ENVIRONMENT, NATURE
Open Access / Free* e-Books
(See also: Sustainability; Geology; Agriculture; Energy; Water)
*NOTE: Some titles in these lists are not formally Open Access, but all are free (no fee for e-access)
Embedded Files
2nd South Africa Environment Outlook
: A Report on the State of the Environment
Publisher: Department of Environmental Affairs [South Africa]
Year of publication: 2016
(NOTE: The latest edition can be accessed online at https://soer.environment.gov.za/soer/CMSWebSite/Reporting.aspx )
FREE DOWNLOAD (book chapters): https://soer.environment.gov.za/soer/CMSWebSite/SiteDocuments.aspx?id=268
FREE DOWNLOAD (book chapters): https://soer.environment.gov.za/soer/CMSWebSite/SiteDocuments.aspx?id=268
The 2nd South Africa Environment Outlook (SAEO) report provides a national ‘big picture’ snapshot of how South Africa is performing in terms of short- and long-term responses to changing conditions and to assess the effects of human interventions and management actions.
The report differs somewhat from its predecessors, in the sense that instead of adopting a scenarios-based approach, the thinking developed around the future environmental state has been crystallized using an ‘impact mapping’ tool within the trends in environmental data and socio-economic policy directions that have emerged since the advent of democracy in South Africa in 1994. The aim of this approach is to highlight critical areas, where debates and interventions need to occur and which require understanding, co-ordination and co-operation across the different sectors and decision-making levels of society, from the individual and community level to the corporate and government level.
The main report consists of four parts which are structured as follows:
Part I which is an introductory part which sets the scene for the report. The following chapters have been discussed in detail under Part I: Introduction; What’s affecting our environment; Sustainability in South Africa; Governance; and Human Settlements;
Part II which consists of specialist chapters which discuss the current environmental state in terms of specific themes and identify theme-specific trends in environmental change. The eight specialist chapters are: Land; Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health; Inland Water; Oceans and Coasts; Air Quality; Climate Change; Energy; and Waste Management;
Part III which is the Environmental Outlook section which shapes the information on environmental trends from the specialist chapters within possible future scenarios in order to anticipate the strategic decisions and actions that need to be taken in order to avoid environmental degradation; and,
Part IV which explores different Options for Action to guide policy formulation and decision making processes.
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African Handbook of Climate Change Adaptation
Publisher: Springer
Year of publication: 2021
This book discusses current thinking and presents the main issues and challenges associated with climate change in Africa. It introduces evidences from studies and projects which show how climate change adaptation is being - and may continue to be successfully implemented in African countries. Thanks to its scope and wide range of themes surrounding climate change, the ambition is that this book will be a lead publication on the topic, which may be regularly updated and hence capture further works.
Climate change is a major global challenge. However, some geographical regions are more severly affected than others. One of these regions is the African continent. Due to a combination of unfavourable socio-economic and meteorological conditions, African countries are particularly vulnerable to climate change and its impacts.
The recently released IPCC special report "Global Warming of 1.5º C" outlines the fact that keeping global warming by the level of 1.5º C is possible, but also suggested that an increase by 2º C could lead to crises with crops (agriculture fed by rain could drop by 50% in some African countries by 2020) and livestock production, could damage water supplies and pose an additonal threat to coastal areas. The 5th Assessment Report produced by IPCC predicts that wheat may disappear from Africa by 2080, and that maize— a staple—will fall significantly in southern Africa. Also, arid and semi-arid lands are likely to increase by up to 8%, with severe ramifications for livelihoods, poverty eradication and meeting the SDGs. Pursuing appropriate adaptation strategies is thus vital, in order to address the current and future challenges posed by a changing climate.
It is against this background that the "African Handbook of Climate Change Adaptation" is being published. It contains papers prepared by scholars, representatives from social movements, practitioners and members of governmental agencies, undertaking research and/or executing climate change projects in Africa, and working with communities across the African continent. Encompassing over 100 contribtions from across Africa, it is the most comprehensive publication on climate change adaptation in Africa ever produced.
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Agroecology Now!
: Transformations Towards More Just and Sustainable Food Systems
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham
Year of publication: 2021
This open access book develops a framework for advancing agroecology transformations focusing on power, politics and governance. It explores the potential of agroecology as a sustainable and socially just alternative to today’s dominant food regime. Agroecology is an ecological approach to farming that addresses climate change and biodiversity loss while contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals. Agroecology transformations represent a challenge to the power of corporations in controlling food system and a rejection of the industrial food systems that are at the root of many social and ecological ills.
In this book the authors analyse the conditions that enable and disable agroecology’s potential and present six ‘domains of transformation’ where it comes into conflict with the dominant food system:
Domain A: Rights and Access to Nature—Land, Water, Seeds and Biodiversity;
Domain B: Knowledge and Culture;
Domain C: Systems of Economic Exchange;
Domain D: Networks;
Domain E: Equity;
Domain F: Discourse
The authors argue that food sovereignty, community-self organization and a shift to bottom-up governance are critical for the transformation to a socially just and ecologically viable food system.
This book will be a valuable resource to researchers, students, policy makers and professionals across multidisciplinary areas including in the fields of food politics, international development, sustainability and resilience.
Reviews:
“At a time of converging crises— social, environmental, economic, health— agroecology is capturing global attention as a real alternative to the industrial food system and a way to mitigate climate change, biodiversity loss, the loss of farming knowledge, farmer insolvency, and more. This timely book presents how agroecology, as a transformative vision and practice, combats the exploitative capitalist food system of oppression and marginalization, not only of the world’s farmers but of the primacy of human well-being and ecological health. This book is an indispensable guide to transformative agroecology in its multiple domains, illustrated through multiple case studies and analysis of the roles of governance and power.” -- Molly D. Anderson, William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Food Studies at Middlebury College, USA.
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Bringing Governance Back Home
: Lessons for Local Government regarding Rapid Climate Action
Publisher: MDPI Books
Year of publication: 2022
FREE DOWNLOAD: https://www.mdpi.com/books/pdfview/book/5605
There is a growing recognition that rapid action in response to climate change is urgently necessary, and that many of the responsibilities for this action (e.g., relating to transport, land-use planning and economic development) rest at the local level. This is attested to by the growing number of local authorities that have declared climate emergencies across the globe. Responding to this emergency will require significant changes in the assumptions, expectations, priorities and procedures of locally elected representatives and government officials. This Special Issue will explore the responses of local government, as a key locus of sustainability governance, to the need for rapid climate action, drawing on examples from diverse locations (UK, western Europe, Chile and South Africa) and at various scales (from the smallest local areas, to city regions, counties and provinces.)
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Climate Change Challenge Badge
[Series: YUNGA learning and action series – Challenge badges]
Publisher: FAO
Year of publication: 2015
FREE DOWNLOAD: www.fao.org/publications/card/en/c/fd64a988-1439-4fc5-8ae5-cb6429f65192
The Climate Change Challenge Badge is designed to help educate children and young people about the vital role the climate plays in supporting life on Earth. The badge looks at how our daily lives impact the Earth’s climate and provides ideas on how individuals can take action to help make this close relationship more sustainable.
The purpose of the United Nations Challenge Badges is to raise awareness, educate and, most of all, motivate young people to change their behaviour and be active agents of change in their local communities. Challenge Badges are appropriate for use with school classes and youth groups, and are endorsed by WAGGGS and WOSM. They include a wide range of activities and ideas that can easily be adapted by teachers or leaders. Additional badges are available or are being developed on a number of other topics, including: Agriculture, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Energy, Forests, Gender, Governance, Hunger, Nutrition, the Ocean, and Water.
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Climate Change Epistemologies in Southern Africa
: Social and Cultural Dimensions
Publisher: Routledge
Year of publication: 2023
FREE DOWNLOAD: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003180814
This book investigates the social and cultural dimensions of climate change in Southern Africa, focusing on how knowledge about climate change is conceived and conveyed.
Despite contributing very little to the global production of emissions, the African continent looks set to be the hardest hit by climate change. Adopting a decolonial perspective, this book argues that knowledge and discourse about climate change has largely disregarded African epistemologies, leading to inequalities in knowledge systems. Only by considering regionally specific forms of conceptualizing, perceiving, and responding to climate change can these global problems be tackled.
