steven Poole, Books of the Year * Telegraph *The world on which we live is "undoubtedly a human planet", Thomas Halliday writes in this extraordinary debut. But "it has not always been, and perhaps will not always be". Humanity has dominated the Earth for a tiny fraction of its history. And that History is vast. We tend to lump all dinosaurs, for example, into one period in the distant past. But more time passed between the last diplodocus and the first tyrannosaurus than has passed between the last tyrannosaurus and the present day. A mind-boggling fact. This is a glorious, mesmerising guide to the past 500 million years bought to life by this young palaeobiologist's rich and cinematic writing -- Ben Spencer, Books of the Year * Sunday Times *A book that I really want to read but haven't yet bought - so I hope it goes into my Christmas stocking - is Otherlands: A World in the Making by Thomas Halliday. It sounds so amazing - a history of the world before history, before people. He's trying to write the history of the organisms and the plants and the creatures and everything else as the world grows from protozoic slime or whatever we emerged from. It sounds like an absolutely incredible effort of imagination. I think that Christmas presents should be books you can curl up with and get engrossed in and transported by - and Otherlands sounds like exactly that -- Michael Wood, Books of the Year * BBC History Magazine *But, of course, not all history is human history, Otherlands, by Thomas Halliday, casts its readers further and further back, past the mammoths, past the dinosaurs, back to an alien world of shifting rock and weird plants. It is a marvel -- Books of the Year * Prospect *

Read more less

Book SynopsisMost people would probably agree on what should be done to avert severe climate change: The world must reduce CO2 emissions as much and as quickly as possible. But we must also ask what will be done. Is it realistic to expect worldwide emissions to fall rapidly enough to prevent severe climate change? And if we conclude it is not realistic, and so higher temperatures and rising sea levels are likely, what should we do? What actions should we take now to reduce the likely impact of climate change? Whatever climate policies are adopted, there will be a great deal of uncertainty over what will happen as a result. In Climate Future, Robert Pindyck, an authority on the economics of climate change and global catastrophes, explains what we know and what we don''t know about the extent of climate change and its impact, why there is so much uncertainty, and what it means for climate policy. This book shows that given the economic and political realities, it is simply not realistic to expect emiTrade Reviewthe author concedes the need to address climate change as soon as possible to avert far greater costs of future climate heating. * Mary Ellen Harte, Quarterly Review of Biology *One of the best books ever written about climate change. Pindyck brilliantly lays out how much we don't know, and why we don't know it. He also shows what we need to do, amidst all those question marks. (Hint: Adapt!) Intriguing and wise-and indispensable. * Cass R. Sunstein, Robert Walmsley University Professor, Harvard, and author of Averting Catastrophe *Very different from the many other books that exist on this matter, which are either painting a totally unrealistic happy ecological transition or overly techno-optimistic, Climate Future generates an important new message: Risk management must be a key tool for optimizing our climate policies. * Christian Gollier, Director, Toulouse School of Economics, and co-author of the 4th and 5th Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports *With greatly increasing attention being given to global climate change, there has been an explosion of books and articles, some of which are worthwhile reading. But Robert Pindyck's new book is one that must be read-whether by scholars, policy makers, journalists, or the interested public. It provides a reality check by honestly and methodically assessing what we know and what we don't know about climate change and the possibilities of averting and adapting to it. Pindyck is a world-class economist, at the top of his game, and a leader in the area of energy and environmental economics. His book is solid yet fresh, broad yet deep, and ultimately of tremendous value. * Robert N. Stavins, A. J. Meyer Professor of Energy and Economic Development, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University *Pindyck (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) describes in detail the impact of changing carbon dioxide levels on Earth's temperature and why greenhouse gases have this effect on the environment. The premise of his argument is to examine what policies at the national and international levels could avert the temperature increase and what potential strategies exist for adapting to the changing climate. Pindyck clearly shows that no single policy or strategy will change the climate trajectory and that a comprehensive approach across all sectors of the economy that includes reducing emissions and energy demand, adopting conservation practices that reduce energy demand, and utilizing different forms of energy is required. * Choice *Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION 1.1 Averting and Adapting: The Basic Argument 1.2 What Is Adaptation? 1.2.1 Concerns about Adaptation 1.2.2 Carbon Removal and Sequestration 1.3 What Comes Next 1.4 Further Readings CHAPTER 2: THE FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEM 2.1 A Few Facts and Numbers 2.2 An Optimistic Scenario 2.3 The Bottom Line 2.4 Further Readings CHAPTER 3: WHAT WE KNOWAND DON'T KNOWABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE 3.1 The Social Cost of Carbon 3.2 Climate Change Basics 3.3 What We Know (or Sort of Know) 3.3.1 What Drives CO2 Emissions? 3.3.2 What Drives the Atmospheric CO2 Concentration? 3.4 What We Don't Know 3.4.1 Climate Sensitivity 3.4.2 The Impact of Climate Change 3.4.3 A Catastrophic Outcome 3.5 Further Readings CHAPTER 4: THE ROLE OF UNCERTAINTY IN CLIMATE POLICY 4.1 Implications of Uncertainty 4.1.1 The Treatment of Uncertainty 4.1.2 How Does Uncertainty Affect Climate Policy? 4.1.3 The Value of Climate Insurance 4.1.4 The Effects of Irreversibilities 4.2 Further Readings 4.3 Appendix to Chapter 4: Effects of Irreversibilities CHAPTER 5: CLIMATE POLICY AND CLIMATE CHANGE: WHAT CAN WE EXPECT? 5.1 CO2 Emission Reductions 5.1.1 The United States 5.1.2 The U.K. and Europe 5.1.3 China 5.1.4 The Global Picture 5.2 CO2, Methane, and Temperature Change 5.2.1 The Warming Effect of CO2 Emissions 5.2.2 Methane Emissions 5.2.3 The Warming Effect of Methane Emissions 5.3 Temperature Change Scenarios 5.3.1 Changes in Temperature 5.3.2 Implications of Uncertainty 5.4 Rising Sea Levels 5.5 Summary 5.6 Further Readings 5.7 Appendix to Chapter 5: Temperature Scenarios CHAPTER 6: WHAT TO DO: REDUCING NET EMISSIONS 6.1 How to Reduce Emissions 6.1.1 A Carbon Price 6.1.2 Government Subsidies 6.1.3 Government Mandates 6.1.4 Cap-and-Trade 6.1.5 How Large a Carbon Tax? 6.1.6 An International Agreement 6.1.7 Research & Development 6.2 Nuclear Power 6.3 Removing Carbon 6.3.1 Trees, Forests, and CO2 6.3.2 Carbon Removal and Sequestration 6.3.3 The Bottom Line 6.4 Further Readings CHAPTER 7: WHAT TO DO: ADAPTATION 7.1 Adaptation in Agriculture 7.1.1 What Can the Data Tell Us? 7.1.2 An Historical Experiment 7.1.3 What To Expect? 7.2 Hurricanes, Storms, and Rising Sea Levels 7.2.1 Flooding and Its Impact 7.2.2 Physical Barriers to Flooding 7.2.3 Natural Barriers to Flooding 7.2.4 Private and Public/Private Adaptation 7.2.5 Flood Insurance 7.2.6 Flood Risk in Asia 7.2.7 What to Expect? 7.3 Solar Geoengineering 7.3.1 How It Would Work 7.3.2 How Much Would It Cost? 7.3.3 Problems with Solar Geoengineering 7.3.4 What to Do? 7.4 Can Adaptation Solve Our Climate Problem? 7.5 Climate Future 7.6 Further Readings Bibliography

