Publication: The Other Population Crisis: What Governments Can Do about Falling Birth Rates (17 Feb 2014)

The Other Population Crisis: What Governments Can Do about Falling Birth Rates

Steven Kramer

Related Topics: Gender Equality, Maternal Health,Reproductive Health, Governance, Population,Demography, Child Care, Japan, Southeast Asia,France, Italy

In many developed countries, population decline poses economic and social strains and may even threaten national security. Through historical-political case studies of Sweden, France, Italy, Japan, and Singapore, The Other Population Crisis explores the motivations, politics, programming, and consequences of national efforts to promote births. Steven Philip Kramer finds a significant government role in stopping declines in birth rates. 

Sweden and France's pronatalist programs, which have succeeded, share a setof characteristics that make it easier for women to balance work and family life. In contrast, programs in Italy, Japan, and Singapore, which have failed so far, have not devoted sufficient resources consistently enough to make a difference and do not support gender equality and women's work-family balance. Kramer's assessment furthermore discusses the role that successful population policies have in promoting national security, economic competitiveness, gender equality, and social welfare in the developed and developing world.

Steven Philip Kramer is professor of grand strategy at the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, National Defense University, in Washington, D.C. He was a public policy scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center from 2010 to 2011.

Price: $29.95, Woodrow Wilson Center Press with Johns Hopkins University Press, 2014

ISBN: 

9781421411705

What People are Saying

“Across the globe, birth rates are falling. Kramer examines differences in how five countries perceive and respond to such population crises, and what policy lessons might be drawn from their experience. This astute comparison will be of interest to activists, policymakers, and scholars alike.”—Sonya Michel, University of Maryland

The Other Population Crisis was discussed in Elizabeth Kolbert's review article "Head Count" in The New Yorker (October 21, 2013).

Chapter List

Introduction: The Threat of Declining Birth Rates

1. Swedish Population Policy: The Pronatalism of the Left

2. Demography in France: From National Security to Family-Work Reconciliation

3. Italy: The Absence of Policy

4. Japan: The Politics of Position Taking

5. Singapore: The Failure of Activism

Conclusion: Can Government Policy Reverse Declining Birth Rates?

source from: http://www.wilsoncenter.org/book/the-other-population-crisis-what-governments-can-do-about-falling-birth-rates

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Indian News: President Nakao Emphasizes Potential of Indian Economy (6 Feb 2014)

President Nakao Emphasizes Potential of Indian Economy

NEW DELHI, INDIA - Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Takehiko Nakao began his three-day visit to India yesterday with a meeting with Finance Minister and ADB Governor P. Chidambaram and two ministers from key central government  ministries, exchanged views about the development issues facing India, and discussed the emerging macroeconomic challenges.

It is the first official visit by Mr. Nakao to India after the Annual Meeting of ADB’s Board of Governors held in India last May. Department of Economic Affairs Secretary and ADB Alternate Governor Arvind Mayaram also joined the discussions along with M. Mangapati Pallam Raju, Minister for Human Resources Development, and Oscar Fernandes, Minister for Road Transport and Highways.

Today, Mr. Nakao visits Uttarakhand to view the disaster-affected areas in the state and  will meet Chief Minister Harish Rawat and other senior officials. There is a signing of new ADB assistance comprising of a $200 million loan for the Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance Project to contribute to rebuilding some of the damaged infrastructure in the June 2013 natural disaster in Uttarakhand.

ADB has supported India by providing 180 sovereign loans amounting to $29.3 billion since the start of its lending operations in India in 1986 until the end of 2013. In addition, ADB has provided $2.4 billion in loans through its non-sovereign window during this period. ADB’s support for India has focused on energy, transport, urban development such as water and sewerage infrastructure, and finance and public sector management.

Mr. Nakao reaffirmed ADB’s continued support for the government’s development agenda, including human resource development through skills development. ADB’s support will be aligned with the Twelfth Five-Year Plan of the Government of India.

During his discussion with the ministers, Mr. Nakao noted the need for ADB to reform its  business processes for faster implementation of infrastructure projects. He also mentioned that ADB will expand its support to infrastructure building in India through public-private partnerships, and contribute to connectivity among South Asian countries through enhancing regional cooperation and integration.

Speaking about the emerging macroeconomic issues, Mr. Nakao said ADB remains positive about the strong potential of the Indian economy on the strength of its young and educated population and a growing middle class that supports and sustains a strong domestic demand.