First exploring African epistemologies of climate change, the book then goes on to the social impacts of climate change, matters of climate justice, and finally institutional change and adaptation.
Providing important insights into the social and cultural perception and communication of climate change in Africa, this book will be of interest to researchers from across the fields of African studies, sociology, anthropology, philosophy, political science, climate change, and geography.
Contents page:
Introduction: Epistemologies of global warming in the South: The social and cultural dimension of climate change in Southern Africa
Part I: Climate and climate change epistemologies
Ch. 1: Drought, disaster, and identity in north-western Namibia in times of global climate change
Ch. 2: When rain is a person: Rainmaking, relational persons, and post-human ontologies in sub-Saharan Africa
Ch. 3: Environmental attitudes and narratives in two rural South African communities: Implications for intervention
Ch. 4: Conflicting narratives of extreme weather events in Durban, South Africa: Politically opportunistic, experiential, and climate-justice epistemologies
Part II: Climate change communication
Ch. 5: Receptivity to the knowledge of others: Building urban climate resilience in Southern African cities
Ch. 6: Print media coverage and the socio-contextual representation of climate change in Botswana
Part III: Just transition and international cooperation
Ch. 7: Climate change equity and extreme vulnerability
Ch. 8: Adaptation to climate change in Southern Africa: Challenges for sustainable development and the role of international cooperation
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Climate Protection and Development
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Year of publication: 2012
Writing about climate change often falls into one of two opposite traps - predicting either calamity or apathy - both of which this book avoids. This is not a story of gloom and doom, of inevitable climate catastrophe. On the contrary, this book spells out, in more detail than usual, what can and should be done to avert the real risks of disaster. Nor is it one of complacent congratulation for "win-win" initiatives, cautiously incremental steps, and "green" consumer choices. Climate Protection and Development summons us to an endeavour worthy of the resources and ingenuity of the twenty-first century - towards bold initiatives with big costs, and much bigger benefits.
This book explores the interconnected issues of climate and development, laying the groundwork for just such a new deal. It presents a challenging agenda, and highlights the needs and perspectives of developing countries which may be unfamiliar or uncomfortable to readers in high-income countries. The unfortunate truth is that any large country, or group of mid-sized countries, can veto any global climate solution by refusing to participate, so a solution will only work if it works for everyone.
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Conservation Biology in Sub-Saharan Africa
Publisher: Open Book Publishers
Year of publication: 2019
Conservation Biology in Sub-Saharan Africa comprehensively explores the challenges and potential solutions to key conservation issues in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Easy to read, this lucid and accessible textbook includes fifteen chapters that cover a full range of conservation topics, including threats to biodiversity, environmental laws, and protected areas management, as well as related topics such as sustainability, poverty, and human-wildlife conflict. This rich resource also includes a background discussion of what conservation biology is, a wide range of theoretical approaches to the subject, and concrete examples of conservation practice in specific African contexts. Strategies are outlined to protect biodiversity whilst promoting economic development in the region.
Boxes covering specific themes written by scientists who live and work throughout the region are included in each chapter, together with recommended readings and suggested discussion topics. Each chapter also includes an extensive bibliography.
Conservation Biology in Sub-Saharan Africa provides the most up-to-date study in the field. It is an essential resource, available on-line without charge, for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as a handy guide for professionals working to stop the rapid loss of biodiversity in Sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere.
Visit the 'Additional Resources' section to find out more about how to download individual chapters and images, upload material to the teaching platform that will be launched in the forthcoming months or join the textbook's discussion forum.
The Lounsbery Foundation has generously contributed to the publication of this volume.
[Book Authors: John W. Wilson and Richard B. Primack ]
REVIEWS:
This textbook – the first conservation biology textbook for Africa – is unique in its optimal use of examples of conservation efforts in the continent, and brilliant description of the interdisciplinary nature of conservation biology. I commend the authors for making this textbook open access and for their dedication to building human capital in Africa for effective biodiversity conservation. I recommend this textbook for African students, conservation personnel, policymakers and everyone interested in nature conservation.
—Temitope Borokini, President, Africa section of the Society for Conservation Biology (2019–2022)
We finally have a textbook to teach our students conservation biology in an African context. Its comprehensive chapters are supplemented with real-world case-studies, written by researchers and practitioners across the region. What better way to equip and inspire our students for conservation action?
—Dr Bruktawit Abdu Mahamued, Biology Department, Kotebe Metropolitan University
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Creating Resilient Landscapes in an Era of Climate Change
: Global Case Studies and Real-World Solutions
Publisher: Routledge
Year of publication: 2022
FREE DOWNLOAD: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003266440
This book delivers a realistic and feasible framework for creating resilient landscapes in an era of anthropogenic climate change. From across six continents, this book presents fifteen case studies of differing sociocultural, economic, and biophysical backgrounds that showcase opportunities and limitations for creating resilient landscapes throughout the world. The potential to create socio-ecological resilience is examined across a wide range of landscapes, including agricultural, island, forest, coastal, and urban landscapes, across sixteen countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Guatemala, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Samoa, South Africa, the United States, Turkey, Uruguay, and Vanuatu.
Chapters discuss current and future issues around creating a sustainable food system, conserving biodiversity, and climate change adaptation and resilience, with green infrastructure, nature-based architecture, green-tech, and ecosystem services as just a few of the approaches discussed. The book emphasizes solution-oriented approaches for an "ecological hope" that can support landscape resiliency in this chaotic era, and the chapters consider the importance of envisioning an unpredictable future with numerous uncertainties. In this context, the key focus is on how we all can tackle the intertwined impacts of climate change, biodiversity loss, and large-scale land-cover conversion in urban and non-urban landscapes, with particular attention to the concept of landscape resiliency.
The volume provides that much-needed link between theory and practice to deliver forward-thinking, practical solutions. This book will be of great interest to students, researchers, practitioners and policymakers who are interested in the complex relationship between landscapes, climate change, biodiversity loss, and land-based conversion at local, national and global scales.
Contents page:
Ch. 1: Landscape resilience in the face of climate change: A call to transition from despair to hope
Ch. 2: Multifunctional land consolidations in Denmark: Rethinking the pattern of landownership to create resilient future landscapes
Ch. 3: Resilient food production – resilient landscapes: The role of heterogeneity and scale
Ch. 4: Redeveloping relationships with landscapes for food, water, and energy self-sufficiency in Southeastern South Dakota, USA
Ch. 5: A social perennial vision for the North American Great Plains rooted in the resilience of a natural system-inspired agriculture
Ch. 6: Resilient food systems in the context of intersectional discrimination: Successful strategies of women and Indigenous Peoples in Mesoamerica
Ch. 7: Ecological intensification in grasslands for resilience and ecosystem services: The case of beef production systems on the Campos Grasslands of South America
Ch. 8: How does gardening reduce vulnerability for the urban poor in Small Island Developing States? A case study of Port Vila, Vanuatu
Ch. 9: The case of the Khayelitsha Wetlands Park, South Africa: Securing biodiversity and social benefits from urban greenspace
Ch. 10: Green infrastructure in Hornsby, NSW: A collaborative method toward landscape resilience
Ch. 11: Satoyama landscapes: Creating resilient socio-ecological production landscapes in Japan
Ch. 12: Shifting concepts of urban landscape in Helsinki: From primary forests to high tech nature-based solutions
Ch. 13: Traditional nature-based architecture and landscape design: Lessons from Samoa and Wider Oceania
Ch. 14: Estimation of spatiotemporal variation in potential ecosystem services: A case study of Aydın, Turkey
Ch. 15: Scenario-based thinking to negotiate coastal squeeze of ecosystems: Green, blue, grey and hybrid infrastructures for climate adaptation and resilience
Ch. 16: Utilization of forest landscapes for biodiversity conservation in a Mediterranean ecosystem: A case study of Greece
Ch. 17: Creating resilient landscapes: From a hopeful vision to a long-lasting existence
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Earth 2020
: An Insider’s Guide to a Rapidly Changing Planet
Publisher: Open Book Publishers
Year of publication: 2020
FREE DOWNLOAD: https://doi.org/10.11647/OBP.0193
Earth 2020: An Insider’s Guide to a Rapidly Changing Planet responds to a public increasingly concerned about the deterioration of Earth’s natural systems, offering readers a wealth of perspectives on our shared ecological past, and on the future trajectory of planet Earth.
