An Introduction to Global Environmental IssuesRoutledge, 2006 - 576 pages An Introduction to Global Environmental Issues presents a comprehensive and stimulating introduction to the key environmental issues presently threatening our global environment. Offering an authoritative introduction to the key topics, a source of latest environmental information, and an innovative stimulus for debate, this is an essential book for all those studying or concerned with global environmental issues. Major global environmental issues are brought into focus. Explanations of the evolution of the earth's natural systems (hydrosphere, biosphere, geosphere, ecosphere) provide an essential understanding of the scientific concepts, processes and historical background to environmental issues. Contemporary socio-economic, cultural and political considerations are explored and important conceptual approaches such as Gaian hypotheses and Chaos Theory are introduced. Human impact and management of the natural environment, and concerns for maintaining biodiversity are emphasised throughout. Specific features include: * Case studies drawn from across the world * Superb illustrations: 4-colour plate sections; a wealth of informative diagrams * Glossary of key terms, with key concepts highlighted throughout the text * Annotated guides to further reading * Chapter summaries and key points A Lecturers' Manual is available to accompany the text This 2nd Edition has been extensively revised and expanded to include many new illustrations, up-to-date data (including the latest IPCC data) and the most recent events including Khobe earthquake, French nuclear testing, the Berlin conference and the Antarctic Treaty. Sections on ecosystems, techniques, pollution, tectonics, risk and hazard mitigation, world populations, and issues of human impact and environmental management, have been particularly expanded in this new edition. |
Contents
1 Introducing Earth
| 1 |
2 Climate change and past climates
| 39 |
3 Global atmospheric change
| 105 |
4 Acidic deposition
| 155 |
5 Water resources and pollution | 187 |
6 Nuclear issues
| 229 |
7 Energy
| 257 |
8 Natural hazards
| 299 |
10 Managing the Earth | 401 |
Appendix 1 International system of SI units
| 455 |
Appendix 2 Periodic table of chemical elements
| 456 |
Appendix 3 The economy and population of selected countries
| 459 |
Appendix 4 Excerpts from Agenda 21 Rio Earth Summit 1992
| 461 |
465 | |
Glossary | 488 |
502 | |
Other editions - View all
An Introduction to Global Environmental Issues Kevin T. Pickering,Lewis A. Owen Limited preview - 1997 |
An Introduction to Global Environmental Issues Kevin T. Pickering,Lewis A. Owen No preview available - 1997 |
Common terms and phrases
acidic deposition aerosols amount Antarctica anthropogenic areas associated atmosphere carbon cause cent CFCs chemical coal concentrations contaminated cycle damage depletion desertification developing countries dioxide Earth Earth’s surface earthquake economic ecosystems effects emissions environment environmental erosion eruption estimated example Figure flooding forest fossil fuels geological glacial glaciers global climate change global warming greenhouse effect greenhouse gases ground water growth human activities ice core ice sheet increased IPCC isotope lakes land layer lithosphere major meteorite million Mount Pinatubo nations nitrogen North nuclear occur oceans organic oxygen ozone ozone depletion plants Plate plate tectonics pollution population potential problems processes produced programme radiation radiative forcing radioactive radon rainforests reactor Redrawn reduce regions release result rivers rock salinisation scientists sea level sediment soil solar sources species stratospheric sulphur temperature tion tonnes treaty tropical tropical cyclones troposphere volcanic waste wind