Area Changes in U.S. Forests and Other Major Land Uses, 1982 to 2002, with Projections to 2062

Area Changes in U.S. Forests and Other Major Land Uses, 1982 to 2002, with Projections to 2062
Author: Ralph J. Alig
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
Total Pages: 105
Release: 2011-05
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 1437938698

Describes area changes among major land uses on the U.S. land base for historical trends from 1982 to 2002 and projections out to 2062. Historically, 11 million acres of forest, cropland, and open space were converted to urban and other developed uses from 1992 to 1997 on non-federal land in the contiguous U.S. The largest percentage increase was in urban use, which grew by 10% or 7.3 million acres between 1997 and 2001. Forest land was the largest source of land converted to developed uses such as urbanization. Urban and other developed areas are projected to continue to grow substantially, in line with a projected U.S. population increase of more than 120 million people over the next 50 years. Figures. This is a print on demand publication.

Handbook of Bioenergy Economics and Policy: Volume II

Handbook of Bioenergy Economics and Policy: Volume II
Author: Madhu Khanna
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 442
Release: 2017-05-22
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1493969064

In its second volume, this book aims to link the academic research with development in the real world and provide a historical and institutional background that can enrich more formal research. The first section will include an assessment of the evolution and the state of the nascent second-generation biofuel as well as a perspective on the evolution of corn ethanol and sugarcane ethanol in Brazil. It will also include a historical and institutional background on the biofuel industry in Brazil that has global lessons, and later, provide a technical overview of major analytical tools used to assess the economic, land use and greenhouse gas implications of biofuel policies at a regional and global level. Additionally, the book analyzes the various drivers for land use change both at a micro-economic level and at a macro-economic level. It presents studies that apply regional and global economic models to examine the effects of biofuel policies in the US, EU and Brazil on regional and global land use, on food and fuel prices and greenhouse gas emissions. These papers illustrate the use of partial and general equilibrium modeling approaches to simulate the effects of various biofuel policies, and includes studies showing the effects of risk aversion, time preferences and liquidity constraints on farmers decision to grow energy crops for biofuel production. By presenting the tools of lifecycle analysis for assessing the direct greenhouse gas intensity of biofuels, this handbook investigates the types of indirect or market mediated effects that can offset or strengthen these direct effects. It will include tools to assess the direct and indirect effects of biofuel production on greenhouse gas emissions in the US and Brazil, and ultimately provide a comprehensive background to understand the state of biofuel in the present and how to analyze their implication.

Our Carbon Hoofprint

Our Carbon Hoofprint
Author: Diane Mayerfeld
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 233
Release: 2023-01-01
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 3031090233

In the ongoing effort to combat global climate catastrophe, animal agriculture has long been a subject of contention. On the one hand, most agree that across the world increasing meat and dairy consumption are accelerating anthropogenic climate change. On the other hand, proponents of the livestock industry argue that modern advancements reduce greenhouse gas emissions from efficient livestock production to negligible quantities. Some even maintain that grass-based livestock production has a net positive impact on the environment, due to the carbon sequestration caused by grazing. Whom are we to believe? This book shows us that the answer is not so clear-cut. Beginning with the implications of the UN’s Livestock’s Long Shadow report, it breaks down the blind spots and highlights the insights of the most prominent pro-meat arguments, as well as of the push for a global switch to vegetarianism. While advances in efficiency might reduce greenhouse gas emissions per unit of meat or milk produced, attendant decreases in cost can enable overconsumption and thus produce more waste. And while carbon sequestration is beneficial, it is not a reliable cure-all for the industry. Due to the economics of farming, however, eliminating meat consumption may not even reduce emissions at all. The truth about livestock production is much more nuanced but, luckily, also far more holistic. The future of agricultural policy will have to take into consideration factors such as human health and economics, as well as climate. Eschewing ideology for empirical rigor, this book paves an actionable path forward for both consumers and producers, offering unique solutions for each livestock system and simple, everyday adjustments for the average omnivore.

Urban-Rural Interfaces

Urban-Rural Interfaces
Author: David N. Laband
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 352
Release: 2020-01-22
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 0891186158

What is the urban–rural interface? Is it a visual phenomenon, a place where country gives way to neighborhoods and shopping areas in a startling way? Is it a simple factor of population density? There is nothing simple about the urban–rural interface—editors David Laband, Graeme Lockaby, and Wayne Zipperer present the broad spectrum of interdisciplinary complexities at play. Organized into three sections on changing ecosystems, changing human dimensions, and the dynamic integration of human and natural systems, this book is a must read for anyone who works in the real world, where natural and human systems are joined. This is the new sustainability science, an emerging discipline that integrates social and economic values with the physical, chemical, and ecological functions of ecosystems. The goal is optimal management, since our human impact is often significant and far-reaching in both space and time.

Advances in Threat Assessment and Their Application to Forest and Rangeland Management

Advances in Threat Assessment and Their Application to Forest and Rangeland Management
Author: John M. Pye
Publisher:
Total Pages: 266
Release: 2010
Genre: Ecological assessment (Biology)
ISBN:

In July 2006, more than 170 researchers and managers from the United States, Canada, and Mexico convened in Boulder, Colorado, to discuss the state of the science in environmental threat assessment. This two-volume general technical report compiles peer-reviewed papers that were among those presented during the 3-day conference. Papers are organized by four broad topical sections--Land, Air and Water, Fire, and Pests/Biota--and are divided into syntheses and case studies. Land topics include discussions of forest land conversion and soil quality as well as investigations of species' responses to climate change. Air and water topics include discussions of forest vulnerability to severe weather and storm damage modeling. Fire topics include discussions of wildland arson and wildfire risk management as well as how people precieve wildfire risk and uncertainty. Pests/biota topics include discussions of risk mapping and probabilistic risk assessments as well as investigations of individual threats, including the southern pine beetle and Phytophora alni. Ultimately, this publication will foster exchange and collaboration between those who develop knowledge and tools for threat assessment and those who are responsible for managing forests and rangelands.

Climate Change 2014

Climate Change 2014
Author: Groupe d'experts intergouvernemental sur l'évolution du climat
Publisher:
Total Pages: 151
Release: 2015
Genre:
ISBN: 9789291691432

The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate

The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate
Author: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 755
Release: 2022-04-30
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9781009157971

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the leading international body for assessing the science related to climate change. It provides policymakers with regular assessments of the scientific basis of human-induced climate change, its impacts and future risks, and options for adaptation and mitigation. This IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate is the most comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of the observed and projected changes to the ocean and cryosphere and their associated impacts and risks, with a focus on resilience, risk management response options, and adaptation measures, considering both their potential and limitations. It brings together knowledge on physical and biogeochemical changes, the interplay with ecosystem changes, and the implications for human communities. It serves policymakers, decision makers, stakeholders, and all interested parties with unbiased, up-to-date, policy-relevant information. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.