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The Politics of Meaning Struggles: Shale Gas Policy Under Pressure in France (Advances in Critical Policy Studies series)

Working to demystify the enigmatic process behind unexpected policymaking, this important book proposes to understand the significance of meaning struggles and the uncertainty provoked by the multiple pressures in governmental decision making. Using the French case, where the government shifted position 3 times before banning hydraulic fracturing, The Politics of Meaning Struggles addresses the wider phenomenon of governmental shifts in policy decisions through a new perspective, a pragmatist constructivism approach.This controversial governmental U-turn is thoroughly analysed through the meticulous reconstitution of multiple debates which took place not only in the public arena but also in the privacy of government. Based on 3 years of investigation and 52 lengthy qualitative interviews across the hierarchical levels of the bureaucracy including former ministers, and through exclusive access to the archive of Prime Minister, the authors allow us to better understand the complexity and uncertainty in the policy process, which has yet to be explained by classical theories, frameworks and concepts. It builds from the oversights of existing policy approaches to create a more comprehensive understanding as to why State decisions, pressured by power struggles and mutating proposals, are never written in advance.>Working towards gaining a better grasp of the complexity and diversity of public policies, this insightful book will be invaluable to public policy students and scholars. It will also be particularly useful to policy makers working within the gas industry and wider governmental roles that involve policy and decision making.

Marktwirtschaftliche Instrumente in der Umweltpolitik: Zur Auswahl politischer Lösungsstrategien in der Bundesrepublik

Invasive Species and Global Climate Change (CABI Invasives Series)

This book addresses topics related to the impact of invasive species including biosecurity, demographics, species diversity and food security. It is meant for researchers, upper-level students, and policy makers and provides a factual basis for the underlying science and a discussion of that information with respect to current and future impacts and possible solutions. This book explores the nexus of climate change and biological invasions, resulting impacts (biological and economic) and assesses ways to reduce vulnerability and increase the resiliency and sustainability of managed and unmanaged ecosystems. The book has three parts, focusing on: (1) the dimensions of the problem; background and science; (2) case studies; (3) Management: detection, prevention, control and adaptation. This revised edition examines a wide range of topics and region, the underlying science, examples (case studies) from around the world, and ways and means to recognize, manage and control the consequences. It includes new cases and new threats; for example, a chapter summarizing case studies regarding climate change and invasive species that are also disease carriers (e.g. ticks and Lyme disease). - Covers a wide range of topics and areas - Examines the synergy between invasive species and climate change - Explains options to control and mitigate effects This book is of interest to academics, researchers and students studying climate change and invasive species. Those interested in the environment and ecology, land managers, policy makers, agronomists, federal and state departments of natural resources, climate change activists, public health professionals.

The Science of Ocean Waves: Ripples, Tsunamis, and Stormy Seas

"Powerful ocean waves fascinate the public, and they have made a lot of news lately." With that indisputable observation, scientist J. B. Zirker takes off on a whirlwind tour of the world of waves—from the "ordinary" waves that constantly churn the sea to the rogues or freaks that can rise up seemingly from nowhere to heights of 20 meters or more... and everything in between.Addressing questions most ocean visitors have had and offering new ones for our consideration, The Science of Ocean Waves explains in accessible language how waves are formed, how they move, how they become huge and destructive, and how they're being studied now for clues that will help us plan for the future.Devoting chapters to wind, tides, currents, breakers, tsunamis, forecasting, renewable energy, and El Niño—as well as discussing the gentler properties of ocean waves which inspire us and offer opportunities for relaxation and recreation—Zirker explores the physical factors that create waves.Drawing on some of the recent storms that have devastated entire regions—such as Hurricane Katrina, the tsunami launched by the 2004 Sumatran earthquake, and the great tsunami that crushed the shore of Japan in 2011—Zirker explains the forces that cause these monster waves and reveals the toll they take on human lives.Enhanced by dozens of illustrations and a comprehensive glossary, The Science of Ocean Waves will fascinate anyone curious about the science behind the headlines.Praise for J. B. Zirker"Scientists know their stuff but are rarely good storytellers, whereas good storytellers rarely possess the necessary sweeping command of a scientific discipline. Zirker is that rare animal who can both communicate the most demanding technical detail and make it accessible."—New Scientist

