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This book explores the forces reconfiguring local resource governance in Indonesia since 1998, drawing together original field research undertaken in a decade of dramatic political change. Case studies from across Indonesia’s diverse cultural and ecological landscapes focus on the most significant resource sectors – agriculture, fisheries, forestry, mining and tourism –providing a rare in-depth view of the dynamics shaping social and environmental outcomes in these varied contexts.

Debates surrounding the ‘tragedy of the commons’ and environmental governance have focused on institutional considerations of how to craft resource management arrangements in order to further the policy objectives of economic efficiency, social equity and environmental sustainability. The studies in this volume reveal the complexity of resource security issues affecting local communities and user groups in Indonesia as they engage with wider institutional frameworks in a context driven simultaneously by decentralizing and globalizing forces. Through ground up investigations of how local groups with different cultural backgrounds and resource bases are responding to the greater autonomy afforded by Indonesia’s new political constellation, the authors appraise the prospects for rearticulating governance regimes toward a more equitable and sustainable ’commonweal’.

This volume offers valuable insights into questions of import to scholars as well as policy-makers concerned with decentralized governance and sustainable resource management.

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Focusing upon energy conservation and the built environment, this book engages with areas of debate and policy currently dominated by technologists and natural scientists. Based upon empirical research, the book develops a sociological analysis of the science and technology of sustainability and energy efficiency. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Fascinating Subject
This is a most fascinating and well-written account of what would seem to be a most dry and uninteresting subject.Simon Guy brings to life the subject of insulation, explaining why people have resistance to change even when the change might be beneficial in the long run.The subject of this book applies well to the challenge of climate change and why it is so difficult to change attitudes and behavior to adopt the necessary changes in lifestyle to reduce our carbon footprint.This story is compelling, hard to put the book down. ... Read more

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Since becoming president, George W. Bush has walked away from the Kyoto Protocol, pushed for oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, undermined protections for endangered species and wilderness, and retreated from his campaign pledge to regulate carbon dioxide. But the president’s agenda reaches deeper than these well-known policies. In Bush Versus the Environment, Robert Devine shows how the White House is quietly undermining the entire system of environmental safeguards that has developed over the past thirty years. The administration's tactics include:

-Encouraging lawsuits against the federal government that challenge existing environmental laws, and then feebly defending the cases in court.
-Ignoring science that doesn’t support the president's goals, and pressuring government scientists to produce the results the administration wants.
-Using fuzzy math to overestimate the costs and underestimate the benefits of regulations that protect human health and the environment, which can lead to the elimination of much-needed rules.

These are just a few of the administration’s strategies, which are being pursued beneath the radar of a public that overwhelmingly supports environmental protections. Bush Versus the Environment is a compelling and important look at one of the most important issues facing America today, one that will have consequences that last long after Bush has left office.
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Customer Reviews (2)

A Stunning Indictment
The title says most of what you need to know.But unlike many political works, it does not simply focus on "Bush-bashing", but rather looks at the report card for the current administration (at least up to summer 2004).Mr. Devine does point out that there are some successes by Bush et. al., but brings an environmental reporter's skill in digging into the minutae of all the reports, good and bad.

And what he finds is truely terrifying if you enjoy clean air and water.Rolling back the last few decades worth of environmental protections and progress, the Bush administration seems to be more interested in the quick, short-term buck than future health of people and well being of the planet.I know that sentence, ending with "the well being of the planet", seems to sound extreme, but it applies.As Mr. Devine shows, many of the cronies that are in high-ranking spots seem to think that there is no connections in the environment and that one species exists in a vacuum related to the rest.

I taught biology and environmental science for 10 years, and I knew there was reason to worry about what was going on in Washington D.C. by 2004.This book provides a clear and well done explaination why; not just on the face of what I knew from science journals, but also into the machenations of the White House and its finatial doners.

More anti-Bush than pro-ennvironment
As much as I'm inclined to do so, I can't really attack this book. In fact, its a pretty good attempt to delineate the many ways in which president Bush is selling America's environment right out from under our feet, not that we really need a book to tell us that. I essentially agree with every claim the author makes: that the White House encourages lawsuits against the government as a way of weakening policy, that Bush appoints like-minded anti-regulatory staff to head up the major environmental departments, and that the president is doing everything he can to pave the way for exploitation of America's last pristine wildernesses.

