Reshaping Environments An Interdisciplinary Approach to Sustainability in a Complex World

About this book

Reshaping Environments: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Sustainability in a Complex World draws together a team of specialist authors from disciplines including urban planning, social sciences, engineering and environmental science to examine the diverse influences humans have upon the natural environment. This interdisciplinary approach presents multifaceted responses for complex environmental issues. The book explores current environmental science theories to provide a solid foundation of theoretical knowledge. Drawing on a range of case studies, it develops core analytical skills for application to real-world environmental issues. Reshaping Environments gives environmental science students the tools and insight to comprehend the range of influences society imposes on the natural environment. It is essential reading for those interested in creating a mutually beneficial future for human society and the natural environment.

Contents

Introduction: reshaping environments: an opportunity for envisioning the future Helena Bender

Part I. Cases
1. Costa Rica's dry north-west: a region in transition Blythe McLennan
2. Reshaping land transport in Singapore: a policy perspective Sun Sheng Han
3. Evaluating different ways of managing forested landscapes Kathryn Williams, Rebecca Ford, Ian Bishop and Eric Smith
4. Changing the landscape management paradigm with farmers: a story of community-based resource management in the 'Heartbreak Hills', Victoria, Australia Ruth Beilin
5. Meeting development goals without blowing your carbon budget in West Sepik Province, PNG Graham Moore
6. The EGLE has landed: architecture reshaping schools for sustainable and effective learning Dominique Hes
7. Reshaping the Murray-Darling Basin, Australia: progress in river basin management Michael Stewardson and Edward Maltby
8. Burning questions: researching the meaning of fire in the Australian landscape Blythe McLennan and Ruth Beilin

Part II. Skills
9. Critique, analysis and reflection: the study of reshaping environments Anna Bailey
10. Working with complex issues in group situations Roger Hadgraft and Helena Bender
11. Research methodology Kate Judith

Part III. Theory
12. An interdisciplinary approach Clinton Golding
13. Reshaping the environment: how complexity, post-normal science, uncertainty and risk help to conceptualise change Ruth Beilin
14. Sustainability: a model for the future Helena Bender, Kate Judith and Ruth Beilin
15. Human needs, wants and norms: some concepts for exploring sustainable human-environment relationships Kathryn Williams
16. Conceptualising and thinking about environmental systems Graham Moore
17. Why scale matters Blythe McLennan and Graham Moore

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