The Science of Ocean Waves: Ripples, Tsunamis, and Stormy Seas

"Powerful ocean waves fascinate the public, and they have made a lot of news lately." With that indisputable observation, scientist J. B. Zirker takes off on a whirlwind tour of the world of waves—from the "ordinary" waves that constantly churn the sea to the rogues or freaks that can rise up seemingly from nowhere to heights of 20 meters or more... and everything in between.Addressing questions most ocean visitors have had and offering new ones for our consideration, The Science of Ocean Waves explains in accessible language how waves are formed, how they move, how they become huge and destructive, and how they're being studied now for clues that will help us plan for the future.Devoting chapters to wind, tides, currents, breakers, tsunamis, forecasting, renewable energy, and El Niño—as well as discussing the gentler properties of ocean waves which inspire us and offer opportunities for relaxation and recreation—Zirker explores the physical factors that create waves.Drawing on some of the recent storms that have devastated entire regions—such as Hurricane Katrina, the tsunami launched by the 2004 Sumatran earthquake, and the great tsunami that crushed the shore of Japan in 2011—Zirker explains the forces that cause these monster waves and reveals the toll they take on human lives.Enhanced by dozens of illustrations and a comprehensive glossary, The Science of Ocean Waves will fascinate anyone curious about the science behind the headlines.Praise for J. B. Zirker"Scientists know their stuff but are rarely good storytellers, whereas good storytellers rarely possess the necessary sweeping command of a scientific discipline. Zirker is that rare animal who can both communicate the most demanding technical detail and make it accessible."—New Scientist

Mega-Dams in World Literature: Literary Responses to Twentieth-Century Dam Building

Mega-Dams in World Literature reveals the varied effects of large dams on people and their environments as expressed in literary works, focusing on the shifting attitudes toward large dams that emerged over the course of the twentieth century. Margaret Ziolkowski covers the enthusiasm for large-dam construction that took place during the mid-twentieth-century heyday of mega-dams, the increasing number of people displaced by dams, the troubling environmental effects they incur, and the types of destruction and protest to which they may be subject. Using North American, Native American, Russian, Egyptian, Indian, and Chinese novels and poems, Ziolkowski explores the supposed progress that these structures bring. The book asks how the human urge to exploit and control waterways has affected our relationships to nature and the environment and argues that the high modernism of the twentieth century, along with its preoccupation with development, casts the hydroelectric dam as a central symbol of domination over nature and the power of the nation state. Beyond examining the exultation of large dams as symbols of progress, Mega-Dams in World Literature takes a broad international and cultural approach that humanizes and personalizes the major issues associated with large dams through nuanced analyses, paying particular attention to issues engendered by high modernism and settler colonialism. Both general and specialist readers interested in human-environment relationships will enjoy this prescient book.

Regenerating Cities: Reviving Places and Planet (Cities and Nature)

This book sets out the discussion on how cities can contribute solutions to some of the challenges the urbanised world is facing, such as the pressure of growing populations, mitigation of effects of, and adaptation to globally changing environmental, climate and public health conditions. Presenting a detailed explanation of the causes behind the current state of modern cities, the book advocates for a paradigm shift to improve the quality of life of ever-increasing urban inhabitants whilst nourishing the natural systems that sustain human and non-human life in the planet. Recognising the precious role that nature plays in the functioning of cities, it delves into the study of biophilic design and regenerative development. The book argues that these social-ecological design approaches can act as catalysts to develop conditions in urban settings that are beneficial for natural and human systems to thrive and flourish, both in ecosystem services and social-cultural systems. This is particularly relevant for the design of new quality precincts or the regeneration of degraded urban spaces to promote health, wellbeing and urban resilience. A framework is proposed to guide the process of thinking about, designing and building healthier, more liveable and resilient urban environments that raise the quality of life in cities. The method can be used by researchers, practitioners -urban designers, urban planners, architects and landscape architects- interested in developing their work within a social-ecological perspective. It can also be used by local governments and agencies to underpin policy making, and by educational institutions to prepare graduates with necessary skills to respond to current and future built environment challenges.