What I really don't agree with is the author's reading of Bush's motives. It's fairly vogue among the left just now to paint the president in the most cynical and self-serving terms. But that isn't quite the case. I'm no Bush fan, but it ought to be obvious to even the crudest observer that the president has more weighing on him than merely the demands of the fatcat lobby, which is what Devine seems to imply. In addition, I think Devine adopts a tone of desperation, as though this may just be America's last hurrah. Nothing could be farther from the truth. In numerous ways, the Bush years will only further the liberal cause. Sure, the president's agenda is frightening. But he's such a poor administrator that he has no idea how to achieve it. From both a liberal and a conservative perspective, the Bush presidency will prove to be a flop, simply because of the president's lack of ability. The environment will be fine, and so will the rest of us. ... Read more

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Citizens of industrialized countries largely share a sense that national and international governance is inadequate, believing not only that public authorities are incapable of making the right policy decisions, but also that the entire network of state and civil society actors responsible for the discussion, negotiation, and implementation of policy choices is untrustworthy.

Using agro-environmental policy development in France, the United States, and Canada as case studies, Éric Montpetit sets out to investigate the validity of this distrust through careful attention to the performance of the relevant policy networks. He concludes that distrust in policy networks is, for the most part, misplaced because high levels of performance by policy networks are more common than many political analysts and citizens expect. Opposing the tenets of state retrenchment, his study reveals that providing participation in governance to resourceful interest groups and strong government bureaucracies is an essential component of sound environmental policies for agriculture.

A timely and crucial contribution to the good governance debate, this book should be required reading for policy makers and politicians, as well as students and scholars of public policy, political science, environmental studies, and government. ... Read more

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This theoretical and empirical study examines the influence of global institutions on the generation of scientific knowledge. Virginia Walsh's approach reverses the traditional focus of international relations literature--which most often deals with how scientific knowledge influences institutions--and offers an original way to look at international environmental governance. After proposing a theory of institutional mechanisms by which global institutions shape the generation of knowledge, the book turns to detailed case studies of two institutions in the under- studied but vital area of marine science, the Scripps Institute of Oceanography and the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, to illustrate these mechanisms. In part 1, "Theory," the book identifies three specific mechanisms or "fixes" that provide the means by which institutions shape the generation and use of knowledge. With the positional fix, key individuals use their social roles or positions in an institution to influence the beliefs of members or fix the direction of research. The statutory fix occurs when beliefs gain acceptance as a consequence of being embedded in rules or treaties. The committee fix is illustrated in the regularized practices through which social groups accept statements as group beliefs. Part 2, "Evidence," shows these mechanisms at work in the two case studies. The Scripps Institution, for example, illustrates the positional fix, as successive directors used their position to frame research. The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, on the other hand, exemplifies both the statutory fix and the committee fix in its regulatory actions. ... Read more

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Much of the country’s recent population growth is situated in exurban areas. By many accounts exurbanization has become the dominant pattern of land development in the country and there is no indication it will slow in the foreseeable future (Theobald 2005; Brown et al. 2005; Glennon and Kretser 2005). By definition, exurban development takes place beyond the metropolitan fringe, often in rural and remote areas. The development of new exurban communities is a growing trend, especially in the West. In this case, developers and homebuilders seek large tracts of land, up to thousands of acres, in rural areas (typically within 50 miles of a large city) where they plan entire communities consisting of commercial, retail and residential land uses. Recreational amenities such as golf courses and hiking/biking trails are often included in these master-planned developments.

Our philosophy is reflected in the book’s two objectives. First, we seek to document the extent and impacts of exurban development across the country. At issue is demonstrating why planners and the public-at-large should be concerned about exurbanization. We will demonstrate that even though exurbanization favors amenity rich regions, it affects all areas of the country through the loss of agricultural and grazing lands, impacts to watersheds and land modification. A summary of environmental impacts is presented, including the loss of wildlands and agricultural productivity, land modification, soil erosion, impacts to terrestrial hydrologic systems, the loss of biodiversity, nonnative and endangered species and other topics.

Our second aim is to provide readers from diverse (nonscientific) backgrounds with a working knowledge of how and why exurbanization impacts environmental systems. This is accomplished by working closely to ensure contributors follow a specific outline for each chapter. First, contributors will spell out fundamental concepts, principles and processes that apply to their area of expertise (e.g., riparian areas). Contributors will move beyond a cursory understanding of ecological processes without overwhelming readers with the dense material found typically in specialized texts. For this reason, visuals and other support materials will be integral to each chapter. We have chosen contributors carefully based on their record as research scientists and acumen as educators. Second, once the mechanics have been laid out, authors will explain how and why land development in nearby areas influences ecosystems. Issues of interdependency, modification and adaptation, spatial scale and varying time horizons will be featured. Third, contributors will weigh in on the pros and cons of various land-development schemes. Fourth, authors will share their thinking on the merits of conservation devices such as wildlife corridors, open-space requirements and watershed management districts. Finally, each chapter will conclude by identifying pitfalls to avoid and highlighting "best practices" that will mitigate environmental problems or avoid them altogether. In sum, after completing each chapter, readers should have a firm grasp of relevant concepts and processes, an understanding of current research and know how to apply science to land-use decisions.