Written by world-leading thinkers on the front-lines of global change research and policy, this multi-disciplinary collection maintains a dual focus: some essays investigate specific facets of the physical Earth system, while others explore the social, legal and political dimensions shaping the human environmental footprint. In doing so, the essays collectively highlight the urgent need for collaboration across diverse domains of expertise in addressing one of the most significant challenges facing us today.
Earth 2020 is essential reading for everyone seeking a deeper understanding of the past, present and future of our planet, and the role of humanity in shaping this trajectory.
An Online Panel Discussion on Earth 2020: An Insider's Guide to a Rapidly Changing Planet is now available here.
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Environmental Issues
Publisher: BC Campus
Year of publication: [continuous, no date given]
This open textbook covers the most salient environmental issues, from both biological and social science perspectives. The text is designed for introductory-level university environmental science, environmental issues, or environmental politics courses. Topics include the fundamentals of ecology, biodiversity, pollution, climate change, food production, sustainable energy and human population growth as well as environmental justice and environmental communication.
This version of the textbook is an in-progress Canadian adaptation, with new content from Andrew Frank, based on the original “Environmental Biology” by Matthew Fischer, editor, which is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Contents page:
Introduction
I. Chapter 1: Environmental Science
1.1 The Earth, Humans, & the Environment
1.2 The Process of Science
1.3 Environment & Sustainability
1.4 Environmental Ethics
1.5 Environmental Justice & Indigenous Struggles
1.6 Chapter Resources
II. Chapter 2: Matter, Energy, & Life
2.1 Matter
2.2 Energy
2.3 A Cell is the Smallest Unit of Life
2.4 Energy Enters Ecosystems Through Photosynthesis
2.5 Chapter Resources
III. Chapter 3: Ecosystems and the Biosphere
3.1 Energy Flow through Ecosystems
3.2 Biogeochemical Cycles
3.3 Terrestrial Biomes
3.4 Aquatic Biomes
3.5 Chapter Resources
IV. Chapter 4: Community & Population Ecology
4.1 Population Demographics & Dynamics
4.2 Population Growth and Regulation
4.3 The Human Population
4.4 Community Ecology
4.5 Chapter Resources
V. Chapter 5: Conservation & Biodiversity
5.1 Importance of Biodiversity
5.2 Threats to Biodiversity
5.3 Preserving Biodiversity
5.4 Chapter Resources
VI. Chapter 6: Environmental Hazards & Human Health
6.1 The Impacts of Environmental Conditions
6.2 Environmental Health
6.3 Environmental Toxicology
1. 6.4 Bioremediation
6.5 Case Study: The Love Canal Disaster
6.6 Chapter Resources
VII. Chapter 7: Water Availability and Use
7.1 Water Cycle and Fresh Water Supply
7.2 Water Supply Problems and Solutions
7.3 Water Pollution
7.4 Water Treatment
7.5 Case Study: The Aral Sea - Going, Going, Gone
7.6 Chapter Resources
VIII. Chapter 8: Air Pollution & Climate Change
8.1 Atmospheric Pollution
8.2 Ozone Depletion
8.3 Acid Rain
8.4 Climate Change
8.5 Case Study: Two Climate Action Plans
8.6 Chapter Resources
IX. Chapter 9: Conventional and Sustainable Energy
9.1 Challenges and Impacts of Energy Use
9.2 Non-Renewable Energy Sources
9.3 Renewable Energy Sources
9.4 Chapter Resources
X. Chapter 10: Feeding the World
10.1 Food Security
10.2 Food & Nutrients
2. 10.3 Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering
10.4 Soil Profiles & Processes
10.5 Soil-Plant Interactions
10.6 Conventional Agriculture
10.7 Pests & Pesticides
10.8 Sustainable Agriculture
10.9 Chapter Resources
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Environmental Science
: a Canadian perspective
Publisher: Dalhousie University Libraries (Digital Editions)
Year of publication: 2018 [6th edition]
FREE DOWNLOAD: https://louis.pressbooks.pub/environmentalscience/
[From the Preface by Bill Freedman:] This textbook is intended to provide the core elements of a curriculum for teaching environmental science at the introductory level in Canadian colleges and universities. This book is suitable for students beginning a program in environmental science, environmental studies, or sustainability. It is also appropriate for arts students who require a science elective, and for science students who require a non-major elective. Not many introductory textbooks in environmental science are written in a way that provides a deep examination of issues that are particularly important in Canada, and the ways they are being dealt with by governments and society-at-large. Canada has unique national and regional perspectives that should be understood by Canadian students, and it is regrettable that many of them are studying from textbooks whose focus is not their own country.
This book, however, was written from the ground-up to provide Canadian information and examples. This national context is integrated throughout the text, along with North American and global data that provide a broader perspective. Special Canadian Focus boxes illustrate important examples of environmental issues in our national context. At the same time, Global Focus boxes enhance the international context for learning about issues, while In Detail boxes examine particular topics in greater depth.
Approach and Organization of the Book:
Environmental science draws on knowledge and methods from many fields of the sciences and social sciences, including biology, chemistry, economics, ethics, geography, geology, medicine, physics, political science, sociology, and statistics. Many environmental specialists adopt an interdisciplinary approach to integrate these different ways of knowing in order to help understand and prevent environmental damage. This book also adopts an interdisciplinary approach by drawing on a variety of disciplines. At the same time, however, the choice of topics and the interpretations offered reflect my own experience and world view as an ecologist – one who has had a rather specialized career examining the ecological dimensions of environmental problems.
The book is organized into twenty-eight chapters that are grouped into six parts:
Part I: Introduction to Environmental Science
Ch. 1
Part II: The Biosphere: Characteristics and Dynamics
Ch. 2 ~ Science as a Way of Understanding the Natural World
Ch. 3 ~ The Physical World
Ch. 4 ~ Energy and Ecosystems
Ch. 5 ~ Flows and Cycles of Nutrients
Ch. 6 ~ Evolution
Ch. 7 ~ Biodiversity
Ch. 8 ~ Biomes and Ecozones
Ch. 9 ~ Ecology: From Individuals to the Biosphere
Part III: The Human Population
Ch. 10 ~ Global Populations
Ch. 11 ~ The Canadian Population
Part IV: Natural Resources
Ch. 12 ~ Resources and Sustainable Development
Ch. 13 ~ Non-Renewable Resources
Ch. 14 ~ Renewable Resources
Part V: Environmental Damages
Ch. 15 ~ Environmental Stressors
Ch. 16 ~ Gaseous Air Pollution
Ch. 17 ~ Atmospheric Gases and Climate Change
Ch. 18 ~Toxic Elements
Ch. 19 ~ Acidification
Ch. 20 ~ Additional Problems of Surface Waters
Ch. 21 ~ Oil Spills
Ch. 22 ~ Pesticides
Ch. 23 ~ Environmental Effects of Forestry
Ch. 24 ~ Agriculture and the Environment
Ch. 25 ~ Urban Ecology
Ch. 26 ~ War
Ch. 27 ~ The Biodiversity Crisis
Part VI: Ecologically Sustainable Development
Ch. 28 ~ Ecologically Sustainable Development
Glossary
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[From the Tribute to Bill Freedman (1950-2015)]:
[...] Bill believed strongly that people are capable of rational action in relation to environmental issues if given “the facts” and given some options. He was also Canadian to the core. That’s what drove him to write Environmental Sciences, A Canadian Perspective. It was the first Canadian text on Environmental Science, and he updated it 5 times. The 6th edition was headed for publication by a prominent academic press, but delays and miscommunications following his passing led Bill’s spouse, George-Anne, to withdraw it and seek to have it published as a free online text available from Dalhousie. I strongly encouraged that initiative in part because I think no one would be happier about it than Bill.
It is a wonderful gift: 1097 highly readable, referenced, well-illustrated pages organized under five sections and twenty-two chapters. The literature cited goes up to mid-2015. With the information and references given, it would require little effort to assemble the more recent research on any particular topic, e.g., using Google Scholar. I think the book will be widely and well used by Canadians from coast to coast to coast, and thank George-Anne, Dalhousie University and of course my friend and much missed colleague Bill for it being so-available.