Read more less

Book SynopsisBeautifully designed maps, flags and country profile data make this atlas an ideal source of information about our ever changing world.If you're interested in finding out more about the geography of the world we live in, then this world atlas book is perfect for you. Compact World Atlas provides an excellent source of accurate and informative  geographical information in an attractive, affordable, user-friendly package.Journey all over the world as you explore:- New fully revised 8th Edition incorporating hundreds of updates to maps and statistics.- Over 60 regional maps, 196 country fact files, flags and statistics.- 25 larger scale inset maps of cities and smaller countries- Fully cross-referenced index/gazetteer.Arranged in three main sections, the Compact World Atlas proves ideal for family reference, encompassing  crosswords and quizzes, whilst presenting an intriguing and absorbing journey around th

Read more less

Book SynopsisHundreds of novels, films, and TV shows have speculated about what it would be like for us Earthlings to build cities on Mars. To make it a reality, however, these dreamers are in sore need of additional conceptual tools in their belt—particularly, a rich knowledge of city planning and design. Enter award-winning author and Tufts University professor, Justin Hollander. In this book, he draws on his experience as an urban planner and researcher of human settlements to provide a thoughtful exploration of what a city on Mars might actually look like. Exploring the residential, commercial, industrial, and infrastructure elements of such an outpost, the book is able to paint a vivid picture of how a Martian community would function – the layout of its public spaces, the arrangement of its buildings, its transportation network, and many more crucial aspects of daily life on another planet. Dr. Hollander then brings all these lessons to life through his own rendered plan for “Aleph,” one of many possible designs for the first city on Mars. Featuring a plethora of detailed, cutting-edge illustrations and blueprints for Martian settlements, this book at once inspires and grounds the adventurous spirit. It is a novel addition to the current planning underway to colonize the Red Planet, providing a rich review of how we have historically overcome challenging environments and what the broader lessons of urban planning can offer to the extraordinary challenge of building a permanent settlement on Mars. Trade Review“Throughout the book, Hollander applies his knowledge in an accessible way, illustrating points with figures from historical sources, as well as images of possible settlements pulled (with permission) from the latest studies on the subject. Overall, the book provides a highly researched and perfectly timed foundation into how humans can anticipate the needs of the future, and plan off-world colonies that are humane, sustainable, and beautiful places to live.” (nature astronomy, Vol. 7, May, 2023)“The book is rich and detailed, yet easy-to-read – and certain to engage any space enthusiast” (Ian Randall, physicsworld.com, March 15, 2023)Table of Contents1. Welcome to Mars 2. Learning from Earth’s Colonization 3. Lessons from Six Decades of Space Exploration4. Designing Mars for Humans: The First Principle 5. Transportation Dimensions6. Residential, Commercial, and Industrial Dimensions7. Non-Transportation Infrastructure Dimensions8. Mars Planning Precedents9. Other Off-World Planning Precedents 10. Template for a Mars Colony11. Conclusion