The Idiot Gods (The\maji Trilogy #01)

Quite simply the best book about a whale since Moby Dick. The Idiot Gods is an epic tale told by an orca. David Zindell returns to the grand themes of Neverness in this uniquely moving book.

Geopedology: An Integration of Geomorphology and Pedology for Soil and Landscape Studies

This book offers a proven approach for reliable mapping of soil-landscape relationships to derive information for policy, planning and management at scales ranging from local to regional. It presents the theoretical and conceptual framework of the geopedologic approach and a bulk of applied research showing its application and benefits for knowledge generation relevant to geohazard studies, land use conflict analysis, land use planning, land degradation assessment, and land suitability analysis.Soil is a vital resource for society at large and an important determinant of the economic status of nations. The intensification of natural disasters and the increased land use competition for food and energy have raised awareness of the relevant role the pedosphere plays in natural and anthropogenic environments. Recent papers and global initiatives show a renewed interest in soil research and its applications for improved planning and management of this fragile and finite resource.

Aluminum Upcycled: Sustainable Design in Historical Perspective (Johns Hopkins Studies in the History of Technology)

Besides being the right thing to do for Mother Earth, recycling can also make money;¢;‚¬;€?particularly when it comes to upcycling, a zero waste practice where discarded materials are fashioned into goods of greater economic or cultural value. In Upcycling Aluminum, Carl A. Zimring explores how the metal;€™s abundance after World War II;¢;‚¬;€?coupled with the significant economic and environmental costs of smelting it from bauxite ore;¢;‚¬;€?led to the industrial production of valuable durable goods from salvaged aluminum. Beginning in 1886 with the discovery of how to mass produce aluminum, the book examines the essential part the metal played in early aviation and the world wars, as well as the troubling expansion of aluminum as a material of mass disposal. Recognizing that scrap aluminum was as good as virgin material and much more affordable than newly engineered metal, designers in the postwar era used aluminum to manufacture highly prized artifacts. Zimring takes us on a tour of post-1940s design, examining the use of aluminum in cars, trucks, airplanes, furniture, and musical instruments from 1945 to 2015. By viewing upcycling through the lens of one material, Zimring deepens our understanding of the history of recycling in industrial society. He also provides a historical perspective on contemporary sustainable design practices. Along the way, he challenges common assumptions about upcycling;€™s merits and adds a new dimension to recycling as a form of environmental absolution for the waste-related sins of the modern world. Raising fascinating questions of consumption, environment, and desire, Upcycling Aluminum is for anyone interested in industrial and environmental history, discard studies, engineering, product design, music history, or antiques.

Aluminum Upcycled: Sustainable Design in Historical Perspective (Johns Hopkins Studies in the History of Technology)

