New Trends in Earth-Science Outreach and Engagement


Book Description

Perhaps just as perplexing as the biggest issues at the core of Earth science is the nature of communicating about nature itself. New Trends in Earth-Science Outreach and Engagement: The Nature of Communication examines the processes of communication necessary in bridging the chasm between climate change and natural hazard knowledge and public opinion and policy. At this junction of science and society, 17 chapters take a proactive and prescriptive approach to communicating with the public, the media, and policy makers about the importance of Earth science in everyday life. Book chapters come from some 40 authors who are geophysical scientists, social scientists, educators, scholars, and professionals in the field. Bringing diverse perspectives, these authors hail from universities, and research institutes, government agencies, non-profit associations, and corporations. They represent multiple disciplines, including geosciences, education, climate science education, environmental communication, and public policy. They come from across the United States and around the world. Arranged into five sections, the book looks at geosciences communication in terms of: 1) Education 2) Risk management 3) Public discourse 4) Engaging the public 5) New media From case studies and best practices to field work and innovations, experts deliver pragmatic solutions and delve into significant theories, including diffusion, argumentation, and constructivism, to name a few. Intended for environmental professionals, researchers, and educators in the geophysical and social sciences, the book emphasizes communication principles and practices within an up-to-the-minute context of new environmental issues, new technologies, and a new focus on resiliency.




Coastal and Marine Environments


Book Description

Authored by world-class scientists and scholars, The Handbook of Natural Resources, Second Edition, is an excellent reference for understanding the consequences of changing natural resources to the degradation of ecological integrity and the sustainability of life. Based on the content of the bestselling and CHOICE-awarded Encyclopedia of Natural Resources, this new edition demonstrates the major challenges that the society is facing for the sustainability of all well-being on the planet Earth. The experience, evidence, methods, and models used in studying natural resources are presented in six stand-alone volumes, arranged along the main systems of land, water, and air. It reviews state-of-the-art knowledge, highlights advances made in different areas, and provides guidance for the appropriate use of remote sensing and geospatial data with field-based measurements in the study of natural resources. Volume 5, Coastal and Marine Environments, discusses marine and coastal ecosystems, their biodiversity, conservation, and integrated marine management plans. It provides fundamental information on coastal and estuarine systems and includes discussions on coastal erosion and shoreline change, natural disasters, evaporation and energy balance, fisheries and marine resource management, and more. New in this edition are discussions on sea level rise, renewable energy, coral reef restoration, fishery resource economics, and coastal remote sensing. This volume demonstrates the key processes, methods, and models used through many case studies from around the world. Written in an easy-to-reference manner, The Handbook of Natural Resources, Second Edition, as individual volumes or as a complete set, is an essential reading for anyone looking for a deeper understanding of the science and management of natural resources. Public and private libraries, educational and research institutions, scientists, scholars, and resource managers will benefit enormously from this set. Individual volumes and chapters can also be used in a wide variety of both graduate and undergraduate courses in environmental science and natural science at different levels and disciplines, such as biology, geography, earth system science, and ecology.




The Handbook of Natural Resources, Second Edition, Six Volume Set


Book Description

Authored by world-class scientists and scholars, the Handbook of Natural Resources, Second Edition, is an excellent reference for understanding the consequences of changing natural resources to the degradation of ecological integrity and the sustainability of life. Based on the content of the bestselling and CHOICE awarded Encyclopedia of Natural Resources, this new edition demonstrates the major challenges that the society is facing for the sustainability of all wellbeing on planet Earth. The experience, evidence, methods, and models used in studying natural resources are presented in six stand-alone volumes, arranged along the main systems: land, water, and air. It reviews state-of-the-art knowledge, highlights advances made in different areas, and provides guidance for the appropriate use of remote sensing data in the study of natural resources on a global scale. The six volumes in this set cover: Terrestrial Ecosystems and Biodiversity; Landscape and Land Capacity; Wetlands and Habitats; Fresh Water and Watersheds; Coastal and Marine Environments; and finally Atmosphere and Climate. Written in an easy-to-reference manner, the Handbook of Natural Resources, Second Edition, as a complete set, is essential for anyone looking for a deeper understanding of the science and management of natural resources. Public and private libraries, educational and research institutions, scientists, scholars, and resource managers will benefit enormously from this set. Individual volumes and chapters can also be used in a wide variety of both graduate and undergraduate courses in environmental science and natural science courses at different levels and disciplines, such as biology, geography, Earth system science, ecology, etc.




Climate Smart & Energy Wise


Book Description

Today’s answers to our most urgent climate issues The twenty-first century ushered in a set of unmistakably urgent global challenges that are too important to be an afterthought in today’s classrooms. Climate Smart & Energy Wise offers a virtual blueprint to climate and energy education, packed with resources and strategies, including: A high-level overview of where climate and energy topics fit (or don't fit) into your current curriculum with connections to the NGSS Proven methods to teach climate change and related topics in a grade-appropriate way Sample learning activities and high-quality online resources




GEOValue


Book Description

Quantifying the social and economic value that geospatial information contributes to modern society is a complex task. To construct reliable and consistent valuation measures requires an understanding of the sequence of processes that starts with data acquisition, and leads to decision-makers’ choices that impact society. GEOValue explores each step in this complex value chain from the viewpoint of domain experts spanning disciplines that range from the technical side of data acquisition and management to the social sciences that provide the framework to assess the benefit to society. The book is intended to provide foundational understanding of the techniques and complexities of each step in the process. As such it is intended to be assessable to a reader without prior training in data acquisition systems, information systems, or valuation methods. In addition, a number of case studies are provided that demonstrate the use of geospatial information as a critical input for evaluation of policy pertaining to a wide range of application areas, such as agricultural and environmental policy, natural catastrophes, e-government and transportation systems.