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe environmental impacts of construction are momentous. How can architects minimise these by making responsible material choices? Material choices have a global impact. The design and construction industry are responsible for 39% of all carbon emissions in the world. Despite the great desire among architects to address this, it can be difficult to compare materials directly, let alone understand the repercussions of selecting materials for use in different parts of a building or of sourcing them from across the world. Showcasing the latest thought leadership from subject experts across the industry, this primer sets out the various considerations and parameters for specifying a particular material. It empowers architects with the knowledge of which materials are available, how best to use them, and what their future holds as the industry continues to innovate. Each chapter will be devoted to a single material and will consider environmental impacts holistically, looking at health a

Read more less

Book SynopsisThere is also a candid, never-revealed-before account of the Bhopal gas tragedy from someone who played a pivotal role in its aftermath. This delightful first-hand narrative is in its essence the history of nature conservation in India, by a person who was part of it and contributed to it, during its most tumultuous period.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisOver the last several decades, life in Lahore has been undergoing profound transformations, from rapid and uneven urbanization to expanding state institutions and informal economies. What do these transformations look like if viewed from the lens of waste materials and the lives of those who toil with them? In Lahore, like in many parts of Pakistan and South Asia, waste workers—whether municipal employees or informal laborers—are drawn from low- or noncaste (Dalit) groups and dispose the collective refuse of the city's 11 million inhabitants. Bringing workers into contact with potentially polluting materials reinforces their stigmatization and marginalization, and yet, their work allows life to go on across Lahore and beyond. This historical and ethnographic account examines how waste work has been central to organizing and transforming the city of Lahore—its landscape, infrastructures, and life—across historical moments, from the colonial period to the present. Building upon conversations about changing configurations of work and labor under capitalism, and utilizing a theoretical framework of reproduction, Waqas H. Butt traces how forms of life in Punjab, organized around caste-based relations, have become embedded in infrastructures across Pakistan, making them crucial to numerous processes unfolding at distinct scales. Life Beyond Waste maintains that processes reproducing life in a city like Lahore must be critically assessed along the lines of caste, class, and religion, which have been constitutive features of urbanization across South Asia.Trade Review"This book helps us understand the centrality of caste as a category and the processes of pollution/purity linked as they are to the labyrinths through which waste work is organized in Lahore. It is a path-breaking contribution to the fields of urban studies, informal labor practices and the production of social marginality in Pakistan. It will undoubtedly be a model for future research."—Kamran Asdar Ali, University of Texas, Austin"Life Beyond Waste is a deeply sensitive ethnography of Lahore's waste workers and traders, offering luminous insights on the entanglements of people, matter, and institutions that constitute the city's "waste infrastructure." The book is also distinctive for its historical analysis of how agrarian class and caste inequalities are reproduced in urban Pakistan. A model for urban anthropology and waste studies!"—Vinay Gidwani, University of Minnesota"Butt shows waste infrastructure is about more than where pollution goes and who decides. Combining richly-detailed ethnography with in-depth history on the continuity between colonial governance and recent statecraft, he uncovers the diverse forms of labor that are necessary to reproduce urban life and inequality, whether in Pakistan or in wasted worlds beyond."—Joshua Reno, Binghamton University"How is hate channeled through waste work carried out by Christians as non-Muslims? How do powerlessness and anger touch the lives of those who work with waste materials? Butt's interventions on these critical questions bring to life a story of caste, waste work, and urban life that are not only in a state of flux and transformation but also a site of contestation and struggle."—Nausheen H. Anwar, The Developing EconomiesTable of ContentsPreface 1. Introduction 2. An Order for Urban Life 3. The Appearance of Things 4. Surplus and Its Excess 5. The Unevenness of Intimacy 6. The Possibility of Reproduction 7. Coda

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"A very well-constructed reference book."---April Marie Wright, Trends in Ecology & Evolution"A very good and thorough overview of methods and applications to infer evolutionary relationship between recently diverged taxa." * Conservation Biology *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn invitation to reconnect with nature through the art of willow sculpture.Lavishly illustrated with full colour photographs, this uniquely valuable book pays homage to the willow in many ways, providingan in depth discussion to the intricacies of willow sculpture, ranging from sourcing materials and basic techniques, to how to weave a variety of shapes and forms.Over the last three decades, Kim Creswell has dedicated her life to working with the elegant and abundant Salix; in A Celebration of Willow, she shares with readers the knowledge she has gathered through connecting with her plant ally, the familiar and flexible willow tree.Throughout the book, the author focuses on the importance of cultivating a deep and mutual relationship with the natural world, discussing in detail important concepts such as ecology and sustainability. She also explores explores working with the willow tree in herbal medicine.A Celebrati

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe epic story of the buffalo in America, from prehistoric times to today—a moving and beautifully illustrated work of natural historyThe American buffalo—our nation’s official mammal—is an improbable, shaggy beast that has found itself at the center of many of our most mythic and sometimes heartbreaking tales. The largest land animals in the Western Hemisphere, they are survivors of a mass extinction that erased ancient species that were even larger. For nearly 10,000 years, they evolved alongside Native people who weaved them into every aspect of daily life; relied on them for food, clothing, and shelter; and revered them as equals.Newcomers to the continent found the buffalo fascinating at first, but in time they came to consider them a hindrance to a young nation’s expansion. And in the space of only a decade, they were slaughtered by the millions for their hides, with their carcasses left to rot on the prairies. Then, teetering