Besides being the right thing to do for Mother Earth, recycling can also make money;¢;‚¬;€?particularly when it comes to upcycling, a zero waste practice where discarded materials are fashioned into goods of greater economic or cultural value. In Upcycling Aluminum, Carl A. Zimring explores how the metal;€™s abundance after World War II;¢;‚¬;€?coupled with the significant economic and environmental costs of smelting it from bauxite ore;¢;‚¬;€?led to the industrial production of valuable durable goods from salvaged aluminum. Beginning in 1886 with the discovery of how to mass produce aluminum, the book examines the essential part the metal played in early aviation and the world wars, as well as the troubling expansion of aluminum as a material of mass disposal. Recognizing that scrap aluminum was as good as virgin material and much more affordable than newly engineered metal, designers in the postwar era used aluminum to manufacture highly prized artifacts. Zimring takes us on a tour of post-1940s design, examining the use of aluminum in cars, trucks, airplanes, furniture, and musical instruments from 1945 to 2015. By viewing upcycling through the lens of one material, Zimring deepens our understanding of the history of recycling in industrial society. He also provides a historical perspective on contemporary sustainable design practices. Along the way, he challenges common assumptions about upcycling;€™s merits and adds a new dimension to recycling as a form of environmental absolution for the waste-related sins of the modern world. Raising fascinating questions of consumption, environment, and desire, Upcycling Aluminum is for anyone interested in industrial and environmental history, discard studies, engineering, product design, music history, or antiques.

Der Klimaschutzdiskurs der „Neuen Rechten“: Eine ideengeschichtliche Analyse des Periodikums Die Kehre – Zeitschrift für Naturschutz (BestMasters)

Umwelt- wie auch konkret der Klimaschutz als dessen jüngerer Teilbereich sind weder neutrale Sachthemen noch notwendigerweise politisch links zu verorten. Im historischen Rückblick lassen sich Momente der geglückten wie gescheiterten Verquickung nationalistischer und antidemokratischer Positionen mit „grünen“ Forderungen im gesellschaftspolitischen Diskurs ausmachen. Auch im Lichte des gegenwärtigen Relevanzgewinns der Causa Klimawandel regen sich im neurechten Lager erneut die Versuche einer (Rück-)Eroberung der Diskurshoheit. Paradigmatisch hierfür steht das neurechte Periodikum Die Kehre – Zeitschrift für Naturschutz, das sich als Debattenort zur Etablierung einer „konservativen Ökologie“, der Verbindung von Ökologie mit rechtsideologischen Elementen, ins Werk setzt. Welche Positionen beziehen, welche Begründungzusammenhänge formulieren Akteur*innen der „Neuen Rechten“ zum Klimaschutz? Die vorliegende Arbeit rekonstruiert Amalgamierungsmomente neurechter (Vorläufer-)Gruppierungen mit Themen des Umweltschutzes und systematisiert so die Chronologie der Genese der „Neuen Rechten“ in einem umweltethischen Zusammenhang. Auf diesem Fundament wird eine Tiefenanalyse der klimaschutzpolitischen Argumentationen innerhalb des neurechten Periodikums Die Kehre geleistet, die identifizierten Positionen werden hinsichtlich ihrer inhaltlichen und strukturellen Brücken in neurechte Traditions- und Ideologiebestände kontextualisiert und interpretiert.

Climate Change and Genocide: Environmental Violence in the 21st Century

Climate change caused by human activity is the most fundamental challenge facing mankind in the 21st century, since it will drastically alter the living conditions of millions of people, mainly in the Global South. Environmental violence, including resource crises such as peak fossil fuel, will lie at the heart of future conflicts. However, Genocide Studies have so far neglected this subject, due to the emphasis that traditional genocide scholarship places on ideology and legal prosecution, leading to a narrow understanding of the driving forces of genocide. This books aims at changing this, initiating a dialogue between scholars working in the areas of climate change and genocide. Research into genocide as well as climate change is a highly interdisciplinary endeavour, transcending the boundaries of established disciplines. Contributions to this book address this by approaching the subject from a wide array of methodological, theoretical, disciplinary and regional perspectives. As all the contributions show, climate change is a major threat multiplier for violence or non-violent destruction and any understanding of prevention needs to take this into account. They offer a basis for much needed Critical Prevention Studies, which aims at sustainable prevention.This book was originally published as a special issue of the International Journal of Human Rights.