David Graham Patriquin
Professor of Biology (retired)
Dalhousie University
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Essentials of Environmental Science
Publisher: CK-12 Foundation
Year of publication: 2018
FREE DOWNLOAD (and online reading):
FREE DOWNLOAD (and online reading):
This open textbook was created by Kamala Doršner, on the FlexBook® platform.
Contents page:
1.0 Learning Skills
2.0 Environmental Concerns, Dimensions, and Worldviews
3.0 Principles of Science
4.0 Matter, Energy and Life
5.0 Evolution
6.0 Ecosystems and the Biosphere
7.0 Community and Population Ecology
8.0 Environmental Hazards and Human Health
9.0 Food and Hunger
10.0 Conventional and Sustainable Agriculture
11.0 Conservation and Biodiversity
12.0 Air Pollution, Climate Change, and Ozone Depletion
13.0 Water Availability and Use
14.0 Conventional and Sustainable Energy
15.0 Solid and Hazardous Waste
16.0 Environmental Economics and Policies
17.0 Sustainability and Urban Infrastructure
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Etosha Pan to the Skeleton Coast
: Conservation Histories, Policies and Practices in North-west Namibia
Publisher: Open Book Publishers
Year of publication: 2024
Etosha Pan to the Skeleton Coast examines the conservation histories and concerns of one of southern Africa’s most iconic conservation regions: the variously connected ‘Etosha-Kunene’ areas of north-central and north-west Namibia. This cross-disciplinary volume brings together contributions from a Namibian and international group of scholars and conservation practitioners, working on topics ranging from colonial histories to water management, perceptions of ‘wildlife’ and the politics of belonging. Together, these essays confront a critical question: how can the conservation of biodiversity-rich landscapes be reconciled with historical injustices of social exclusion and marginalisation?
The book is organised in five parts: the first provides a historical backdrop for the book’s detailed case studies, focusing on environmental and conservation policy and legislation; the second investigates post-Independence approaches to conservation; the third focuses on ‘Etosha-Kunene’ ecologies and related management issues; the fourth explores how historical circumstances shape present conservation and cultural landscapes; and the fifth addresses contemporary complexities of lion conservation and community-based natural resource management (CBNRM).
By offering a comprehensive overview of evolving conservation boundaries, policies and practices in the region, this timely volume paves the way for the future design of conservation initiatives that more fully consider and integrate historical and cultural knowledge and diversity. Essential reading for conservation practitioners, policymakers, and academic researchers alike, this volume also serves as a valuable resource for university students interested in conservation studies and histories of conservation.
Contents page:
Etosha-Kunene Conservation Conversations: An introduction
1. Etosha-Kunene, from “pre-colonial” to German colonial times
2. Spatial severance and nature conservation: Apartheid histories in Etosha-Kunene
3. CBNRM and landscape approaches to conservation in Kunene Region, post-Independence
4. Haiǁom resettlement, legal action and political representation
5. Environmentalities of Namibian conservancies: How communal area residents govern conservation in return
6. The politics of authority, belonging and mobility in disputing land in southern Kaoko
7. The emergence of a hybrid hydro-scape in northern Kunene
8. Eliciting empathy and connectedness toward different species in north-west Namibia
9. Giraffes and their impact on key tree species in the Etendeka Tourism Concession, north-west Namibia
10. Are mountain and plains zebra hybridising in north-west Namibia?
11. Communities and elephants in the northern highlands, Kunene Region, Namibia
12. Cultural heritage and histories of the Northern Namib / Skeleton Coast National Park
13. Historicising the Palmwag Tourism Concession, north-west Namibia
14. Living next to Etosha National Park: The case of Ehi-Rovipuka
15. ‘Walking through places': Exploring the former lifeworld of Haiǁom in Etosha
16. History and social complexities for San at Tsintsabis resettlement farm, Namibia
17. Integrating remote sensing with CBNRM for desert-adapted lion conservation
18. Lion Rangers’ use of SMART for lion conservation in Kunene
19. Relationships between humans and lions in wildlife corridors through CBNRM in north-west Namibia
Conclusion: Realising conservation, from Etosha Pan to the Skeleton Coast
REVIEWS:
This book 'offers an immense contribution to knowledge on conservation practices in Namibia and beyond. Any ardent seeker of knowledge on conservation practices should take the opportunity to read and become informed by the arguments presented in this book, and thereby become empowered to make informed choices regarding their practices in the conservation arena. I heartily recommend it to academic and other audiences as an addition to our knowledge on conservation histories and transformations in Namibia.' —Dr Kletus Likuwa, University of Namibia
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Health of People, Health of Planet and Our Responsibility
: Climate Change, Air Pollution and Health
Publisher: Springer Cham
Year of publication: 2020
FREE DOWNLOAD: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-31125-4
This is the first book to include a wide range of scientific and non-scientific disciplines and views regarding health impacts of climate change. Rather than just stating the problem, it includes actions and recommendation for solutions from the diverse perspectives of authors. It includes contributions from four Nobel laureates, religious leaders, as well as thought leaders, politicians, and eminent scientists.
This open access book not only describes the challenges of climate disruption, but also presents solutions. The challenges described include air pollution, climate change, extreme weather, and related health impacts that range from heat stress, vector-borne diseases, food and water insecurity and chronic diseases to malnutrition and mental well-being.
The influence of humans on climate change has been established through extensive published evidence and reports. However, the connections between climate change, the health of the planet and the impact on human health have not received the same level of attention. Therefore, the global focus on the public health impacts of climate change is a relatively recent area of interest. This focus is timely since scientists have concluded that changes in climate have led to new weather extremes such as floods, storms, heat waves, droughts and fires, in turn leading to more than 600,000 deaths and the displacement of nearly 4 billion people in the last 20 years.
Previous work on the health impacts of climate change was limited mostly to epidemiologic approaches and outcomes and focused less on multidisciplinary, multi-faceted collaborations between physical scientists, public health researchers and policy makers. Further, there was little attention paid to faith-based and ethical approaches to the problem.
The solutions and actions we explore in this book engage diverse sectors of civil society, faith leadership, and political leadership, all oriented by ethics, advocacy, and policy with a special focus on poor and vulnerable populations. The book highlights areas we think will resonate broadly with the public, faith leaders, researchers and students across disciplines including the humanities, and policy makers.
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Human-Nature Interactions
: Exploring Nature’s Values Across Landscapes
Publisher: Springer Cham
Year of publication: 2022
FREE DOWNLOAD: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-01980-7
This edited volume aims to widen the discussion about the diversity of human-nature relationships and valuation methods and to stimulate new perspective that are needed to build a more sustainable future, especially in face of ongoing socio-environmental changes. Conceptual and empirical approaches, including qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methodologies have been used to highlight the importance of an integrative understanding of socio-ecological systems, where healthy ecosystems underpin the quality of life and societal activities largely drive environmental changes.
Readers will obtain a comprehensive overview of the many and diverse ways the relationships between people and nature can be characterized. This includes understanding how people assign values to nature, discuss how human-nature interactions are shaped and provide examples of how these values and interactions can be systematically assessed across different land systems in Europe and beyond.
This open access book is produced by internationally recognized scientists in the field but written in an accessible format to be of interest to a large audience, including prospective students, lecturers, young professionals and scientists embarking to the interdisciplinary field of socio-ecological research and environmental valuation.
Contents:
Front Matter
CONCEPTUALIZING HUMAN-NATURE INTERACTIONS
Conceptualizing Human–Nature Interactions – An Overview
Environmental Values and Nature’s Contributions to People: Towards Methodological Pluralism in Evaluation of Sustainable Ecosystem Services
Disentangling Trade-Offs Between the State of Coastal Ecosystems with Human Well-Being and Activities as a Strategy Addressing Sustainable Tourism
From Human-Nature Dualism Towards More Integration in Socio-ecosystems Studies
A Network Approach to Green Infrastructure: How to Enhance Ecosystem Services Provision?