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn ever-increasing proportion of our lives is spent in supermarkets, airports and hotels, on motorways or in front of TVs, computer and cash machines. This invasion of the world by what Marc Auge calls 'non-space' results in a profound alteration of awareness: something we perceive, but only in a partial and incoherent manner. Auge uses the concept of 'supermodernity' to describe the logic of these late-capitalist phenomena - a logic of excessive information and excessive space. In this fascinating and lucid essay he seeks to establish and intellectual armature for an anthropology of supermodernity. Starting with an attempt to disentangle anthropology from history, Auge goes on to map the distinction between place, encrusted with historical monuments and creative social life, and non-place, to which individuals are connected in a uniform manner and where no organic social life is possible.Unlike Baudelairean modernity, where old and new are interwoven, supermodernity is self-contained: from the motorway or aircraft, local or exotic particularities are presented two-dimensionally as a sort of theme-park spectacle. Auge does not suggest that supermodernity is all-encompassing: place still exist outside non-place and tend to reconstitute themselves inside it. But he argues powerfully that we are in transit through non-place for more and more of our time, as if between immense parentheses, and concludes that this new form of solitude should become the subject of an anthropology of its own.Trade ReviewUnsettling, elegantly written and illuminating: essential reading for anyone seeking to understand our supermodern condition. -- PD Smith * Guardian *Shopping malls, motorways, airport lounges-we are all familiar with these curious spaces which are both everywhere and nowhere. But only now do we have a coherent analysis of their far-reaching effects on public and private experience. Marc Augé has become their anthropologist, and has written a timely and original book. -- Patrick WrightIt is indeed very seldom that one finds it difficult to put down a book because of the intellectual excitement it generates. Augé's Non-Places is such a book-a powerful message, modestly delivered, which stands out as a unique and refreshing anthropological voice. * Current Anthropology *Table of ContentsIntroduction to the Second EditionPrologueThe Near and the ElsewhereAnthropological PlaceFrom Places to Non-PlacesEpilogueA Brief Bibliography

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZEONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW''S 10 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEARA NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD FINALISTThe 10th-anniversary edition of the instant classic, The Sixth Extinction, now with a new epilogue. Kolbert blends intellectual and natural history and field reporting into a powerful account of the mass extinction unfolding before our eyes.Over the last half a billion years, there have been five mass extinctions, when the diversity of life on earth suddenly and dramatically contracted. Scientists around the world are currently monitoring the Sixth Extinction, predicted to be the most devastating extinction event since the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs. This time around, the cataclysm is us.In The Sixth Extinction, two-time winner of the National Magazine Award and New Yorker writer Elizabeth Kolbert draws on the work of

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis cutting-edge Research Agenda for Place Branding explores ideas and debates that inform a refreshing take on the future of place branding and marketing. It argues that we are at a juncture where the logical and sensible step is to push the âreset buttonâ on such activity and fully reconsider its purpose and goals.Trade Review'Most key themes of interest to anyone involved in place branding research are covered in the governance, contexts and experiences sections, and along with the key grounding issues, the book contains some very insightful case studies. In the final chapter, Stephen Brown recognises that while place branding may have peaked, we now see more of a focus on destination demarketing. This book is therefore very timely. Since global tourism was devastated in 2020 and places seek to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, a more considered research agenda as outlined in this book may lead to places being better managed with a focus more on sufficiency than growth, so we do not face a need for destination demarketing again.' -- Heather Skinner, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK'At last, a truly critical book on a highly controversial matter, with a broad range of contributions from geography, marketing, politics and beyond. One of its many merits is the juxtaposition of contrasting perspectives: from those who see place branding as a means of improving places, to others who consider it just another tool of the neoliberal project. This volume is an indispensable reference work for anybody who wants to understand the development, limitations, and potential research agendas of this ''discipline''.' -- Ares Kalandides, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK'A Research Agenda for Place Branding is not only the title of this book - but is also much needed. While in recent decades we created common ground and shared definitions (or at least agreed to disagree), place branding now needs an academic inspiration, some novel ideas and rigorous, impactful contributions. This book combines many of the critical well-known interdisciplinary minds of our field. I invite you to read it and use its ideas to develop bold research ideas and create this necessary new research agenda for place branding.' -- Sebastian Zenker, Copenhagen Business School, DenmarkTable of ContentsContents: 1 Place branding’s present and past realities, and future research agendas 1 Dominic Medway, Gary Warnaby and John Byrom PART I GOVERNANCE 2 Place branding and the neoliberal class settlement 19 Aram Eisenschitz 3 Computational approaches to place branding: A call for a theory-driven research agenda 33 Efe Sevin 4 Demystifying participation and engagement in the branding of urban places 47 Andrea Insch 5 The spatial planning–place branding nexus: A research agenda for spatial development 67 Eduardo Oliveira, Kristof Van Assche and Raoul Beunen PART II CONTEXTS 6 Place branding and locational decisions: Taking a behavioural economics perspective? 87 Aleks Vladimirov and Gary Warnaby 7 Global city branding 101 Adriana Campelo 8 The Nordic wave in place branding: Global implications and relevance 117 Cecilia Cassinger, Andrea Lucarelli and Szilvia Gyimóthy 9 The tale of three cities: Place branding, scalar complexity and football 131 Steve Millington, Chloe Steadman, Gareth Roberts and Dominic Medway 10 Sustainable Development Goals in place branding: Developing a research agenda 151 Anette Therkelsen, Laura James and Henrik Halkier 11 Keeping pace with the digital transformation of place 163 Brendan James Keegan PART III EXPERIENCE 12 Posthuman phenomenology: What are places like for nonhumans? 183 Jack Coffin 13 Co-creation of place brands? 201 Jenny Rowley and Sonya Hanna 14 Tourism, the burden of authenticity and place branding 215 Maria Lichrou and Lisa O’Malley 15 Making ‘sense’ of place branding: Adopting a sensemaking, sensefiltering and sensegiving lens 233 Laura Reynolds and Nicole Koenig-Lewis 16 Considering place and the sensorium through the lens of non-representational theory 247 Simon Cryer PART IV CREATIVITY 17 Illuminating identity: The capacity of light festivals to enhance place? 267 Tim Edensor 18 ‘The artist in you’: Thinking differently about place branding research 283 Mihalis Kavaratzis and Gary Warnaby 19 Peak place marketing: My part in its downfall 301 Stephen Brown Index 313

