Futurist Reading for Fall 2010

WORLD BANK PUBLICATIONS – July-December 2010

* Doing Business 2011. The World Bank. Washington: World Bank, Sept 2010/185p/$35.

More countries than ever are slashing red tape around starting businesses. Measures regulations across 183 economies affecting ten areas of everyday business activity (starting a business, dealing with construction permits, employing workers, registering property, getting credit, protecting investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts, closing a business). Ranks countries on their overall ease of doing business, analyzes reforms to business regulations, and illustrates how reforms can translate into better outcomes for domestic entrepreneurs and the wider economy. Also focuses on how women are affected by complex business regulations. (BUSINESS)

Sovereign Debt and the Financial Crisis: Will This Time Be Different? Edited by Carlos A. Primo Braga and Gallina A. Vincelette. Washington DC: World Bank, Dec 2010/500p/$49.95.

Discusses the current debt challenges that developing and emerging market economies face by integrating theoretical research and evidence from practitioners’ experience.(DEVELOPMENT * ECONOMIC CRISIS * DEBT CHALLENGES)

Public-Private Partnerships in Emerging Markets: How to Engage with the Private Sector. Edward Farquharson and three others. Washington DC: World Bank, Oct 2010/128p/$25.

Aims at enhancing the effectiveness of Public- Private Partnerships by addressing the main obstacle to effective PPP project delivery: having the right information on the right projects, for the right partners at the right time. (BUSINESS * DEVELOPMENT)

Migration and Remittances Factbook 2011 (Second Edition).
The World Bank. Washington DC: World Bank, Aug 2010/256p/$39.95.

Presents the numbers and facts on international migration and remittances. Covers immigration, emigration, skilled migration, and remittance flows for 194 countries, and 13 regional and income groups. Features summary reports on the top 10 countries in each category.(MIGRATION * REMITTANCES)

*The Changing Wealth of Nations: Lessons for Sustainable Development. The World Bank. Washington DC: World Bank, Oct 2010/270p/$35.

Estimates comprehensive wealth – including produced, natural, and human/institutional assets – for over 100 countries. Presents wealth accounts for 1995, 2000, and 2005, permitting the first long-term assessment of global, regional, and country performance in building wealth.(PDM-BRK * WEALTH: NEW MEASURE * SUSTAINABILITY)

Reducing Poverty, Protecting Livelihoods, and Building Assets in a Changing Climate: Social Implications of Climate Change in Latin America and the Caribbean. Edited by Dorte Verner. Washington DC: World Bank, June 2010/440p/$45.

“Climate change is the defining development challenge of our time.” Climate change and variability threaten to reverse recent progress in poverty reduction and economic growth. Communities across Latin America and the Caribbean are already experiencing adverse consequences. Offers evidence of large variations in impacts of climate change across regions (poverty, inequality, water access, health, migration), with recommendations for governments, communities, and households to improve resilience and adaptability. (CLIMATE CHANGE * LATIN AMERICA: CLIMATE CHANGE)

The Cost of Environmental; Degradation: Case Studies from the Middle East and North Africa. Edited by Lelia Croitoru and Maria Sarraf. Washington DC: World Bank, July 2010/184p/$30.

Over the past decades, the World Bank has made a systematic effort to put a monetary value on environmental degradation. Presents case studies of the cost such degradation in the Middle East and North Africa, and summarizes major policy impacts at the national and regional levels.
(ENVIRONMENT * DEGRADADED ENVIRONMENTS COSTED * MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA)

Convenient Solutions to an Inconvenient Truth: Ecosystem-Based Approaches to Climate Change.The World Bank. Washington DC: World Bank, Nov 2009/128p/$22.95.

Advocates ecosystem-based approaches to mitigation and adaptation as a third essential pillar in national strategies to address climate change. Such strategies can offer cost-effective, proven and sustainable solutions that complement and contribute to other national and regional adaptation strategies. (CLIMATE CHANGE * ECOSYSTEM-BASED SOLUTIONS)

World Trade Indicators 2010: Trade Under Crisis. The World Bank. Washington DC: World Bank, Aug 2010/100p/$100 (includes CD).

Analyzes global patterns in trade policy and trade outcomes, highlighting the commonality of experience as well as variation across income and regional groupings. Provides >300 performance indicators covering the 1995-2008 period, and offers trade briefs for 142 developing countries. (WORLD ECONOMY * TRADE INDICATORS)

International Trade in Services: New Trends and Opportunities for Developing Countries.Edited by Olivier Cattaneo and three others. Washington DC: World Bank, June 2010/385p/$39.95.