Glance at the Silk Road Disaster Risk


Book Description

This book vividly shows the fostering environment, activity characteristics, distribution pattern, economic losses, casualties, disaster risks and management of earthquakes, mass movement, drought, floods, and marine disasters in the Silk Road region. It develops a multi-scale and multi-disaster risk assessment method to better assess and understand the Silk Road disaster risk. A multi-level collaborative risk management model has been proposed for transboundary disasters, and it also shares case studies on major disaster risk management. The book makes a major step forward to increase the understanding of the disaster risk of the Silk Road region. It presents a holistic understanding of the natural hazards and their induced disaster risks and is a valuable read for scholars, stakeholders and practitioners in the DRR community.




Big Data and Analytics


Book Description

This book presents and discusses the main strategic and organizational challenges posed by Big Data and analytics in a manner relevant to both practitioners and scholars. The first part of the book analyzes strategic issues relating to the growing relevance of Big Data and analytics for competitive advantage, which is also attributable to empowerment of activities such as consumer profiling, market segmentation, and development of new products or services. Detailed consideration is also given to the strategic impact of Big Data and analytics on innovation in domains such as government and education and to Big Data-driven business models. The second part of the book addresses the impact of Big Data and analytics on management and organizations, focusing on challenges for governance, evaluation, and change management, while the concluding part reviews real examples of Big Data and analytics innovation at the global level. The text is supported by informative illustrations and case studies, so that practitioners can use the book as a toolbox to improve understanding and exploit business opportunities related to Big Data and analytics.




Governing Heritage and Creativity


Book Description

Creative approaches to both planned and unplanned new practices remain an essential, yet somewhat invisible, part of sustaining living heritage. This collection of essays by interdisciplinary scholars and practitioners draws attention to how decisions are made about heritage and creativity issues, values, and relationships. We seek to shift away from a binary choice between authenticity versus change towards a multi-dimensional understanding of governance, creativity, and heritage. This is relevant for all forms of heritage whether described as cultural, natural or both.




Reporting The Middle East: Challenges And Chances


Book Description

Numerous studies address the flow of information between nations and states — especially in the era of globalization — and its contribution to the development of relations across physical borders. By contrast, little attention has been paid to the circumstances under which parties in conflict initiate and build barriers to free flow of information. The conflict in the Middle East may serve as a test bed of controlled disruption of information flow, as covered in Reporting the Middle East: Challenges and Chances. Two parallel types of confrontations appear to take place in the Middle East: the actual physical conflict, and the 'war of words,' conducted via the media, with each side firing its own verbal missiles. Reporting the Middle East: Challenges and Chances aims to show that the media arena is a key element in understanding the Middle East conflict. Media coverage of Middle Eastern affairs remains critical, if only because of its power in determining sources of information, setting decision makers' agendas, and influencing management of the physical confrontation.




Advancing Culture of Living with Landslides


Book Description

This book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license. This volume contains peer-reviewed papers from the Fourth World Landslide Forum organized by the International Consortium on Landslides (ICL), the Global Promotion Committee of the International Programme on Landslides (IPL), University of Ljubljana (UL) and Geological Survey of Slovenia in Ljubljana, Slovenia from May 29 to June 2, 2017. The complete collection of papers from the Forum is published in five full-color volumes. Thisfirst volume contains the following: • Three forum lectures • Background and Content of the Sendai Partnerships 2015–2025 • Contribution from the signatory organizations of the Sendai Partnerships • Landslide Dynamics: ISDR-ICL Landslide Interactive Teaching Tools (LIT T) • Progress of the World Report on Landslides (WRL) • International Programme on Landslides (IPL): Objects, History and List of WCoE/IPL projects • UNESCO-KU-ICL UNITIWIN Network supporting IPL • Landslides: Journal of International Consortium on Landslides • International Programme on Landslides (IPL): WCoEs and IPL Projects • Landslides and Society Prof. Kyoji Sassa is the Founding President of the International Consortium on Landslides (ICL). He is Executive Director of ICL and the Editor-in-Chief of International Journal Landslides since its foundation in 2004. Prof. Matjaž Mikoš is the Forum Chair of the Fourth World Landslide Forum. He is the Vice President of International Consortium on Landslides and President of the Slovenian National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction. Prof. Yueping Yin is the President of the International Consortium on Landslides and the Chairman of the Committee of Geo-Hazards Prevention of China, and the Chief Geologist of Geo-Hazard Emergency Technology, Ministry of Land and Resources, P.R. China. IPL (International Programme on Landslides) is a programme of the ICL. The programme is managed by the IPL Global Promotion Committee including ICL and ICL supporting organizations, UNESCO, WMO, FAO, UNISDR, UNU, ICSU, WFEO, IUGS and IUGG. The IPL contributes to the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction and the ISDR-ICL Sendai Partnerships 2015–2025.