Environment at Crossroads Challenges and Green Solutions

Environment at Crossroads Challenges and Green Solutions
Author: Arun Arya
Publisher: Scientific Publishers
Total Pages: 333
Release: 2020-07-17
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9389184959

The global environment has significantly changed due to a number of factors such as industrial pollution, expansion of agricultural land way beyond the fringe forest zones, destruction of virgin forests, loss of quality agricultural lands due to soil erosion, loss of global wildlife and biodiversity, climate change, global warming, devastating forest fires, floods, draughts, melting of glaciers to mention a few. Human or anthropogenic impacts are in turn devastating the planet with our attention being shifted only to the shinning aspect of our civilizations. The most alarming fact about this hidden factor is that they are all directly or indirectly impacted by human activities in some way or other. The present work, Environment at Crossroads deals with various environmental problems like climate change, global warming, food security, bioremediation of waste, oil spills, and problems of heavy metal toxicity, control strategies like use of gene therapy, conservation of mangroves, revival of river Vishwamitri and role of plant and animals in biodiversity conservation is discussed.

Nature-based Solutions for Resilient Ecosystems and Societies

Nature-based Solutions for Resilient Ecosystems and Societies
Author: Shalini Dhyani
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 474
Release: 2020-07-07
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9811547122

Over the past few decades, the frequency and severity of natural and human-induced disasters have increased across Asia. These disasters lead to substantial loss of life, livelihoods and community assets, which not only threatens the pace of socio-economic development, but also undo hard-earned gains. Extreme events and disasters such as floods, droughts, heat, fire, cyclones and tidal surges are known to be exacerbated by environmental changes including climate change, land-use changes and natural resource degradation. Increasing climate variability and multi-dimensional vulnerabilities have severely affected the social, ecological and economic capacities of the people in the region who are, economically speaking, those with the least capacity to adapt. Climatic and other environmental hazards and anthropogenic risks, coupled with weak and wavering capacities, severely impact the ecosystems and Nature’s Contributions to People (NCP) and, thereby, to human well-being. Long-term resilience building through disaster risk reduction and integrated adaptive climate planning, therefore, has become a key priority for scientists and policymakers alike. Nature-based Solutions (NbS) is a cost-effective approach that utilizes ecosystem and biodiversity services for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, while also providing a range of co-benefits like sustainable livelihoods and food, water and energy security. This book discusses the concept of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) – both as a science and as art – and elaborates on how it can be applied to develop healthy and resilient ecosystems locally, nationally, regionally and globally. The book covers illustrative methods and tools adopted for applying NbS in different countries. The authors discuss NbS applications and challenges, research trends and future insights that have wider regional and global relevance. The aspects covered include: landscape restoration, ecosystem-based adaptation, ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction, ecological restoration, ecosystem-based protected areas management, green infrastructure development, nature-friendly infrastructure development in various ecosystem types, agro-climatic zones and watersheds. The book offers insights into understanding the sustainable development goals (SDGs) at the grass roots level and can help indigenous and local communities harness ecosystem services to help achieve them. It offers a unique, essential resource for researchers, students, corporations, administrators and policymakers working in the fields of the environment, geography, development, policy planning, the natural sciences, life sciences, agriculture, health, climate change and disaster studies.

A Manual for Dryland Afforestation and Management

A Manual for Dryland Afforestation and Management
Author: G. Singh
Publisher: Scientific Publishers - AFARI
Total Pages: 625
Release: 2017-01-01
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9387869474

Community-oriented conservation of natural resources and promotion and protection of trees in drylands are examples to deal with climatic adversities. This book provides knowledge on climatic, ecological, social and economic condition of dry areas and lay out approaches and strategies to restore degraded lands. There are 15 chapters and first five deals with physiography of Rajasthan, drylands ecology, problems of land degradation, its economic evaluation and the approaches and strategies of restoration and rehabilitation. Next two chapters describe the problems of sand drift, salinity, water logging and effluent inflicted areas and strategies to control them. Chapters 8-10 deal with seed production, quality planting materials, genetic improvement, propagation and planting techniques. Chapters 11-12 describe methods of rain water harvesting and irrigation, and resources conservation for seed sowing and favouring regeneration and successions. Effective management of pests/diseases in nurseries and plantation, growth and yield prediction equations and models, and people's perception and participation in managing forest resources have been described in last 3 chapters. Purpose of this publication is to strengthen the forest functionaries and readers with wide ranging knowledge on land degradation, desertification and eco-biology of drylands; and methods to restore and rehabilitate degrading forest (lands) to increase forest cover, enhance resilience and people livelihoods and improve environmental conditions. Academician, researchers, forest managers, non-government organizations, extension agents and environmentalists can use it in developing, conserving and managing drylands ecosystems for its long lasting beneficial effects. This book is also useful to policy makers in effective planning of restoring, protecting and conserving dryland's ecological and socioeconomic services.

Ecosystem Management

Ecosystem Management
Author: Arnab Banerjee
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 566
Release: 2024-11-05
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 1394231229

This book is essential for anyone who wants to understand the challenges of environmental degradation and learn about the sustainable solutions needed to address these critical issues. Today, the entire globe is suffering from various forms of environmental degradation, resource depletion, and an imbalance of natural phenomena. In this context, one of the major issues is loss of ecosystem services and proper functioning of natural ecosystems. Pollution, ecological invasion, loss of biodiversity, land degradation, and loss of productivity across various ecosystems have become the biggest challenges humankind is faced with. Considering Sustainable Development Goals 2030, the major target is to restore degraded ecosystems and their functionality, which will bring back the valuable ecosystem services of a diverse ecosystem. Ecosystem Management: Climate Change and Sustainability addresses all these issues to teach a global readership the dimensions of ecosystem services and ways toward a future sustainable world.