Read more less

Book SynopsisChildren’s Animal World Wall Map – an educational and fun addition to any child’s bedroom or classroom wall. The Children's Animal World Wall Map is an educational and fun addition to any child's bedroom or playroom. This colourful and detailed map features illustrations of animals from around the world, including elephants, tigers, kangaroos, and penguins. Each animal is numbered and linked to a discreet index running along the bottom of the map so children can see the name of the animal. Measuring 100cm x 64.5cm, this children’s map is easy to read and perfect for kids of all ages. It is printed on high-quality paper with a satin-gloss finish, making it durable and easy to clean. Not only is this map of the world a great way to teach children about geography and animal habitats, but it also adds a playful and decorative touch to any space. It comes rolled up in a tube for easy transportation and storage. From the award-winning Stellanova Globes comes this brand new Children’s World Wall Map A fabulous gift, an informative education tool and a fun, colourful display piece for a bedroom or classroom Packed with pictures of the world’s wildlife plus key landmarks - children can easily see the animals that belong to each region of the world whether it’s a giraffe in Kenya or an elephant in India Handy index linked to each illustration helping children identify the animals and landmarks Durable, long-lasting wall map – printed with a subtle, elegant matt sheen finish comes in a soft, plastic tube for easy transportation The Children's Animal World Wall Map is a wonderful gift for any young animal lover or aspiring explorer.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis updated edition includes recent advances in data acquisition, spectral data analysis, and new understanding of spatial and temporal variations in the strength of the lithosphere in its response to loading. An invaluable resource to students and researchers, it uses a simplified mathematical treatment and includes numerous geological examples.Trade Review'The second edition of this classic book offers an in-depth analysis of the numerous land, ocean, and planetary processes that are produced and modified by lithospheric flexure. Topics range from the theory of bending and deformation of thin elastic plates, to the relationships between gravity and topography, to the interaction of flexural and erosional processes and their geological interpretation. Throughout the book there are sections on the historical developments of all these topics. This new edition includes updates on yield strength envelope models for the lithosphere and the interpretation of new gravity and topography measured by satellite missions orbiting the Earth and other planets. Whether you are a geologist, geophysicist, or simply an enthusiast seeking a deeper understanding of the Earth's geological processes, Isostasy and Flexure of the Lithosphere is an invaluable resource.' David Sandwell, University of California, San Diego'second edition of this classic book offers an in-depth analysis of the numerous land, ocean, and planetary processes that are produced and modified by lithospheric flexure. Whether you are a geologist, geophysicist, or simply an enthusiast seeking a deeper understanding of the Earth's geological processes, Isostasy and Flexure of the Lithosphere is an invaluable resource.' David Sandwell, University of California, San DiegoReviews of the first edition: '… there is no question but that this book is the authoritative word on isostasy and flexure.' Marcia McNutt, EOS'… a superb book which covers a lot of ground on a fundamental topic of general importance to Earth scientists.' Paul Wessel, Geological Magazine'Isostasy and Flexure of the Lithosphere provides an excellent guide for those applying flexural isostasy to practical problems. It is also a starting point for those wishing to learn more about the actual physics of Earth's lithosphere.' Norman Sleep, Physics Today'Accessible and authoritative, this book will be of interest to a wide range of geologists and geophysicists. For students it would serve as an excellent companion to plate tectonics and geodynamics texts.' Rick Saltus, The Leading Edge'This is a wonderful book, which satisfies and important need and contains material of interest to a variety of Earth (and planetary) scientists, from an author who has been closely associated with important developments in this field over the past three decades.' John Woodside, The Leading Edge'… readable and very useful … it is an absolute bargain. Graduate students, advanced undergraduates and professionals will enjoy this volume and find it very useful in future work.' James S. McClain, Episodes'The opening two chapters are an addictive introduction to the history of isostasy. Watts quickens the pulse and opens the mind with his well-balanced descriptions of spectacular geology, perilous expeditions and scholarly Victorian disputes.' John Maclennan, Institut de Physique du Globe de ParisTable of Contents1. The Development of the Concept of Isostasy; 2. Isostasy and Flexure of the Lithosphere; 3. Theory of Elastic Plates; 4. Geological Examples of the Flexure Model of Isostasy; 5. Isostatic Response Functions; 6. Isostasy and the Physical Nature of the Lithosphere; 7. Isostasy and the Origin of Geological Features in the Continents and Oceans; 8. Isostasy and the Terrestrial Planets; References; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisRocks and mountains have withstood aeons of life on our planet - gradually eroding, shifting, solidifying, and weathering. We might spend a little less time on earth, but humans are also weathering: evolving and changing as we''re transformed by the shifting climates of our lives and experiences. So, what might these ancient natural forms have to teach us about resilience and change?In a stunning exploration of our own connection to these enduring forms, outdoor psychotherapist and geologist Ruth Allen takes us on a journey through deep time and ancient landscapes, showing how geology - which has formed the bedrock of her own adult life and approach to therapy - can offer us a new way of thinking about our own grief, change and boundaries.In a world shaken by physical, political, and medical disasters, Weathering argues for a deeper understanding of the ground beneath our feet to better serve ourselves and the world we live in.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA “smart, honest, and down-to-earth” (Elizabeth Kolbert) citizen’s guide to the seven urgent changes that will really make a difference for our climate. If you think the only thing you can do to combat climate change is to install a smart thermostat or cook plant-based meat, you’re thinking too small. In The Big Fix, energy policy advisor Hal Harvey and longtime New York Times reporter Justin Gillis offer a new, hopeful way to engage with one of the greatest problems of our age. Writing in a lively, accessible style, the pair illuminate how the really big decisions that affect our climate get made—whether by the most obscure public utilities commissions or in the lofty halls of state capitols—and reveal how each of us can influence these decisions to deliver change. The pair focus on the seven areas of our political economy where ambitious but practical changes will have the greatest effect: from what kind of power plants to build to how much insulation new houses require to how efficient cars must be before they’re allowed on the road. Equal parts pragmatic and inspiring—and “full of illustrative stories and compelling evidence” (Al Gore)—The Big Fix provides an action plan for anyone serious about holding our governments accountable and saving our threatened planet.Trade Review“Full of illustrative stories and compelling evidence, The Big Fix outlines an ambitious yet feasible guide for addressing the climate crisis. Business leaders, activists, and policymakers at all levels will find inspiration from the pragmatic approaches outlined in this book.” —Al Gore, chairman of The Climate Reality Project, chairman of Generation Investment Management, and former vice president of the United States “Smart, honest, and down-to-earth, The Big Fix addresses the crucial issue of our time: how citizens can compel action on climate change.” —Elizabeth Kolbert, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Sixth Extinction and Under a White Sky“Nobody grasps climate policy—and what can actually work—better than Hal Harvey. Nobody elucidates climate science better than Justin Gillis. Together, they offer a bold blueprint for saving a habitable Earth.” —John Doerr, chairman of venture capital film Kleiner Perkins and author of Speed & Scale“A truly comprehensive—and entirely comprehensible—guide to the things we can and must do to transform our use of energy. This book will be of great use to anyone who wants to participate in the greatest technological revolution in human history.” —Bill McKibben, a founder of grassroots climate-campaign group 350.org and author of The Flag, the Cross, and the Station Wagon“[Harvey and] Gillis make fighting climate change feel a bit less intimidating in this down-to-earth look at ways the average citizen can make a difference… a useful guide for budding activists.” —Publishers Weekly