Climate Change and Genocide: Environmental Violence in the 21st Century

Climate change caused by human activity is the most fundamental challenge facing mankind in the 21st century, since it will drastically alter the living conditions of millions of people, mainly in the Global South. Environmental violence, including resource crises such as peak fossil fuel, will lie at the heart of future conflicts. However, Genocide Studies have so far neglected this subject, due to the emphasis that traditional genocide scholarship places on ideology and legal prosecution, leading to a narrow understanding of the driving forces of genocide. This books aims at changing this, initiating a dialogue between scholars working in the areas of climate change and genocide. Research into genocide as well as climate change is a highly interdisciplinary endeavour, transcending the boundaries of established disciplines. Contributions to this book address this by approaching the subject from a wide array of methodological, theoretical, disciplinary and regional perspectives. As all the contributions show, climate change is a major threat multiplier for violence or non-violent destruction and any understanding of prevention needs to take this into account. They offer a basis for much needed Critical Prevention Studies, which aims at sustainable prevention.This book was originally published as a special issue of the International Journal of Human Rights.

Agricultural Ethics - An Invitation: An Invitation

I write because I am concerned that I and my agricultural colleagues have avoided addressing the moral dimension of the environmental and social problems we have contributed to. I hope for an exchange of ideas about agriculture's moral dilemmas. I encourage my readers to engage in a collective conversation about the dilemmas and avoid remaining in what Merton calls "the collective arrogance and despair of his own herd." If those engaged in agriculture continue to ignore and fail to realize our common difficulties they will be addressed and resolved by societal pressure and political action, which may not yield the resolution we favor. The book's goal is not to resolve the moral dilemmas raised. It is to raise them and encourage thought and discussion. It will ask but not answer why nearly all involved in agriculture have not addressed the moral concerns voiced by the general public. The agricultural enterprise is committed to the benefits and future success of the present, very productive, chemical, capital, and energy intensive system, which is, in the minds of many, not sustainable. The internal justification invokes the moral claim that they feed the world's population. The question remains whether or not the prevailing moral justification of feeding the world is adequate given all the issues modern, developed country agriculture faces: pesticides in soil, water, and food, cruelty to animals, Biotech/GMO's, corporate agriculture, pollution by animal factory waste, exploitation of and cruelty to migrant labor.

The Law of Energy Underground: Understanding New Developments in Subsurface Production, Transmission, and Storage

While energy has been extracted from the ground for two centuries, recent years have seen transformative changes to how easy it is to access underground energy resources. This book investigates the key challenges and legal consequences of recent developments in the use of the subsurface as a source of energy. It provides a comprehensive analysis of the new technologies that have made this possible, such as the extraction of unconventional oil and gas resources through horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking. Further developments include the expanded use of geothermal energy, which has the potential to beome a major renewable energy source. The subsurface can also be utilised for long-term disposal or storage of environmentally harmful by-products of energy use, such as carbon capture and storage (CCS), and disposal of spent nuclear fuel and other nuclear waste. Successful development of these technologies could enhance the use of fossil and nuclear energy by reducing the harm caused by the release of greenhouse gases and harmful radiation. The authors bring together a wide variety of expertise and knowledge to examine the legal implications of the development and control of these underground activities. They provide an invaluable understanding of the legal frameworks applicable to the extraction of underground energy, both at the international level and in a number of important national jurisdictions. Importantly, the book analyses the different regulatory responses to these developments across five continents, and assesses in detail the environmental impact of new energy extraction technologies.

Issues in Bioinvasion Science: EEI 2003: a Contribution to the Knowledge on Invasive Alien Species

This volume presents key contributions of the First National Conference on Invasive Alien Species, held in Spain in 2003. Topics included cut across all aspects of non-native species invasions. Experts from universities, public administration, NGOs and environmental enterprises and authorities on biological invasions from other countries participated in the conference, which aimed to go beyond national boundaries to tackle the complex biological issues of invasive alien species.