"To harness this potential, India should continue to pursue sound macroeconomic policies and the needed structural reforms,” he said.

source from: http://www.adb.org/news/president-nakao-emphasizes-potential-indian-economy

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New Books: Civil Society in Water Governance in South Asia Edited by N. C. Narayanan, S. Parasuraman, Rajindra Ariyabandu (30 Sep 2013)

Civil Society in Water Governance in South Asia

Edited by N. C. Narayanan, S. Parasuraman, Rajindra Ariyabandu

Routledge India – 2013

Descriptions:

The central issue this book attempts to address is paradigm shifts in water policy/governance and the role of the civil society organizations (NGOs) in influencing public policy. The volume maps current State–society relations in South Asia under neoliberal governance reforms, its implications and key responses.

Contents:

List of Tables. List of Figures. List of Maps. List of Abbreviations. Foreword. Acknowledgments. Introduction: Paradigm Shifts in Water Governance and Civil Society Responses in South Asia — A ReviewN. C. Narayanan, S. Parasuraman and Rajindra de Silva Ariyabandu 1. Nature of State, Space for Civil Society and Challenges to Democratic Governance in South AsiaMahfuzul H. Chowdhury 

Part I. NGOs in Collaborative Advocacy 2. Watershed Development Policies and Programs in India: Scope and Constraints of Civil Society Action K. J. Joy 3. How Samaj Pragati Sahyog Works the State and Why it Succeeds Vasudha Chotray 

Part II. Foreign Assistance and Water Governance
4. Water Provision and Modernity: The Consequence of Foreign Aid in Nepal Sudhindra Sharma
5. Foreign Assistance, Dependence and Debt: Sanitation Case Study, Kandy, Sri Lanka Sunil Thrikawala and N. C. Narayanan 6.Institutional Changes, Public Provision and Drinking Water Supply in Kerala N. C. Narayanan and S. Mohammed Irshad 

Part III. NGOs in Policy Influence
7. Water Policy Development in a Multi-party System of Governance: A Case Study of Sri Lanka Rajindra de Silva Ariyabandu 8.Water Rights in Civil Society and Governance: The Sri Lankan Experience Ruana Rajepakse 9."Flood Action Plan" and NGO Protests in Bangladesh: An Assessment Hamidul Huq 

Part IV.Social Movements in Water Governance
10. The Water Rights Movement in South Maharashtra, India Suhas Paranjape and Seema Kulkarni 11. Lessons from Plachimada: From Anti-Coca-Cola Agitation to Democratization of Water C. R. Bijoy. About the Editors. Notes on Contributors. Index

For more information: http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415710619/

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Conferences and Workshops: Disaster Governance: The Urban Transition in Asia organized by NUS from 7 to 8 Nov 2013

Conferences and Workshops
Disaster Governance: The Urban Transition in Asia

Date:	07 Nov 2013 - 08 Nov 2013
Venue:	Seminar Rooms A, B and C
	AS7, Shaw Foundation Building, NUS @ Kent Ridge
	Level 1, 5 Arts Link, Singapore 117570
Organisers:	Prof DOUGLASS Michael  Dr MILLER Michelle