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The concept of "the commons" as a device for controlling land and natural resources first entered the political realm during the enclosure movement in pre-industrial Britain. In the late 20th century, new forms of enclosures and notions of private property are emerging - from water rights, biodiversity, and "gene pools" of plants and humans to the demands of multinational corporations for free access, to more land for investment and exploitation. The power of the commons is still flourishing and the "global commons" now provides the central metaphor for ecological politics. This volume examines the reasons behind the political resurgence of the commons, and the widespread struggle to transform existing nature-society relations into ones that are non-exploitative, socially just and ecologically healthy. It tackles the key themes such as the convergence of environment and social justice, global commodities, and the role of social movements. Central to the study are a series of case studies from the Amazon, Mexico, Cameroon, India and the Industrialized North.The authors assess the relevance of the global commons in a rapidly shrinking world and argue for a global "scientific commons" to match the changes we are experiencing as local environmental problems - such as the Chernobyl disaster - are perceived as fundamentally global ones. ... Read more

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"Patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels" -SAMUEL JOHNSON, 1775

"a tightly reasoned, excellently written book that should be lethally effective in helping readers who aren't experts understand the contours of the crisis." -TOLEDO BLADE

Updated and revised following the 2004 elections, The Last Refuge describes the current state of American politics against the backdrop of mounting ecological and social problems, the corrosive influence of money, the corruption of language, and the misuse of terrorism as a political issue.

Setting out an agenda that transcends conventional ideological labels, David Orr contends that partisan wrangling is only a symptom of a deeper dysfunction: The whole political machinery that connects Americans' fundamentally honorable ideals with public policy is broken. The book offers a withering critique of the failings of the Bush administration, supplemented by new essays that look at the national-level dominance of the Republican Party and examine the fallacy that the evangelical right represents a Christian majority.

After analyzing the challenges of reforming the current system, Orr offers an empowering vision of a second American Revolution that peaceably achieves sustainability and charts a hopeful course for forward-looking citizens.

Customer Reviews (5)

Should be mandatory reading for politicians
Having read Orr's other books, I found this one to be very cynical.And whille the book is filled with prodound thoughts and suggestions, I fear that most of what he offers will, once again, be ignored. His comments on the connection between terrorism and environmental issues were enlightening.

Despite my own cynicism, however, I believe the book contains a great summary of what ails our political system (i.e. lack of courage and greed), and the book should be required reading for all students of environmental studies and politics.It should be mandatory reading for our congress as well.

The book is relatively short and is written in simple language, making it a very fast read.

Important, But Not Up to Orr's Usual Standards
There are really only a couple of dynamite essays in this book. The rest are, sad to say, fairly middle of the road.I had read two of Orr's other books, "Earth in Mind" and "Ecological Literacy," which were absolutely stunning.But this effort is uneven.There are certainly many practical and revolutionary suggestions for turning our earth's fate around, but most of them have been taken up with more conviction and detail by other authors.There is a nagging sense here that Orr is kind of late to the game in some of his ideas, like undermining the idea of corporate personhood, or amending the constitution to include ecological concerns for our descendents.

So while I do recommend this book, especially because Orr is such a graceful writer, I would suggest supplementing it with some harder hitting recent material (maybe "Unequal Protection" by Thom Hartmann, "Beyond Civilization," by Daniel Quinn, or the collection of work done by POCLAD, "Defying Corporations, Defining Democracy," available on www.poclad.org).

Best nonfiction book I've ever read

The Last Refuge is indeed the best nonfiction book I've ever read, and all I read is nonfiction, and a lot of it. I am now into my second reading of this valuable book! David Orr is my favorite environmental author. Known by some as the "sane environmentalist", Orr is not one to do anything other than tell it to us straight. With a wonderful writing style, Orr writes for the laymen. Covering everthing from campaign finance change necessities to control of corporate charters to a proposed environmental amendment to the Constitution, Orr gives a forthright, authentic, and thorough overview of the "Great Work" (Citing Thomas Berry's wonderful book)and the things that must be doone in politics to achieve a world where poverty, hunger, pollution, species extinction and more are dealt with and ended. David Orr cites our need to update our Constiitution (A living document, meaning able to be changed) to allow for the reeling in of corporate mega abuse of our world so that suceeding generations can have a world that enables the pursuit of happiness. This book is full of great ideas and wisdom and again, it is written in a way that anyone can understand it. This book needs to be read by folks all over the country!!! I would give it 10 stars if I could!