Transformations of Urban Coastal Nature(s): Meanings and Paradoxes of Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Adaptation in Southeast Asia
MOUNTAIN SYSTEMS
Values of Mountain Landscapes: Insights About the Blue Mountains National Park, Australia from Twitter
Earth Observations of Human-Nature Interactions from a Cultural Ecosystem Service Perspective
Gendered Values, Roles, and Challenges for Sustainable Provision of Forest-Based Ecosystem Services in Nepal
Environmental [In]Equity: Accessibility to Green Spaces in a Rapidly Urbanizing Mountain-City
Ecosystem Services and Sustainable Development in the European Alps: Spatial Patterns and Mountain-Lowland Relationships
Human-Nature Relationships for the Flathead Wild and Scenic River System: Analyzing Diversity, Synergies, and Tensions in a Mountainous Region of Montana, USA
Resilience and Sustainability of the Maloti-Drakensberg Mountain System: A Case Study on the Upper uThukela Catchment
Invasive Alien Plants in the Montane Areas of South Africa: Impacts and Management Options
Kim Canavan, Susan Canavan, Vincent Ralph Clark, Onalenna Gwate, Anthony Mapaura, David M. Richardson et al.
URBAN SYSTEMS
Ecosystem Service Flows Across the Rural-Urban Spectrum
A Typology for Green Infrastructure Planning to Enhance Multifunctionality Incorporating Peri-Urban Agricultural Land
Urban Green Spaces in a Post-Apartheid City: Challenges and Opportunities for Nature-based Solutions
Green Infrastructure and Social Perception of Its Ecosystem Services Within Spatial Structure of the City – Examples from Poznań, Poland
Accessibility to and Fragmentation of Urban Green Infrastructure: Importance for Adaptation to Climate Change
Social Demand for Urban Wilderness in Purgatory
The Role of Allotment Gardens for Connecting Nature and People
Green Spaces and Their Social Functions: Specific Challenges in Urban Spaces of Arrival
The Link Between Urban Green Space Planning Tools and Distributive, Procedural and Recognition Justice
COASTAL-MARINE SYSTEMS
Can Local Knowledge of Small-Scale Fishers Be Used to Monitor and Assess Changes in Marine Ecosystems in a European Context?
Marine Ecological Democracy: Participatory Marine Planning in Indigenous Marine Areas in Chile
The Socio-Ecological Dimension of Ocean Multi-Use Platforms
Localizing the Sustainable Development Goals for Marine and Coastal Management in Norway: A Venture Overdue
Coastal-Marine Ecosystem Accounting to Support Integrated Coastal Zone Management
Exposure of Coastal Ecosystem Services to Natural Hazards in the Bangladesh Coast
Adaptations to Climate Variability in Fisheries and Aquaculture Social-Ecological Systems in the Northern Humboldt Current Ecosystem: Challenges and Solutions
Socio-ecological Transformations in Coastal Wetlands: An Approach from the South-Central Zone of Chile
A Nature-Based Solution for Coastal Foredune Restoration: The Case Study of Maghery, County Donegal, Ireland
Back Matter
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An Introduction to Waste Management and Circular Economy
(authors: Stijn van Ewijk & Julia Stegemann)
Publisher: UCL Press
Year of publication: 2023
This introductory textbook provides an essential interdisciplinary guide to waste management and circular economy. It helps students to understand the drivers of waste, the environmental, social, and economic impacts of waste generation, and best practices and technologies for waste management, recycling, energy recovery and disposal.
With helpful, full-colour diagrams throughout, each chapter includes learning objectives, introduction to concepts and themes, exercises and review sections, to guide students through the book.
The textbook is ideal for teaching environmental engineering and science, as well as interdisciplinary environmental programmes.
Table of Contents:
Abbreviations
SI units and prefixes
List of boxes
List of exercises
Foreword
Acknowledgements
1 Materials and waste
2 The impacts of waste
3 Assessment methods
4 Policy and legislation
5 Waste prevention
6 Collection and treatment
7 Waste recycling
8 Energy recovery and disposal
9 The circular economy
Further reading
References
Index
Reviews:
‘Waste management and the circular economy are incredibly complex issues, but this textbook breaks them down into easy-to-understand sections, whatever your level of expertise. The use of exercises, illustrations, and examples together with the clarity of the writing mean that you can go from novice to knowledgeable in one book. All the key factors such as material lifecycles, legislation and practice are considered, making this a comprehensive guide to everything you need to know about this topic and what we need to do to help save our planet.’ -- Professor Margaret Bates, visiting Professor of Sustainable Wastes Management University of Northampton and past President of CIWM.
‘With thoroughness and clarity, this long-awaited textbook greatly updates our thinking about managing waste. The authors draw on holistic thinking about the current state of waste and recycling, while introducing more modern ideas and analysis integrating understanding of material efficiency, tools from Industrial Ecology, and addressing the pros and cons of Circularity. The book has unique and colorful exhibits that further stimulate thought.’ -- Marian R. Chertow, Professor of Industrial Environmental Management and Director of Center for Industrial Ecology, Yale University.
‘This textbook is a key resource for those studying and working in the waste & resource management sector. Improving waste management has potential to significantly reduce GHG emissions and its impact on the climate crisis. The accessible, student-focused approach within this book makes a valuable contribution to understanding this area and I strongly recommend it’ -- Phil Longhurst, Professor of Environment and Energy Technology, Cranfield University
‘An excellent introductory text to waste management and circular economy for undergraduate studies.’ -- Professor Chi Sun Poon, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
‘This new textbook offers readers a comprehensive guide of how to transform waste into resources through the circular economy. I highly recommend for students learning about best practices in waste management and energy recovery.’ -- Ming Xu, Professor of Environmental Ecology, Tsinghua University
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Microbiomes
: Health and the Environment
Publisher: Mavs Open Press
Year of publication: 2022
FREE DOWNLOAD: https://uta.pressbooks.pub/microbiomeshealthandtheenvironment/
This textbook was created to provide accessible insight into the novel and complex world of polymicrobial community interactions. As we push forward into the future of medicine and environmental health, it is imperative that we learn from each other, from history, and keep up to date with the latest advances in research and technology.
This book not only provides content from the latest microbiome studies, but contains interactive tools, videos, and thought-provoking questions to help the reader hone and truly understand the respective topic. Though there is much overlap between themes due to the ubiquitous nature of microbes, the book is broken down into sections pertaining to both human health (e.g., gut health and disease, as well as other organ-specific niches) and aspects of the environment (e. g., nutrient cycling and climate change, marine health, soil and plant health, etc.) influenced by microbes. However, the content is designed to bridge ideas and aspects between these themes to support the One Health concept: that the health of people, animals, and the environment are all interconnected. This project will continue to grow with new findings, and adapt with the ever-changing world of microorganisms.
Contents page:
About This Project
Acknowledgments
I. An Introduction to Microbiomes
1. An Introduction to Microbiomes
II. Analyzing Microbiomes
2. Analyzing Microbiomes
3. Environmental Metagenomics
III. Human Health and Disease
4. Human Health and Disease
5. The Gut Microbiome
6. The Oral Microbiome
7. The Skin Microbiome
8. The Respiratory Microbiome
9. The Vaginal Microbiome
10. Mental Health and Multi-Microbiome Interactions
IV. Environmental Microbiomes
11. Environmental Nutrient Cycling and Human Health
12. The Ocean Microbiome and Marine Life
13. Soil Microbiomes
14. Plant Microbiomes
15. Pollution and Bioremediation
V. Other Microbiome Applications
16. Forensic Microbiomes
VI. Journal Club
17. Journal Club Articles
VII. Case Studies
18. Case Study #1 - Human Health
19. Case Study #2 - Environment
20. Case Study #3 - Synthesis (Create Your Own)
VIII. Additional Resources
21. The Integrative Human Microbiome Project
22. BMC Microbiome Open Collections
Bibliography
Image Credits
Derivative Notes
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Natural Asset Management Fundamentals
Publisher: Natural Adaptation Network
Year of publication: 2021
This open online course is designed to help government, professionals in multiple disciplines and community organizations understand the fast-emerging field of natural asset management.
Contents page:
Course Overview
About Adaptation Learning Network
I. Course Content
Module 1: Introduction to the course, municipal natural asset management & each other
Module 2: Natural asset management on the ground
Module 3: The enabling environment for natural asset management
Module 4: So What?