Download Files: AS7 MAP

Description:
The transition to an increasingly urban world in the twenty-first century is accompanied by growing vulnerabilities for cities and urban residents. In Asia, around 1.5 billion people currently reside in urban areas and account for more than half of the global urban population, even though Asia remains one of the world’s least urbanized regions. Aging populations, rapid urban growth and ‘shrinking’ cities, infrastructural obstacles and health issues related to poor public service delivery have presented specific problems for urban spaces and residents. Disasters linked directly or indirectly to global warming and climate change have also become far more costly and prevalent worldwide, especially in Asia, where the urban transition has been marked by a coastal orientation that has left urban populations more exposed to floods, tsunamis and cyclones. The increasing frequency of these global disasters with cascading impacts has heightened awareness of the need for a more comprehensive approach to disaster governance, including a stronger emphasis on integrative risk management and financial preparedness for disaster. How cities adapt and respond to these events has import for the role of urban governance at the forefront of disaster response initiatives in an increasingly interconnected and urban planet. This conference focuses on how Asia’s urban populations deal with disaster and its threat from a governance perspective, with governance understood as a process of social decision-making involving government, civil society and private enterprise. Remaining mindful of the blurred boundaries and frequent areas of overlap between ‘anthropogenic’ and ‘natural’ disasters in urban contexts, we take ‘disaster’ to denote any event that causes widespread destruction. Our central concern is with how the structures and processes of urban governance are working to develop more effective and inclusive initiatives to manage and prevent these large-scale destructive events. We invite submission of papers from young and established scholars, policymakers, planners and development practitioners on the role of disaster governance in urban settlements and populations in Asia. In this, we encourage applicants to consider empirical case studies and theories within comparative Asian contexts, and what lessons might be learned from Asia for disaster governance in other urban areas in the world. Questions that will guide the conference proceedings to speak to related themes across disciplinary and geographical boundaries include: • In what ways does Asia's urban transition change issues for governance in disaster preparedness, humanitarian assistance and/or resilience. • What factors assist and impede the capacities of cities to prepare for disasters to make urban populations safer? • What roles can neighbourhoods, communities and/or non-government organizations play in disaster governance? • What kinds of cultural or social institutions contribute to disaster governance in urban contexts? • What priorities are shaping disaster governance programs (e.g., cultural heritage, protection of vulnerable sections of society such as the urban poor and elderly)? • How do vulnerabilities vary among cities, and urban populations more broadly, in disaster governance? • How can urban heritage be more actively brought into disaster governance? • What initiatives are successful in overcoming problems of coordination and collaboration among different state and societal actors? • What good practices are emerging in the governance of disaster response initiatives in urban populations? • To what extent are best practices in disaster governance travelling for emulation or replication by other cities? • What networks of cooperation and collaboration are emerging within and between cities through disaster governance? CONTACT DETAILS OrganizersProf Mike DOUGLASSAsia Research Institute, and Department of Sociology, National University of Singapore arimike@nus.edu.sg Dr Michelle MILLERAsia Research Institute, National University of Singapore arimam@nus.edu.sg SecretariatMr Jonathan LEEAsia Research Institute, National University of Singapore #10-01 Tower Block, 469A Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 259770 Email: jonathan.lee@nus.edu.sg
Contact Person: Mr LEE Ming Yao, Jonathan
Email: arimike@nus.edu.sg, arimam@nus.edu.sg, arilmyj@nus.edu.sg

For more information: 
http://www.ari.nus.edu.sg/events_categorydetails.asp?categoryid=6&eventid=1421

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New Books: Governance of Natural Resources: Uncovering the Social Purpose of Materials in Nature Edited by Jin Sato (1 Aug 2013)

Governance of Natural Resources: Uncovering the Social Purpose of Materials in Nature

Edited by Jin Sato

PUBLICATION DATA:

ISBN-13: 978-92-808-1228-2

LANGUAGE:

English

PAGES:

252

PRICE:

US$36.00

PUBLISHER:

United Nations University Press

PUBLISHED:

August 2013

PAPERBACK

Scholarly communities and policy experts have a tendency to divide natural resources into categories, hindering holistic understanding. Similarly, the stakeholders themselves – the state, business and people – are conceived monolithically, making it difficult to grasp how business interests, intra-bureaucratic politics and civil society movements influence policy outcomes.

This book examines the socio-political dynamic generated by the environment and its attendant resources: how nature becomes a resource, and how this process in turn shapes our vision of society. It deploys a case study approach in examining the interactions between bureaucratic institutions; rural communities; national leaders and business elites, allowing for a more nuanced analysis. Particular emphasis is placed on how resources become the subject of conflict – but also opportunities for cooperation – and how different societies might establish more sustainable interactions with nature.

The way society controls natural resources is the foundation of both economic development and environmental conservation. The primary motive for natural resource management has been the development and production of marketable commodities, and institutional structures have been shaped accordingly. The Social Constitution of Natural Resources asks that we re-consider the very concept of resources, and how we view them.

This book will primarily be of interest to professionals – particularly development practitioners – and academics but all those who have a keen interest in environmental issues will find much to recommend. Graduate courses on environmental management should also find this useful as a source book.

About the Editor:

Jin Sato is Associate Professor at the Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, The University of Tokyo.

Table of Contents:

Introduction: Towards the dynamic analysis of resources, Jin Sato
State inaction in resource governance: Natural resource control and
bureaucratic oversight in Thailand, Jin Sato
Natural resource governance in Latin America, William Ascher
Domestic politics and environmental standards: China’s policy-making
process for regulating vehicle emissions, Eri Saikawa
People and business in the appropriation of Cambodia’s forests, Andrew Robert Cock
Incomplete mechanisms for conflict resolution: The case of Mt Pulag National Park, Philippines,Masahide Horita and Doreen Allasiw
Participation and diluted stakes in river management in Japan: The challenge of alternative constructions of resource governance, Naruhiko Takesada
Distribution of mineral resources in Zambia: A longitudinal analysis of the mining community,
Michiko Ishisone
Post-growth community development and rediscovery of resources: A case of rural regeneration in a Japanese mountain village, Naofumi Suzuki
Fishermen’s plantations as a way of resource governance in Japan, Tomohiro Oh