Timely Book
This book echoed my feelings exactly. Issues about the environment should be brought to the forefront of the national discussion...give this book to anyone influential you know and make them read it!

its a good book
In stark contrast to his earlier book, "Earth in Mind", Orr rids himself of any hesitancy to appease, and states the true state of American politics from an environmentalist perspectives.The essays are clear and lucid. It is a good book. ... Read more

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This handbook illustrates concepts, methods, and tools for primary environmental care, an approach that seeks to empower communities to meet basic needs while protecting the environment. ... Read more

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Are we on the verge of a global environmental catastrophe, or is a modest revision of environmental policy all that is necessary to ensure our safety and prosperity? Governing the Environment considers both scenarios, and those between the two extremes, in its examination of current trends and challenges in managing environmental issues.

This collection of seven essays, authored by leading Canadian academics, examines different aspects of the relationship between government and environmental issues. The volume focuses on Canadian contributions and innovations in the field, but it is of relevance to audiences around the world.

Parson's introductory essay sets the stage for the complex discussions to follow. He provides background by sketching the Canadian institutional context for environmental protection: by describing the major pollutant burdens and the state of natural resources, and by summarizing the most salient policy issues. His conclusion elaborates on four major themes emerging from the work. These are the achievement of 'adaptive management'; the challenge of building effective government and interjurisdictional capacities for managing the environment; the need for networks to share responsibility more effectively without overlapping tasks; and finally, the real challenge to state authority that these undertakings represent.

This work is written for a multidisciplinary academic audience, encompassing students and teachers of advanced environmental studies and Canadian public policy. ... Read more

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Integrating Environment and Economy provides a detailed and accessible examination of the policies and practice associated with local and regional strategies for integrating economic development and environmental management. Using the idea of ecological modernization as its conceptual framework this book considers how integrated approaches to policy might be developed and whether these integrated approaches enable economic and social activities to support rather than undermine the realization of environmental objectives. ... Read more

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This paper examines an important new debate over the impact of environmental issues on security in Pacific Asia, and asks whether pollution, population growth, and scarcity of "renewable" resources, i.e. fish and forests. can cause conflict. ... Read more

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This book provides a critical overview of rural change over the eighty years since the outbreak of the Great War, making clear the historical origins of present-day policy. It also provides a structural integration for the many diverse themes which must be interwoven in order to understand current conditions in the countryside. ... Read more

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The book addresses three distinctive aspects of desert development: regional planning, urban environment and building. It summarizes the results of 20 years of research carried out by the Center for Desert Architecture and Urban Planning at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel. In contrast to other books on desert development, the book considers physical development of desert regions not as an end in itself, but rather as an essential precondition for creating socially attractive and desirable environments for human settlement. Desert Regions consists of three parts, each of which considers different conceptual levels of desert development: I Regional Development and Population Change; II Cities of Cold and Hot Deserts; III Building and Design. In addition to the Israeli experience, the book includes research and design from other countries (Russia, Egypt, India, Mexico) which face acute problems of regional development in climatically extreme areas. ... Read more

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This work focuses on the practical issues and policies relating to planning and managing both built and natural environments. It addresses the needs to pursue a greater degree of integration between the subject matter and the international frameworks of environmental planning. ... Read more

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Environmental policy is broadly viewed as an oasis of democracy, unspoiled by crass capitalism and undominated by corporate interests. This book counters that view. The focus of "Corporate Power and the Environment" focuses on how U.S. economic elites--corporate decisionmakers and other individuals of substantial wealth--shape the content and implementation of U.S. environmental policy to their economic and political benefit. The author uses the management of the national forests and national parks, as well as wilderness preservation policies and federal clean air policies, as case studies to show corporate power in action in even the "purest" of policy arenas. ... Read more

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Worlds Apart presents a cohesive set of essays by leading thinkers on the subject of globalization, offering a thoughtful overview of the major environmental issues related to globalization in a clear, reasoned style. Framed by Gus Speth?s introduction and conclusion, essays range from Jane Lubchenco?s discussion of the scientific indicators of global environmental change to Robert Kates? examination of the prospect that our growing global interconnectedness could lead a transition to a more sustainable world to Vandana Shiva?s impassioned plea for a new ?living democracy? that counters the degrading, dehumanizing tendencies of the global economy. Other contributors include Maurice Strong on the Rio Earth Summit and the future course of environmentalism, José Goldemberg on energy, Jerry Mander on the inherent destructiveness of the global economic system, Stephan Schmidheiny on the forestry industry, and Daniel Esty and Maria Ivanova on global environmental governance.

Edited by one of the world?s leading experts on international environmental issues, the book brings together the most respected thinkers and actors on the world stage to offer a compelling set of perspectives and a solid introduction to the social and environmental dimensions of globalization.
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Through vivid tales of the pollution wars, a veteran environmental advocate shows that the Environmental Protection Agency is so big and remote that it must fail the environment and our society. David Schoenbrod reaches the surprising conclusion that we should strip the EPA of its power to dictate to the nation and replace it with 'bottom-up' environmental protection now. ... Read more