Mediation: Kooperatives Konfliktmanagement in der Umweltpolitik

In keinem anderen Tätigkeitsfeld von Politik und Verwaltung entstehen so viele und erbitterte Konflikte mit Bürgerinnen und Bürgern wie im Umweltbereich. Politik und Verwaltung sind hier wie in der Umweltpolitik generell auf die Kooperation mit den betroffenen Bürgern, Gruppen und Organisationen angewiesen. In den letzen Jahren wählen sie dabei häufig das Verfahren der Mediation, bei dem ein neutraler und professioneller Konfliktmanager eingesetzt wird, um durch Kooperation von Betroffenen eine Problemlösung zu erreichen. Dieser Band gibt eine umfassende Übersicht über die Entstehung und Entwicklung des Mediationsverfahrens in den USA. Es beschreibt das politische, gesellschaftliche und rechtliche Umfeld für kooperatives Konfliktmanagement in der Bundesrepublik und zeigt, wie diese Verfahren politikwissenschaftlich zu analysieren und einzuordnen sind. An einem konkreten Beispiel wird verdeutlicht, wie Mediation in der Praxis ablaufen kann. Der Band dokumentiert die erste breit angelegte empirische Erfassung der inzwischen in Deutschland durchgeführten Verfahren und enthält auch eine umfassende Bibliographie zu Gesamtthematik sowie eine Liste der Adressen von Umweltmediatoren.

Umweltmonitoring mit natürlichen Indikatoren: Pflanzen — Boden — Wasser — Luft

Adoption of Emerging Information and Communication Technology for Sustainability

This book represents an important voice in the discourse on the adoption of emerging ICT for sustainability. It focuses on how emerging ICT acts as a crucial enabler of sustainability, offering new forward-looking approaches to this field. The book explores how emerging ICT adoption drives sustainability efforts in business and public organizations, promoting ecological, economic, social, cultural, and political sustainability. The book's theoretical discussions, conceptual approaches, empirical studies, diverse perspectives, and views make it a valuable and comprehensive reference work. Appealing to both researchers and practitioners, this book provides significant areas for research and practice related to the contribution of emerging ICT adoption to sustainability. It also suggests vital considerations for programming and building sustainable development-driven emerging ICT adoption. Readers will find answers to important contemporary questions, such as: What are the concepts, frameworks, models, and approaches to enhance sustainable development through the adoption of emerging ICT? How does the adoption of emerging ICT influence sustainability? How can emerging ICT be adopted to enhance sustainability? What are the current practices and successful cases of emerging ICT adoption for sustainability? What factors influence emerging ICT adoption to enhance sustainability?

Interdisciplinary Approaches for Sustainable Development Goals: Economic Growth, Social Inclusion and Environmental Protection (GeoPlanet: Earth and Planetary Sciences)

This book discusses the impacts of climate change that are already being felt on every continent and provides the scientific basis for a number of modern approaches and state-of-the art methods for monitoring the environment, social behavior and human expectations concerning protection of the environment. The book approaches these issues from the perspectives of various disciplines, from physics to the social sciences, and highlights both current challenges and future prospects. On 1 January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) defined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – 12 of which involve taking action on climate change – officially came into force. To achieve sustainable development, it is and will remain crucial to harmonize three interconnected core elements: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.

Insights on Environmental Changes: Where the World is Heading (GeoPlanet: Earth and Planetary Sciences)

This book presents valuable insights on a vast array of topics in the field of environmental studies. The works published in the book were presented within the scope of the 2013 Sopot Forum of Young Scientists. The Forum is an annual event which provides a platform for young researchers to present their work and exchange ideas with their peers. The aim of the forum is to make science more popular, so the speakers talked about their work in a way that was easily understandable. The book contains actual scientific papers on their own topics of interest. The papers represent different areas of environmental sciences, from biology to physics. The main umbrella topic for this book is "WHERE THE WORLD IS HEADING" and the papers are constructed in such a way as to try to answer this from each contributor's individual perspective.