For more information:

http://unu.edu/publications/books/governance-of-natural-resources-uncovering-the-social-purpose-of-materials-in-nature.html#overview

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New Books: Globalization of Water Governance in South Asia Edited by Vishal Narain, Chanda Gurung Goodrich, Jayati Chourey, Anjal Prakash (31 Jul 2013)

Globalization of Water Governance in South Asia

Edited by Vishal Narain, Chanda Gurung Goodrich, Jayati Chourey, Anjal Prakash

Routledge India – 2013 – 356 pages

Descriptions:

Globalization has significantly redefined the nature of governance in the water sector. Non-state actors—multilateral and transnational donor agencies and corporations, non-government organizations, markets, and civil society at large—are assuming a bigger role in public policy-making for water resource management. New discourses on neoliberalism, integrated water resource management (IWRM), public–private partnerships, privatization, and gender equity have come to influence water governance.

Drawing upon detailed case studies from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan, this volume shows the implications of these new global paradigms for water allocation and management practices, institutions and governance structures in South Asia. It suggests that, despite claims to the contrary, they have done little to further human well-being, reduce gender disparity, or improve accountability and transparency in the system. Steering away from blueprint approaches, it argues for a more nuanced and contextual understanding of water management challenges, based on local knowledge and initiatives. This book will be useful to those interested in political economy and water governance, natural resource management, environmental studies, development studies, and public administration, as well as to water professionals, policy-makers and civil society activists.

Contents:

List of Tables. List of Figures. List of Maps. List of Abbreviations. Foreword. Acknowledgments.Introduction: The Globalization of Governance: Transforming Water Management in South AsiaVishal Narain, Chanda Gurung Goodrich, Jayati Chourey and Anjal Prakash 

Part I. IWRM, Well-being and Gender
1. Gender, Water and Well-being Seema Kulkarni
2. Women, Water, Caste and Gender: The Rhetoric of Reform in India’s Drinking Water Sector Deepa Joshi
3.Demand-Driven Approach vis-a-vis Marginalized Communities: A Situation Analysis Based on Participatory Approaches in Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Programs in Sri Lanka N. I. Wickremasinghe
4. IWRM, Well-being and Gender: A Perspective from Bhutan Gongsar Karma Chhopel 

Part II. State, Markets and Civil Society: Changing Configurations in Water Management
5. Changing Configurations around the State in Water Resource Management in Relation to Multiple Stakeholders’ Participation in South Asia: Possibilities and Challenges E. R. N Gunawardena 6. Resource Management at Local Level: "Platform" Approach for IntegrationDhruba Raj Pant
7. Accessibility of Urban Poor to Safe Water Supply: A Case of a Small Town Water Supply Scheme in Nepal Prakash Gaudel 8. Small-scale Community Water Supply System as an Alternative to Privatized Water Supply: An Experience from Kathmandu Hari Krishna Shrestha 9. Need for Reforming the Reform: Incompatibility and Usurpation of Water Sector Reforms in the Indian State of Maharashtra Sachin Warghade and Subodh Wagle
10.Understanding Emerging Independent Regulatory Frameworks: Lessons for Reforming Karnataka’s Water Governance Divya Badami Rao and Srinivas Badiger 

Part III. Urbanization and Water: Emerging Conflicts, Responses and Challenges for Governance
11.Urbanization and Water: A Conundrum and Source of Conflict? Vishal Narain
12.Contextualizing Rural–Urban Water Conflicts: Bio-physical and Socio-institutional Issues of Domestic Water Scarcity Shrinivas Badiger, Smitha Gopalakrishnan and Iswara Gouda Patil13. Urban–Rural Water Nexus: The Case of Gujarat R. Parthasarathy and Soumini Raja
14.Water Management in Rapidly Urbanizing Kathmandu Valley: Balancing Structural Linkages among Water, Society and Settlement Bijaya Shreshtha and Sushmita Shrestha
15. Private Water Tanker Operators in Kathmandu: Analysis of Water Services and Regulatory ProvisionsDibesh Shrestha and Ashutosh Shukla
16. Evaluation of Institutional Arrangements for Governance of Rivers Surrounding Dhaka City M. Shahjahan Mondal, Mashfiqus Salehin and Hamidul Huq
17. Sustainable Urban Water Supply and Sanitation: A Case from Kandy, Sri Lanka Sunil Thrikawala, E. R. N Gunawardena and L. H. P. Gunaratne. About the Editors. Notes on Contributors. Index