Read more less

Book SynopsisBorders, Boundaries, Frontiers presents a short and accessible introduction to border studies from an anthropological perspective.Table of Contents1. Introduction: The Anthropology of Borders, Boundaries, and Frontiers 2. Globalization and Borders in a Borderless World 3. Border Walls and the Violence of Security 4. Border Energetics: The Frontiers of Sovereignty and Citizenship 5. Chameleon Borders and Everyday Transnationalism: Border Cultures and Identities 6. Future Borders and New Normals in Border Studies 7. Conclusion: New and Critical Border Thinking

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe perfect guide for any gardener looking for inspiration on how to create a pollinator-friendly garden all year round.Pollinators are essential to life on Earth. Yet bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects are struggling due to climate change and habit loss. Fortunately, what we choose to plant in our gardens can help them to thrive. In this heartfelt guide, horticulturalist and Gardener''s World presenter Rachel de Thame highlights plants we can grow that are rich in nectar and pollen, ensuring the garden is filled with beautiful flowers for us all to enjoy year-round.Arranged by season and illustrated with exquisite hand-painted watercolours and glorious photography showcasing many of Rachel''s favourite plants, this book provides a captivating look at how best to support nature. Whether you have a small urban courtyard or a large country garden, A Flower Garden for Pollinators will guide your choice of plants, attracting a host of pol