Deceptive Beauties: The World of Wild Orchids

Confucius called them the “king of fragrant plants,” and John Ruskin condemned them as “prurient apparitions.” Across the centuries, orchids have captivated us with their elaborate exoticism, their powerful perfumes, and their sublime seductiveness. But the disquieting beauty of orchids is an unplanned marvel of evolution, and the story of orchids is as captivating as any novel. As acclaimed writer Michael Pollan and National Geographic photographer Christian Ziegler spin tales of orchid conquest in Deceptive Beauties: The World of Wild Orchids, we learn how these flowers can survive and thrive in the harshest of environments, from tropical cloud forests to the Arctic, from semi-deserts to rocky mountainsides; how their shapes, colors, and scents are, as Darwin put it, “beautiful contrivances” meant to dupe pollinating male insects in the strangest ways. What other flowers, after all, can mimic the pheromones and even appearance of female insects, so much so that some male bees prefer sex with the orchids over sex with their own kind? And insects aren’t the only ones to fall for the orchids’ charms. Since the “orchidelirium” of the Victorian era, humans have braved the wilds to search them out and devoted copious amounts of time and money propagating and hybridizing, nurturing and simply gazing at them. This astonishing book features over 150 unprecedented color photographs taken by Christian Ziegler himself as he trekked through wilderness on five continents to capture the diversity and magnificence of orchids in their natural habitats. His intimate and astonishing images allow us to appreciate up close nature’s most intoxicating and deceptive beauties.

Deceptive Beauties: The World of Wild Orchids

Confucius called them the “king of fragrant plants,” and John Ruskin condemned them as “prurient apparitions.” Across the centuries, orchids have captivated us with their elaborate exoticism, their powerful perfumes, and their sublime seductiveness. But the disquieting beauty of orchids is an unplanned marvel of evolution, and the story of orchids is as captivating as any novel. As acclaimed writer Michael Pollan and National Geographic photographer Christian Ziegler spin tales of orchid conquest in Deceptive Beauties: The World of Wild Orchids, we learn how these flowers can survive and thrive in the harshest of environments, from tropical cloud forests to the Arctic, from semi-deserts to rocky mountainsides; how their shapes, colors, and scents are, as Darwin put it, “beautiful contrivances” meant to dupe pollinating male insects in the strangest ways. What other flowers, after all, can mimic the pheromones and even appearance of female insects, so much so that some male bees prefer sex with the orchids over sex with their own kind? And insects aren’t the only ones to fall for the orchids’ charms. Since the “orchidelirium” of the Victorian era, humans have braved the wilds to search them out and devoted copious amounts of time and money propagating and hybridizing, nurturing and simply gazing at them. This astonishing book features over 150 unprecedented color photographs taken by Christian Ziegler himself as he trekked through wilderness on five continents to capture the diversity and magnificence of orchids in their natural habitats. His intimate and astonishing images allow us to appreciate up close nature’s most intoxicating and deceptive beauties.

Energie aus Biomasse - ein ethisches Diskussionsmodell

Energie aus Biomasse wird auf politischer, wissenschaftlicher und gesellschaftlicher Ebene höchst kontrovers diskutiert. – Dieses Buch liefert eine fundierte, klare und gut verständliche Analyse und Diskussion der ethischen und kulturell-emotionalen Aspekte von Energie aus Biomasse. Es diskutiert die Frage der Verantwortung und bringt naturwissenschaftliche und ethische Expertise in einen fruchtbaren Dialog. Vergleichende Fallstudien und Szenarien sorgen für die praktische Anbindung an die derzeitige landwirtschaftliche Praxis. Die zweite, überarbeitete Auflage bezieht sich auf die aktuellen gesetzlichen Rahmenbedingungen und berücksichtig die neuesten wissenschaftlichen Beiträge zum Diskurs, wie zum Beispiel zu indirekten Landnutzungsänderungen.