New book: Ecological Economics from the Ground Up, Edited by Hali Healy, Joan Martínez-Alier, Leah Temper, Mariana Walter, Julien-François Gerber

Ecological Economics from the Ground Up

Edited by Hali Healy, Joan Martínez-Alier, Leah Temper, Mariana Walter, Julien-François Gerber

Published 19th December 2012 by Routledge – 568 pages

Description:

Ecological Economics from the Ground Up takes a unique and much-needed bottom-up approach to teaching ecological economics and political ecology, using case studies that focus on a wide range of internationally relevant topics, to teach the principles, concepts, methods and tools of these fields, which are seen as increasingly important in the context of the current triple social, economic and environmental crisis.

This book provides learning materials which are grounded in the experience of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), with case studies chosen by CSOs and developed collaboratively with leading ecological economists. The case studies come from Europe, India, Latin America, and Africa, and are presented thematically along three lines: 1) social metabolism and accounting methods, 2) institutions and participation, and 3) valuation and environmental policy tools. Core tools, concepts and glossary terms are embedded in topics chosen as a matter of urgency by activist organizations, related to mining and fossil fuel extraction, integrated transport infrastructure development, deforestation and agro-fuel production, sustainable tourism, waste management, wetlands and water management, payments for ecosystem services, natural disasters and hazards, and corporate accountability.

Ecological Economics from the Ground Up has been designed to be an accessible learning aid for students of the sustainability sciences and for those CSOs that have recognised the value that ecological economics and political ecology tools and methods hold for their research and advocacy work.

Content:

Preface Introduction 

Part I: Social Metabolism
1. Aid, Social Metabolism and Social Conflict in the Nicobar Islands
2. The Mining Enclave of the Cordillera del Condor
3. The Manta-Manaus Project
4. High Speed Transport Infrastructure in Italy
5. Life and livelihood in Kenya’s Tana Delta
6. South Africa’s Minerals-Energy Complex 

Part II: Participation and Institutions
7. Local Governance and Environment Investments in Hiware Bazar, India
8. Participatory Forest Management in Mendha Lekha, India
9. Forestry and Communities in Cameroon
10. The Waste Crisis in Campania, Italy
11. The Sedentarization of Tibetan Nomads 

Part III: Valuation and Environmental Policy
12. Nautical Tourism Development in the Lastovo Islands Nature Park
13. Local Communities and Management of the Djerdap Protected Area in Serbia
14. Payments for Ecosystem Services in India from the Bottom-Up
15. The Potential of Redd and Legal Reserve Compensation in Mato Grosso, Brazil
16. Environmental Justice and Ecological Debt in Belgium
17. Multidimensional valuation for socio-ecological conflict analysis in Costa Rica
18. The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity
19. Conclusion

For more information: http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9781849713993/