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Nature-Based Solutions for Cities
(Edited by Timon McPhearson, Nadja Kabisch and Niki Frantzeskaki)
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
Year of publication: 2023
Nature-based solutions (NBS) are increasingly being adopted to address climate change, health, and urban sustainability, yet ensuring they are effective and inclusive remains a challenge. Addressing these challenges through chapters by leading experts in both global south and north contexts, this book advances the science of NBS in cities and discusses the frontiers for next-generation urban NBS.
NBS are fundamentally inter- and transdisciplinary approaches that require systems thinking and multilevel governance. With a focus on the multiple challenges that cities face, from heat and air pollution to storm water and threats to human health, this book puts forward a diversity of ideas for embracing complexity in mainstreaming NBS and inspiring new approaches to create the ecological urban futures we need.
Speaking to the need for cities around the world to employ ecological, nature-based design, this book will be essential reading for early career professionals, practitioners, scholars, and students across multiple disciplines engaging with nature-based solutions including urban ecology, design, architecture, landscape architecture, geography, urban planning, policy, and management.
Table of Contents:
Front Matter
Copyright
Contents
Contributors
Foreword I - Dagmar Haase
Foreword II - Karen C. Seto
Acknowledgments
Ch.1: Nature-based solutions for sustainable, resilient, and equitable cities
Part I: Nature-based solutions for what and for whom?
Ch.2: Nature-based solutions and climate change resilience
Ch.3: Towards just nature-based solutions for cities
Part II: The nature of nature-based solutions
Ch.4: Urban ecological resilience: ensuring urban ecosystems can provide nature-based solutions
Ch.5: Nature-based solutions and biodiversity: synergies, trade-offs, and ways forward
Part III: The multiple benefits of nature-based solutions
Ch.6: Just, nature-based solutions as critical urban infrastructure for cooling and cleaning airsheds
Ch.7: Nature-based solutions as critical urban infrastructure for water resilience
Ch.8: Human physical health outcomes influenced by contact with nature
Ch.9: Nature-based solutions and mental health
Part IV: Nature-based solutions governance, planning, and value
Ch.10: Planning and maintaining nature-based solutions: lessons for foresight and sustainable care from Berlin, Jakarta, Melbourne, and Santiago de Chile
Ch.11: Governance of and with nature-based solutions in cities
Ch.12: Mapping, measuring, and valuing the benefits of nature-based solutions in cities
Part V: Engaging art and design for and with nature-based solutions
Ch.13: Urban designs as social-natural resolutions
Ch.14: Ecological art in cities: exploring the potential for art to promote and advance nature-based solutions
Ch.15: 1 + 1 = 3: stories of imagination and the art of nature-based solutions
Ch.16: Towards mainstreaming nature-based solutions for achieving biodiverse, resilient, and inclusive cities
Back Matter
Open access
Index
Reviews:
‘In this urban century, the period of the fastest urban growth in human history, humans still need nature to survive and thrive. In this crucial book, some of the best urban scientists in the world give us a guide for how nature can be a solution to the pressing needs of our time, including climate resilience and equity. For anyone planning, implementing, or monitoring nature-based solutions in cities, this is an essential book.’ -- Robert McDonald, Lead Scientist for Nature-based Solutions at The Nature Conservancy
‘A lot has been written about nature-based solutions for cities, but this book by some of the leading experts in this field is a must read. It provides a systematic and highly accessible overview of what nature-based solutions are and (can) do for cities, while also offering great examples of making these solutions work, from governance approaches to mobilising art.’ -- Cecil Konijnendijk, University of British Columbia, Canada
‘For too long, cities were thought of as the opposite of nature. Now scientists and planners understand that nature is in fact present in cities. This excellent new book shows how cities can enhance the work of nature within their boundaries to improve people's lives and the biodiversity of our urban world.’ -- Steward T.A. Pickett, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies
‘Cities are facing unprecedented challenges with an urgent need to adapt to a rapidly changing climate and to address accelerating levels of social and economic inequality. This thought provoking and stimulating book gives us exciting pathways forward for regions and residents to transform toward cities that are liveable, just and equitable, but in an inclusive way and inspired by nature. It's an inspiration for us all.’ -- Thomas Elmqvist, Stockholm University, Sweden
‘Cities around the world are employing ecological, nature-based designs to provide a variety of urban services for urban residents. How can we ensure that they are effective, equitable, and will last? This book is essential reading for graduate students and practitioners alike on the state of the art in how to harness the power of nature for transformational change.’ -- Gretchen Daily, Stanford University, US
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Obstacles to Environmental Progress
: A U.S. perspective
Publisher: UCL Press
Year of publication: 2022
FREE DOWNLOAD: https://www.uclpress.co.uk/products/186377
Why, when so many people understand the severity of environmental problems, is progress so slow and sustainability such a distant goal? What gets in the way? Perhaps you have immediately thought of several barriers. In Obstacles to Environmental Progress, Peter Schulze identifies 18 practical obstacles that routinely and predictably hinder U.S. progress on existing environmental problems. The obstacles apply to problems small and large and, in most cases, regardless of whether an issue is controversial. Though the book focuses on the U.S., most of the obstacles pertain elsewhere as well.
The obstacles fall into three categories:
challenges to anticipating, detecting, and understanding problems;
political and economic factors that interfere with responding; and
obstacles to effective responses.
While all the obstacles are predictable and common, they have not been systematically studied as related phenomena, perhaps because they span a wide range of academic disciplines. In practice, they often arise as surprises that are then addressed in an ad hoc manner. Might they be better understood and thus more readily anticipated and overcome or avoided?
The book seeks to hasten environmental progress by forewarning and thus forearming those who are striving or will soon be striving for environmental progress, and by drawing scholarly attention to the obstacles as a set of related phenomena to systematically understand and more quickly overcome.
Reviews:
‘I have never come across another book that gives students such an accessible and helpful guide to the broad scope of the challenges facing an environmentally sound and sustainable future.’
---Al Wurth, Lehigh University
‘We’ve long needed something like this: a gazetteer for answering the endless series of objections and overcoming the repetitive obstacles that stand between us and the environmental progress we urgently require.’
---Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature and founder of 350.org and Third Act
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Plastics: Facts and Futures
: Moving beyond pollution management towards a circular plastics economy in South Africa
Publisher: WWF South Africa
Year of publication: 2020
FREE DOWNLOAD: https://www.wwf.org.za/our_research/publications/?32751/plasticsfactsandfutures
This comprehensive report consolidates case studies and the status quo as well as the mounting evidence to highlight the risks of a business-as-usual path. It also provides ideas for first steps to identify the levers to deliver significant positive impact in this complex system. This complexity means that no single organisation can solve the plastic pollution challenge by itself and that an inclusive, collaborative process with multiple stakeholders across the plastics value chain is needed.
Aimed at researchers, industry actors, policymakers and interested individuals, it explores the environmental and socio-economic impacts of plastic pollution in the South African context, with a focus on plastic packaging as a major contributor. WWF is advocating for the necessary shift from pollution management towards a circular economy in South Africa.
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Protected Area Governance and Management
Publisher: ANU Press
Year of publication: 2015
Protected Area Governance and Management presents a compendium of original text, case studies and examples from across the world, by drawing on the literature, and on the knowledge and experience of those involved in protected areas. The book synthesises current knowledge and cutting-edge thinking from the diverse branches of practice and learning relevant to protected area governance and management. It is intended as an investment in the skills and competencies of people and consequently, the effective governance and management of protected areas for which they are responsible, now and into the future.
The global success of the protected area concept lies in its shared vision to protect natural and cultural heritage for the long term, and organisations such as International Union for the Conservation of Nature are a unifying force in this regard. Nonetheless, protected areas are a socio-political phenomenon and the ways that nations understand, govern and manage them is always open to contest and debate. The book aims to enlighten, educate and above all to challenge readers to think deeply about protected areas—their future and their past, as well as their present.
The book has been compiled by 169 authors and deals with all aspects of protected area governance and management. It provides information to support capacity development training of protected area field officers, managers in charge and executive level managers.
Contents page:
Preliminary pages
Sponsors
Figures
Tables
Acknowledgments
The Editors
Foreword
Introduction
Concept, Purpose and Challenges
Earth’s Natural Heritage
Earth’s Cultural Heritage
Social and Economic Influences Shaping Protected Areas
Values and Benefits of Protected Areas
Governance for the Conservation of Nature
Managing Protected Areas
Capacity Development
Benefiting from Complexity Thinking
Knowledge Generation, Acquisition and Management
Leadership and Executive Management
Planning
Engagement and Participation in Protected Area Management: Who, why, how and when?