Provides useful guidelines for the assessment of a country’s trade potential, and a roadmap for successful opening and expert promotion in select service sectors. (DEVELOPMENT AND TRADE * TRADE IN SERVICES)

Building Engines for Growth and Competitiveness in China: Experience with Special Economic Zones and Industrial Clusters. Edited by Douglas Zhihua Zeng. Washington DC: World Bank, Aug 2010/500p/$35. Reviews China’s experiences in the past 30 years with its two important engines in rapid economic development (Special Economic Zones and industrial clusters), through extensive research, field visits, and five case studies. A tool for policy-makers, development practitioners, scholars from developing countries, and the global development community in general.(DEVELOPMENT * ECONOMIC ZONES IN CHINA * INDUSTRIAL CLUSTERS * CHINA)

Trade and Transport Facilitation Assessment: A Practical Toolkit to Improve the Trade and Competitiveness of Countries. John Arnold and five others. Washington DC: World Bank, July 2010/280p/$35.

The Trade and Transport Facilitation Audit is a tool for identifying inefficiencies in international supply chains that limit a country’s ability to compete in international trade, to import, and to distribute inputs to production and consumer goods. For professional interested in trade facilitation and logistics in developing countries. (WORLD ECONOMY * TRADE * SUPPLY CHAINS)

Connecting Landlocked Developing Countries to Markets: Trade Corridors in the 21st Century. Jean-Francois Arvis, Graham Smith, and Robin Carruthers. Washington DC: World Bank, July 2010/280p/$35.

Recognizes that access problems for landlocked countries occur in the territory of the transit countries and proposes a new set of incentives to enable transit of goods along corridors, as well as to strengthen underlying institutions and political economy. Challenges the previous paradigm based on physical infrastructure and state-led access solutions, embodied in many treaties. Also see The Cost of Being Landlocked : Logistics Costs and Supply Chain Reliability by Jean-Francois Arvis, Jean-Francois Marteau, and Gael Raballand (World Bank, July 2010/152p/$25)(DEVELOPMENT * TRADE CORRIDORS * LANDLOCKED COUNTRIES)

Global Value Chains in a Post-Crisis World: A Development Perspective. The World Bank. Washington DC: World Bank, Sept 2010/400p/$45.

Addresses the following concerns in a post-crisis world: 1) how lead firms responded to the economic crisis; 2) how they changed traditional supply chain strategy and relocated and/or outsourced part of their production; 3) how those changes affect developing countries; 4) what the policy responses should be to these changes?(ECONOMIC CRISIS * TRADE * DEVELOPMENT * SUPPLY CHAINS )

Changing the Industrial Geography in Asia: The Impact of China and India. Shahid Yusuf and Kaoru Nabeshima. Washington DC: World Bank, Aug 2010/304p/$24.95.

China and India are emerging as the heartlands of global manufacturing, which is likely to transform the industrial geography of Asia and the world. Analyzes the factors driving the transformation and implications for the major Asian economies.
(ASIA * CHINA * INDIA * WORLD ECONOMY * MANUFACTURING IN ASIA)

Localizing Development: Has the Participatory Approach Worked? Vijayendra Rao and Ghazala Mansuri. Washington DC: World Bank, Dec 2010/200p/$35.

Both governments and donors have invested substantial resources in programs and projects that use participatory approaches to build local institutions, which are supposed to empower the poor, improve public services, and increase jogs. Examines the conceptual foundation of the participatory approach to local development, assesses the evidence of its efficacy, and draws key lessons for policy. (DEVELOPMENT * PARTICIPATORY APPROACHES ASSESSED)

Unnatural Disasters, Natural Hazards: Effective Prevention through the Economic Lens.The World Bank. Washington DC: World Bank, Sept 2010/200p/$39.95.

Examines how to ensure that disaster prevention measures are worthwhile and effective, and how people can make decisions individually and collectively at different levels of government. Death and destruction are not uniformly distributed. Preventive measures redistribute costs, benefits, and risks among different groups. Advocates taking ethical considerations into account when making preventive policies, as opposed to relying only on economic yardsticks. (DISASTER PREVENTION)

Poor Places, Thriving People: How the Middle East and North Africa Can Rise Above Spatial Disparities.The World Bank. Washington DC: World Bank, Sept 2010/352p/$35.

Economies of agglomeration mean that production is most efficient when concentrated in leading areas. A region can reduce spatial disparities in well-being without compromising growth by matching a policy package to a lagging area’s specific characteristics. Focuses on how the Middle East and North Africa can raise living standards.(DEVELOPMENT * MIDDLE EAST * NORTH AFRICA)

The Black Box of Governmental Learning: The Learning Spiral – A Concept to Organize Learning in Governments. Raoul Blindenbacher. Washington DC: World Bank, June 2010/192p/$25.

Little is known about how governments learn best, but they seem to learn differently than individuals and/or organizations. This book shows how to organize learning events for governments in the 21st century, introducing the “Learning Spiral” as a new organizing concept based on how governments learn, the type of knowledge they learn, how knowledge is created and transferred to the learners. (GOVERNMENT * LEARNING SPIRAL * GOVERNMENTAL LEARNING)

The Promise of Early Childhood Development in Latin America and the Caribbean. Emiliana Vegas and Lucrecia Santibáñez. Washington DC: World Bank, Dec 2010/168p/$40.