For more information: http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415710664/

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New Books: Water Governance for Sustainable Development Approaches and Lessons from Developing and Transitional Countries By Stefano Farolfi (1 Jun 2013)

Water Governance for Sustainable Development

Approaches and Lessons from Developing and Transitional Countries

By Stefano Farolfi

Edited by Sylvain Perret, Rashid Hassan

Published 1st June 2013 by Routledge – 320 pages

Descriptions:

Good management of water resources - universally identified as a key aspect of poverty reduction, agriculture and food security - has proven, in practice, as difficult to achieve as it is eagerly sought. This book, edited and authored by leading authorities on water resource management, examines the recent changes in governance, institutions, economics and policies of water, covering developing, transitional and developed countries, with special emphasis on southern African case studies. The book examines how water policies, institutions and governance have shifted in recent years from supply-driven, quantitative, centrally controlled management to more demand-sensitive, decentralized, participatory approaches. Such a move often also implies cost recovery principles, resource allocation among competing sectors, and privatization. The case studies demonstrate that the new policies and legal frameworks have been difficult to implement and often fall short of initial expectations. Using an accessible multidisciplinary approach that integrates economics, sociology, geography and policy analysis, the book untangles the issues and presents best practices for policy- and decision-makers, governments and regulators, NGOs and user groups, service providers, and researchers. The overall aim is to show how good water governance structures can be developed and implemented for the benefit of all.

Contents:

Introduction 

* Part I
* Understanding Water Institutions: Structure, Environment and Change Process
* Public�Private Partnership in Irrigation and Drainage: The Need for a Professional Third Party Between Farmers and Government 

* Part II
* The Possibility of Trade in Water Use Entitlements in South Africa under the National Water Act of 1998
* Redressing Inequities through Domestic Water Supply: A 'Poor' Example from Sekhukhune, South Africa
* Local Governance Issues after Irrigation Management Transfer: A Case Study from Limpopo Province, South Africa
* Water Management on a Smallholder Canal Irrigation Scheme in South Africa
* Emerging Rules after Irrigation Management Transfer to Farmers
* Crafting Water Institutions for People and Their Businesses: Exploring the Possibilities in Limpopo 

* Part III
* Conflict Analysis and Value-focused Thinking to Aid Resolution of Water Conflicts in the Mkoji Sub-catchment, Tanzania
* Determinants of Quality and Quantity Values of Water for Domestic Uses in the Steelpoort Sub-basin: A Contingent Valuation Approach
* Water Resources and Food Security: Simulations for Policy Dialogue in Tanzania
* How More Regulated Dam Release Can Improve the Supply from Groundwater and Surface Water in the Tadla Irrigation Scheme in Morocco
* Impact of Institutional Changes within Small-scale Groundwater Irrigated Systems: A Case Study in Mexico
* Local Empowerment in Smallholder Irrigation Schemes: A Methodology for Participatory Diagnosis and Prospective Analysis
* Role-playing Game Development in Irrigation Management: A Social Learning Approach
* Support to Stakeholder Involvement in Water Management Circumventing Some Participation Pitfalls

For more information: http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415852029/

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Publication: Quality-Of-Governance Standards For Carbon Emissions Trading. Developing REDD+ Governance Through A Multi-Stage, Multi-Level And Multi-Stakeholder Approach by Lopez-Casero Federico Tim CADMAN and Tek MARASENI (26 Jun 2013)

IGES Discussion Paper No. FC-2012-02

Quality-Of-Governance Standards For Carbon Emissions Trading. Developing REDD+ Governance Through A Multi-Stage, Multi-Level And Multi-Stakeholder Approach

Author: LOPEZ-CASERO Federico; Tim CADMAN and Tek MARASENI

Discussion Paper / Working Paper | 2013/06 | Language: English

Copyright: IGES | Page No./Total No. of Pages: 31 pages.

This discussion paper presents the Action Research Project to Develop a National Quality-of-governance Standard for REDD+ and the Forest Sector in Nepal, which was launched by IGES, Griffith University and the University of Southern Queensland.

The process of developing a voluntary national standard in Nepal through online surveys, key informant interviews, a multi-stakeholder forum and field consultation, has provided an innovative and field-tested apporach to standards development.

Download:	File name	Size
	Discussion_paper_Final_20130617_FLC.pdf	6.3 MB

Area:	Natural Resources and Ecosystem Services
Task:	Forest Conservation
Region:	Worldwide, Nepal

For more information: http://pub.iges.or.jp/modules/envirolib/view.php?docid=4658

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