Read more less

Book SynopsisIntelligent laypersons are bewildered when faced with the complexity of climate change. Economics can give them a powerful tool to think clearly about the problem and to make up their own mind. The new-generation economics models are painting a radically different and exciting picture of the best course of climate action.Table of Contents1. Introduction; 2. The facts on the ground; 3. Deep changes; 4. How economists think about climate change; 5. How economists look at choice; 6. How utility theory works; 7. From choice to utility; 8. What are integrated assessment models?; 9. How much should we care about future generations? 10. Growth; 11. Population; 12. So, what should we do? 13. Taking the dirty stuff out; 14 The role of nuclear energy; 15. Constraints; 16. The plumbing; 17. Unfinished business.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisDiscover why we must protect Okavango Delta from climate change. Explore the Okavango Delta, Africa’s incredible inland wetland, a sparkling jewel at the heart of the Kalahari Desert. This richly illustrated picture book brings to life this extraordinary region for young children, navigating its maze of shimmering lagoons, meandering channels and overgrown islands teeming with wildlife. In this watery wilderness, lion, cheetah, leopard and African wild dog share the floodplains with large herds of elephant and buffalo. It delves into the important role wetlands play in reducing the effects of greenhouse gases, and showcases the rich wildlife and diverse communities that can all be found there and therefore why it is so important that we act to protect this special part of the planet from the impact of climate change.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisVery Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring Extinction is a natural process. In geological time there have been several periods of mass extinction. One of these periods is unfolding right now but all the evidence suggests that current extinction rates are between a hundred and a thousand times greater than the background rate. To put this in to context, a quarter of all known mammalian species is at risk. The current extinction crisis is unique, because it is caused by the impact of one species, humans, on all others. This acceleration of species loss, and the much more widespread reductions in the populations of many species, is not merely a tragedy in aesthetics, it is also a threat to the quality of human life, indeed to the entire human enterprise. Biodiversity, the diversity of life, is not only fascinating and beautiful, it is the engine of all the world''s natural cycles, and the source of many of the resources on which humanity depends. Concern about biodiversity conservation is, therefore, not merely the preoccupation of a few enthusiastic naturalists - it is the lifeline business of everybody. In this Very Short Introduction, David Macdonald introduces the concept of biodiversity and the basic biological processes that it involves - evolutionary, ecological, and behavioral. He considers the various threats to biodiversity, their impacts, and some of the solutions to the problems; concluding by considering the future of biodiversity conservation.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Table of Contents1: What is biodiversity, and why does it matter? 2: What's the problem? 3: What is the purpose of biodiversity conservation? 4: Invasive species 5: Wildlife trade 6: Zoonotic disease 7: Human wildlife conflict and coexistence 8: Climate change 9: Who pays, and how? 10: Restoring the balance - what next?

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn updated and pocket-sized edition of The Cloud Book, featuring 12 new recognised cloud forms. This guide to the clouds helps you identify cloud types and understand their implications for the weather. It follows a logical progression from low clouds to high stratus clouds, and on to special clouds.

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Counterintuitive, funny and provocative . Along the way, he reveals the deep-lying and often controversial roots of today's green city movement, and offers an argument for celebrating our cities as they are - in all their raucous, constructed and artificial glory.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA sharp vision of our changing world order as Covid and climate breakdown usher in a new ‘survival of the fittest’. How well have different cultures and societies responded, and could this become a turning point in the flow of history? Before Covid, a new competition was already arising between alternative geopolitical models–but the context of this clash wasn’t yet clear. What if it takes place on neutral ground? In a state of nature, with few or no political rules, amid quickly evolving chaos? When the greatest threat to national security is no longer other states, but the environment itself, which countries might rise to the top? This book explores how Covid-19 has already transformed the global system, and how it serves as a prelude to a planet afflicted by climate change. Bruno Maçães is one of the first to see the pandemic as the dawn of a new strategic era, heralding a profoundly changed world-political landscape. Cover image: Ludwig Meidner, ‘Apocalyptic City’, 1913. © Ludwig Meidner-Archiv, Jüdisches Museum der Stadt Frankfurt am MainTrade Review'Perceptive.' -- The Economist'Refreshing.' -- Simon Jenkins, New Statesman'Provocative and original.' -- Gideon Rachman, Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent, Financial Times'Endlessly inventive, restlessly cosmopolitan, Bruno Macaes has written an essential book with which to think about the Covid crisis and its implications for our future.' -- Professor Adam Tooze, historian and author of 'Crashed: How a Decade of Financial Crises Changed the World''With typical panache, Macaes set out the story of what went wrong when Covid-19 spread around the world--and why. Gripping, terrifying and revealing in equal measures.' -- Professor Peter Frankopan, author of 'The Silk Roads: A New History of the World''2020 was the true start of the twenty-first century, marking the death of an old world, and a recognition that new ideas in culture, politics, science and technology have become possible. Macaes does an excellent job of taking us through some core themes of the world to come.' -- Vitalik Buterin, founder of Ethereum and Bitcoin Magazine'Travelling through Covid exposes the reality of our leaders and lives. Maçães shows us why that matters not just for the pandemic but for life itself. This is a compelling polemic worth reading slowly, during another lockdown, perhaps.' -- Tom Tugendhat, Conservative MP for Tonbridge and Malling'An important book. Bruno Macaes once again asks the crucial questions.' -- Ece Temelkuran, journalist, novelist, political commentator and author of 'How to Lose a Country: The 7 Steps from Democracy to Dictatorship'