The Media and Protected Areas
Managing Threats
Climate Change and Protected Areas
Geoconservation in Protected Areas
Managing Freshwater, River, Wetland and Estuarine Protected Areas
Marine Protected Area Management
Managing Protected Areas for Biological Diversity and Ecosystem Functions
Managing Cultural Uses and Features
Visitor Management
Managing Operations and Assets
Managing Resource Use and Development
Managing Incidents
Connectivity Conservation Management
Protected Area Management Effectiveness
Conclusion
Index
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Shale Gas Development in the Central Karoo
: A Scientific Assessment of the Opportunities and Risks
Publisher: CSIR
Year of publication: Nov. 2016
FREE DOWNLOAD (whole book or chapters): https://seasgd.csir.co.za/scientific-assessment-chapters/
[From the Foreword by Dr Sibusiso Sibisi:]
The question of whether or not South Africa should exploit, through hydraulic fracturing, its natural gas reserves trapped within the deep shale layers in the Karoo Basin emerged in 2010. This question is a clear example of both the importance and complexity of working in the policy environment - the stakes could not possibly be higher, with important long-term consequences, either environmentally or economically, for South Africa's future. It is to the great credit of both parties - the policy-makers who will take responsibility for our course of action and the scientists who have been asked to advise them - which neither has baulked at the task that has been placed before them.
The result of this collaboration, reported on in this document, is a meticulous and multi-disciplinary assessment which presents, in an objective and balanced fashion, the opportunities and risks associated with shale gas development in South Africa across different scenarios. Over 200 of the best national and international scientists have, over 18 months, contributed to this study, and through a process of rigorous peer-review ensured that we have made the best use of the evidence and insights at our disposal.
The process has included close collaboration with government, non-governmental organisations and research institutions, and consisted of an extensive stakeholder outreach programme using multiple communication mediums. It is the largest scientific assessment undertaken in South Africa in terms of material scope and participation, both scientific and stakeholder based.
Contents page:
Preface
Ch. 1 Shale Gas Development Scenarios and Activities
Ch. 2 Effects on National Energy Planning and Energy Security
Ch. 3 Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Ch. 4 Earthquakes
Ch. 5 Water Resources, both on the Surface and Underground
Ch. 6 Impacts on Waste Planning and Management
Ch. 7 Biodiversity and Ecological Impacts: Landscape Processes, Ecosystems and Species
Ch. 8 Impacts on Agriculture
Ch. 9 Impacts on Tourism in the Karoo
Ch. 10 Impacts on the Economy
Ch. 11 Impacts on Social Fabric
Ch. 12 Impacts on Human Health
Ch. 13 Impacts on Sense of Place Values
Ch. 14 Impacts on Visual, Aesthetic and Scenic Resources
Ch. 15 Impacts on Heritage
Ch. 16 Noise Generated by Shale Gas-Related Activities
Ch. 17 Electromagnetic Interference
Ch. 18 Impacts on Infrastructure and Spatial Planning
Appendix 1 Glossary of Terms
Appendix 2 Abbreviations and Acronyms
Appendix 3 Integrating and Contributing Author Biosketches
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Soils Challenge Badge
[Series: YUNGA learning and action series – Challenge badges]
Publisher: FAO
Year of publication: 2014
FREE DOWNLOAD: www.fao.org/publications/card/en/c/801f22a3-bcb6-46b6-9341-397e9a4e4751
The Soils Challenge Badge is designed to help educate children and young people about the vital role that soils play in supporting life on Earth. The badge looks at how soils are created, soil uses and how soils are being affected by human and climatic pressures. It includes a wide range of activities and ideas to stimulate learning about soil and how we can better manage soil resources to ensure that we have a sustainable future.
The purpose of the United Nations Challenge Badges is to raise awareness, educate and, most of all, motivate young people to change their behaviour and be active agents of change in their local communities. Challenge Badges are appropriate for use with school classes and youth groups, and are endorsed by WAGGGS and WOSM. They include a wide range of activities and ideas that can easily be adapted by teachers or leaders. Additional badges are available or are being developed on a number of other topics, including: Agriculture, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Energy, Forests, Gender, Governance, Hunger, Nutrition, the Ocean, and Water.
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Sonke Sisela Kumfula Omnye
: Izaci namaqhalo malunga namanzi /
Ons Almal Drink Van Dieselfde Stroompie
: Idiome en spreekwoorde oor water /
We All Drink From the Same Stream
: Idioms and proverbs about water
Publisher: Stigting vir Bemagtiging deur Afrikaans (SBA)
Year of publication: 2021
Language note: Text in isiXhosa, Afrikaans and English
This book includes 14 facts about "Water in the AmaXhosa Culture", and also "10 Water Saving Tips".
Scroll down for various translations (isiXhosa, Afrikaans and English) from the book's "Introduction".
INTSHAYELELO:
Izaci namaqhalo ziintetho ezifumaneka kuphela kulwimi ngalunye nakwinkcubeko nganye.
Uninzi lwezaci namaqhalo esiXhosa anentsusa ekwindalo nakokusingqongileyo. Oku kubonisa ubudlelwano umntu anabo nendalo.
Kwinkcubeko yamaXhosa, amanzi adlala indima ebalulekileyo. Angumqondiso wobomi, impilo, imingeni nendalo yomntu.
Eli bathwana lezaci namaqhalo esiXhosa elimalunga ngamanzi neliye lachongelwa le ncwadi, lisikhumbuza ulwimi nenkcubeko yethu etyebileyo ekufuneka sizingce ngazo. Oku kwenza silwazi uxanduva esinalo ekongeni amanzi esinawo ahlale ecocekile kwaye elondolozekile.
Injongo yesi sikhokelo sepokotho kukugcina izithethe zolwimi lwesiXhosa nenkcubeko yamaXhosa ngeelwimi ezimsethethweni ezintathu zaseNtshona Koloni. Kananjalo, sifuna ukuphuhlisa ulwazi lweelwimi ezininzi.
Kwakho, ezi zaci namaqhalo ezimalunga ngamanzi ziye ziqinise ityathanga lovisiswano phakathi kwezi lwiimi nendalo njengoko sibona kule nkcubeko yamaXhosa. Oku kuye kudlale indima enkulu kukhuseleko lwamanzi, kwaye isenze sazi kubaluleke kangakanani ukongela izizukulwana ezizayo amanzi.
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INLEIDING:
Idiome en spreekwoorde is vaste uitdrukkings wat eie en uniek is aan ’n bepaalde taal en kultuur.
Baie isiXhosa-idiome en -spreekwoorde verwys na die natuur en die omgewing. Dit dui op ’n hegte verhouding tussen die mens en die natuur.
Water speel ’n baie belangrike rol in die amaXhosa-kultuur. Dit is ’n simbool van lewe, genesing, uitdagings en die menslike natuur.
Die lys idiome en spreekwoorde oor water uit die amaXhosakultuur wat vir hierdie boek gekies is, herinner ons aan ’n trotse taal- en kultuurerfenis. Dit maak ons bewus van die gesamentlike verantwoordelikheid wat ons het om ons waterbronne skoon te hou en te bewaar.
Die doel van hierdie sakgids is om die oorlewerings van die isiXhosa-taal en die amaXhosa-kultuur in al drie die amptelike tale van die Wes-Kaap te bewaar. Terselfdertyd wil ons veeltaligheid bevorder.
Hierdie idiome en spreekwoorde oor water versterk ook die drie tale se harmonieuse verhouding met die natuur en die omgewing soos dit in die amaXhosa-erfenis na vore kom. Dit lewer daarom ’n groot bydrae tot die beskerming van ons waterbronne. Dit maak ons ook daarvan bewus hoe belangrik dit is om ons waterbronne vir die nageslag te bewaar.
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INTRODUCTION:
Idioms and proverbs are set expressions unique to a specific language and culture.
Many isiXhosa idioms and proverbs are drawn from nature and the environment. It reveals the close relationship between man and nature.