Read more less

Book SynopsisMarrying the scientific and political sides of the climate crisis issue, this is a hopeful call to arms about how we can overcome climate change. This world is exhausted - capitalism extracts almost everything it can from the oceans, rivers, land and skies but also from so many of us, our lives, our worlds, even our minds. But exhaustion doesn't have to be a feeling of powerlessness and weariness in the face of a catastrophic climate change we feel we can do nothing to stop. Instead, it can be the foundation of a new climate politics fighting for a mass human and natural paradise still possible. In The Exhausted of the Earth, Ajay Singh Chaudhary addresses both the science and politics of climate collapse head on. He shows why there is no "market-based" solution to climate collapse, and that in order halt the destruction of the environment, we instead need a bitter political struggle between those attached to the power, wealth, and security of "business-as-usual" and all of us - those exhausted, in every sense of the word, by the status quo. Replacing Promethean, romantic and apocalyptic fairytales about climate change with a new story for every exhausted inhabitant of this exhausted world, The Exhausted of the Earth shows that overcoming climate collapse can be something far greater than mere survival - but only if it is grasped politically.Trade Review"This thoughtful and wide-ranging book is for those who wish to understand our predicament clearly, but especially for those looking for a glimmer of hope in our current darkness.""Written in a feisty and urgent style, The Exhausted of the Earth does the important work of not only showing that climate disruption and the Anthropocene are political, but also that they change what politics means. It shifts our attention in many, much needed ways.”“Walking us through the flimsy defences of green capitalism, slicing through the nonsense with rapier analysis, Chaudhary explains why any workable climate future will need to be grounded in decolonization. The argument is careful, logical, and is destined to be a classic, a touchstone in global climate struggles to come.”“The Exhausted of the Earth opens new horizons for urgent and immediate climate action. A must-read for our times.”"This wonderfully rich inquiry into late climate politics zooms in on exhaustion as the predicament of a world too long subjected to the ‘extractive circuit’ of capital. If there is any way to fight back, it is, as Singh Chaudhary so convincingly argues, with southern resources, assembled by everyone from Frantz Fanon to Imam Mahdi."

Read more less

Book SynopsisA behind-the-scenes look at how corporate and financial actors enforce a business-friendly approach to global sustainabilityIn recent years, companies have felt the pressure to be transparent about their environmental impact. Large documents containing summaries of yearly emissions rates, carbon output, and utilized resources are shared on companies' social media pages, websites, and employee briefings in a bid for public confidence in corporate responsibility.And yet, Matthew Archer argues, these metrics are often just hollow symbols. Unsustainable contends with the world of big banks and multinational corporations, where sustainability begins and ends with measuring and reporting. Drawing on five years of research among sustainability professionals in the US and Europe, Unsustainable shows how this depoliticizing tendency to frame sustainability as a technical issue enhances and obscures corporate power while doing little, if anything, to address tTrade ReviewDeftly shows how expanding quantification practices around corporate sustainability are serving to perpetuate rather than seriously challenge the role of corporations in causing climate change. -- Marina Welker, Cornell UniversityEngagingly written and featuring an impressive breadth of research, Unsustainable offers a critical ethnography of corporate sustainability practices, challenging businesses (and the rest of us) to reckon with what we mean by `sustainability’ and how we think we can measure and manage it. -- Andrew Orta, Author of Making Global MBAs: The Culture of Business and the Business of Culture.Blows open the disguises of sustainability discourse and corporate sustainability metrics, taking readers on an important journey to demonstrate the ways that politics of sustainability matters. In a world of climate crises, the marketization of sustainability and the outsized influence of corporations in everyday life, ecosystems, and the planet itself, Unsustainable is a necessary book and a tool to help confront systems that perpetuate the problems. -- Farhana Sultana, Syracuse University

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThree textile roads tangle their way through Central Asia. The famous Silk Road united east and west through trade. Older still was the Wool Road, of critical importance when houses made from wool enabled nomads to traverse the inhospitable winter steppes. Then there was the Cotton Road, marked by greed, colonialism and environmental disaster. At this intersection of human history, fortunes were made and lost through shimmering silks, life-giving felts and gossamer cottons. Chris Aslan, who has spent fifteen years living and working in the region, expertly unravels the strands of this tangled history and embroiders them with his own experiences of life in the heart of Asia.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTable of ContentsPREFACE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS INTRODUCTION Sarah R. Osterhoudt and K. Sivaramakrishnan FARMING AND FOOD 1 . THE FARMING OF TRUST: ORGANIC CERTIFICATION AND THE LIMITS OF TRANSPARENCY IN UTTARAKHAND, INDIA Shaila Seshia Galvin 2 . A "QUEER-LOOKING COMPOUND": RACE, ABJECTION, AND THE POLITICS OF HAWAIIAN POI Hi'ilei Julia Hobart URBAN ENVIRONMENTS 3 . HOW THE GRASS BECAME GREENER IN THE CITY: ON URBAN IMAGININGS AND PRACTICES OF SUSTAINABLE LIVING IN SWEDEN Cindy Isenhour 4 . CIRCULARITY AND ENCLOSURES: METABOLIZING WASTE WITH THE BLACK SOLDIER FLY Amy Zhang ENERGY AND ENERGY ALTERNATIVES 5 . LANDSCAPES OF POWER: RENEWABLE ENERGY ACTIVISM IN DINÉ BIKÉYAH Dana E. Powell and Dáilan J. Long 6 . DECOLONIZING ENERGY: BLACK LIVES MATTER AND TECHNOSCIENTIFIC EXPERTISE AMID SOLAR TRANSITIONS Myles Lennon NONHUMAN LIFE 7 . "THE GOAT THAT DIED FOR FAMILY": ANIMAL SACRIFICE AND INTERSPECIES KINSHIP IN INDIA'S CENTRAL HIMALAYAS Radhika Govindrajan 8 . PASSIVE FLORA? RECONSIDERING NATURE'S AGENCY THROUGH HUMAN-PLANT STUDIES John Charles Ryan CLIMATE, LANDSCAPE, AND IDENTITY 9 . IMAGINING THE ORDINARY IN PARTICIPATORY CLIMATE ADAPTATION Sarah E. Vaughn 10. WHAT THE SANDS REMEMBER Vanessa Agard-Jones LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS INDEX

Read more less