Water plays a very important role in the culture of the amaXhosa. It serves as a symbol of life, healing, challenges and human nature.
The selection of isiXhosa idioms and proverbs about water that were chosen for this book, reminds us of a linguistic and cultural heritage we can be proud of. It makes us aware of the responsibility we share to keep our water resources clean and to protect it.
The aim of this pocket guide is to preserve the traditions of the isiXhosa language and the culture of the amaXhosa in the three official languages of the Western Cape. At the same time we want to promote multilingualism.
These idioms and proverbs about water also strengthen the harmonious bond between the three languages and nature as seen in the amaXhosa culture, thereby making a huge contribution towards the protection of our water resources. It also keeps us aware of how important it is to preserve our water resources for generations to come.
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Toxic Truths
: Environmental justice and citizen science in a post-truth age
Publisher: Manchester University Press
Year of publication: 2020
FREE DOWNLOAD: https://doi.org/10.7765/9781526137005
This book examines the relationship between environmental justice and citizen science, focusing on enduring issues and new challenges in a post-truth age. Debates over science, facts, and values have always been pivotal within environmental justice struggles. For decades, environmental justice activists have campaigned against the misuses of science, while at the same time engaging in community-led citizen science. However, post-truth politics has threatened science itself. This book makes the case for the importance of science, knowledge, and data that are produced by and for ordinary people living with environmental risks and hazards.
The international, interdisciplinary contributions range from grassroots environmental justice struggles in American hog country and contaminated indigenous communities, to local environmental controversies in Spain and China, to questions about “knowledge justice,” citizenship, participation, and data in citizen science surrounding toxicity. The book features inspiring studies of community-based participatory environmental health and justice research; different ways of sensing, witnessing, and interpreting environmental injustice; political strategies for seeking environmental justice; and ways of expanding the concepts and forms of engagement of citizen science around the world.
While the book will be of critical interest to specialists in social and environmental sciences, it will also be accessible to graduate and postgraduate audiences. More broadly, the book will appeal to members of the public interested in social justice issues, as well as community members who are thinking about participating in citizen science and activism.
Toxic Truths includes distinguished contributing authors in the field of environmental justice, alongside cutting-edge research from emerging scholars and community activists.
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Tree Steward Manual
: Master Gardener Program
Publisher: Virginia Cooperative Extension (in association with Virginia Tech Publishing)
Year of publication: 2021
FREE DOWNLOAD: https://doi.org/10.21061/treesteward
This manual is designed for Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners who are training to be certified advanced Master Gardener tree stewards. Written by a dedicated team of volunteers who themselves completed advanced Master Gardener tree steward training, the manual covers a wide range of topics, specific to each region of Virginia, including identifying trees, selecting and planting appropriate trees for local landscapes, caring for trees, and troubleshooting tree problems.
While the Tree Steward Manual was developed with EMG training in mind, it is also appropriate for general readers who want to deepen their knowledge of trees and tree care.
Table of Contents:
1. About Advanced Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners and the Tree Steward Training Manual
2. The Learning Experience
3. The Benefits (and Disadvantages) of Trees
4. Botany of Trees
5. Tree Taxonomy, Identification, and Measurement
6. Soil Properties and Management
7. Trees and Ecology
8. Siting, Selecting, and Planting
9. Tree Health Care and Pruning
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Die Veldgids vir die oes van Veldblomme
Publisher: [Flower Valley Bewaringstrust]
Year of publication: 2015
or https://www.flowervalley.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/BEK_FYNBOS_Guide_A6_web_Afrikaans.pdf
(Language note: Also available in English and isiXhosa)
Baie mense in die Overberg maak ’n bestaan uit die streek se veldblomme, wat bekend staan as fynbos. Sommige pluk blomme vir markte waar dit verkoop word, party verwyder uitheemse indringerplante en ander is by bewaring en natuurtoerisme betrokke. Dis belangrik dat mense wat in die veld werk, fynbosplante ken. Hierdie Veldgids vir die Oes van Veldblomme beskryf 41 van die gewildste soorte fynbosplante wat in ons omgewing gepluk word vir die veldblommark. Dit verskaf ook nuttige inligting oor volhoubare oespraktyke, asook oor fynbosbewaring in die algemeen.
Die oes van veldblomme het ’n uitwerking of impak op die veld. As ons nie versigtig is nie, kan ons plante seermaak of selfs doodmaak. Dis waarom dit belangrik is om die volgende vrae te vra voordat blomme gepluk word:
• Watter blomme kan gepluk word?
• Hoeveel kan gepluk word?
• Hoe behoort blomme gepluk te word?
Hierdie gids help mense om te verstaan:
• wat die verskille is tussen die baie soorte fynbosplante wat in die veld groei; en
• watter fynbosplante gepluk kan word en watter skaars is en eerder in die veld gelaat moet word.
Hierdie veldgids is in al drie hooftale van die Wes-Kaap beskikbaar, naamlik Afrikaans, Engels en isiXhosa.
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Water Interactions: a Systemic View
: Why we Need to Comprehend the Water-Climate-Energy-Food-Economics-Lifestyle Connections
(Author: Gustaf Olsson)
Publisher: IWA Publishing
Year of publication: 2022
During the last two decades, the interrelationship between water and energy has become recognized. Likewise, the couplings to food and agriculture are getting increasingly obvious and alarming. In the last year, a record number of extreme weather events have been reported from most parts of the world. This is a visible demonstration how consequences of climate change must be understood and alleviated. The impacts of economics, lifestyle, and alarming inequalities are becoming increasingly recognisable. If the wealthy part of the world is not willing not make radical changes it does not matter what the less wealthy half of the global population will do to meet the climate and resource crisis.
The purpose of the book is to demonstrate and describe how climate change, water, energy, food, and lifestyle are closely depending on each other. It is not sufficient to handle one discipline isolated from the others. This is the traditional “component view”. The book defines and describes a systems view. The communications and relationships between the “components” have to be described and recognized. Consequently, the development of one discipline must be approached from a systems perspective. At the same time, the success of the systems perspective depends on the degree of knowledge of the individual parts or disciplines. The catchphrase of systems thinking has been caught in the phrase, “The whole is more than the sum of its parts”. The idea is not new: the origin of this phrase is to be found already in Aristotle's Metaphysics more than 2300 years ago.
The text may serve as an academic text (in engineering, economics, and environmental science) to introduce senior undergraduate and graduate students into systems thinking. Too often education encourages a “silo” thinking. Current global challenges can't be solved in isolation; they depend on each other. For example, water professionals should have a basic understanding of energy issues. Energy professionals ought to understand the dependency on water. Economic students should learn more how economy depends on natural resources like energy and water. Economics must include the environmental impact and ecological ceiling of economic activities.
Table of Contents:
Front-matter
Ch. 1: Introduction – setting the scene
Ch. 2: Systems thinking
Ch. 3: Climate today
Ch. 4: Global warming impacts
Ch. 5: The water perspective
Ch. 6: The energy perspective
Ch. 7: The food perspective
Ch. 8: Economics
Ch. 9: Lifestyle
Ch. 10: Crisis or hope
A1: Units
A2: Glossary
A3: Abbreviations
Notes
References
Index
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The Youth Guide to Biodiversity
Publisher: FAO
Year of publication: 2013
FREE DOWNLOAD: www.fao.org/publications/card/en/c/3703ff83-8757-5c64-8cec-00b510af1223
We invite you to dive into this comprehensive youth guide for in-depth insights into biodiversity, the benefits it provides to us, the threats it faces, and what actions we can take to protect it. The guide is richly illustrated, including award-winning photos taken by youth from around the world as part of the ‘See the Bigger Picture’ contest that supported The Green Wave, a global campaign promoting biodiversity. At the end of the guide there is a useful tool for setting up an action plan and undertaking your own biodiversity project, with Six Simple Steps towards Change. Take inspiration from far-reaching projects of other young global leaders and their innovative projects. At the end of each chapter and in the annexes, you will find additional resources, assignments for further learning about your surroundings, and other useful information.
YUNGA Youth Guides are designed to complement the YUNGA Challenge Badges, giving you even deeper insights into core topics. They allow you to explore each theme more closely, building a detailed understanding of the issues at hand and the ways in which you can get involved. They also contain links to additional resources and information so you can keep learning independently.
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