Takes stock of early childhood indicators in the region; evaluates impact of early childhood development interventions ; investigates in depth a selection of programs in Latin America and the Caribbean to distill lessons related to their design, implementation, and institutionalization processes; discusses challenges of scaling up; presents policy options to develop national early childhood development policies.(CHILDREN * LATIN AMERICA * EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOMENT)

Winds of Change: East Asia’s Sustainable Energy Future. Xiaodong Wang and three others. Washington DC: World Bank, June 2010/160p/$25.

With the right policies and financing, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam can stabilize CO2 emissions by 2025, improve the local environment, and enhance energy security without compromising economic growth. Outlines a sustainable energy path for East Asia and calls for immediate policy and institutional reforms of the energy sector.(ENERGY * EAST ASIA: SUSTAINABLE ENERGY)

Demanding Good Governance: Lessons from Social Accountability Initiatives in Africa. Edited by Mary McNeill and Carmen Malena. Washington DC: World Bank, July 2010/256p/$25.

Describes and analyzes a selection of social accountability initiatives implemented in seven Sub-Saharan countries over the past decade, such as participatory budgeting, independent budget analysis, participatory monitoring of public expenditure, and citizen evaluation of public services. (GOVERNANCE * SOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY * AFRICA)

Accountability through Public Opinion: From Inertia to Public Action. Edited by Sina Odugbemi and Taeku Lee. Washington DC: World Bank, Dec 2010/368p/$45.

Direct accountability is a function of public opinion and public action. Through mobilized public opinion, citizens can hold government accountable and demand better public services. Case studies from around the world demonstrate the crucial relevance of public opinion.(GOVERNMENT * ACCOUNTABILITY)

Development as Leadership-led Change: A Report for the Global Leadership Initiative. Matthew Andrews, Jesse McConnell, and Alison Wescott. Washington DC: World Bank, June 2010/84p/$20.

Explores the role of leadership in making developmental change happen, examining 14 capacity development interventions in 8 developing countries. Leadership contributes to change by building “change space,” fostering acceptance of change, granting authority for change, and introducing or freeing the abilities necessary to achieve change.
(DEVELOPMENT * LEADERSHIP AND CHANGE * GLOBAL LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE)

A Practical Approach to Pharmaceutical Policy. Andreas Seiter. Washington DC: World Bank, June 2010/480p/$25.

Offers a hands-on approach, tested by World Bank work in many countries, for developing policies that improve access to safe effective medicine in health systems of low- and middle-income economies. The approach assesses the pharmaceutical sector, recognizes typical ‘patterns of dysfunction’, and develops strategies to quickly deal with urgent problems while building a platform for sustainable long-term policy.
(DEVELOPMENT * HEALTH * PHARMACEUTICAL POLICY)

Improving Health Service Delivery in Developing Countries: From Evidence to Action. Edited by David H. Peters and four others. Washington DC: World Bank, May 2009/328p/$30.

Explains why setting international standards for health services has not been successful and offers an alternative approach based on a specific country’s experience. Presents evidence on strategies for strengthening health service delivery, based on systemic reviews of the literature, quantitative and qualitative analyses of existing data, and seven case studies.(DEVELOPMENT * HEALTH)

Systems of Cities: Harnessing Urbanization for Growth and Poverty Alleviation (Urban Development Series). The World Bank. Washington DC: World Bank, Sept 2010/200p/$30.

Over 90% of urban growth is now occurring in the developing world and nearly two billion people will become urban residents in the next 20 years. Presents World Bank’s Urban and Local Development Strategy, structured around five thematic areas (the core elements of the city system, pro-poor policies, city economies, urban land and housing markets, sustainable urban development). Suggests ways for developing countries to maximize the benefits of urbanization while avoiding congestion costs. Discusses urban poverty policy considering the challenge of climate change.(CITIES * URBANIZATION * DEVELOPMENT * POVERTY ALLEVIATION)

Cities and Climate Change: Answering an Urgent Agenda (Urban Development Series). The World Bank. Washington DC: World Bank, Nov 2010/440p/$45.

Papers presented at the World Bank’s Fifth Urban Research Symposium combine robust analytical pieces with best practices from around the world. Specific case studies include New Orleans and its fragile environment, poverty aspects in the cities, measuring the impact of cities on GHG emissions on the cities. (CITIES * CLIMATE CHANGE)

Africa’s Transport Infrastructure. Ken Gwilliam. Washington DC: World Bank, Nov 2010/280p/$35.

Describes the nature, extent and condition of the Sub-Saharan road, rail, air, maritime, and waterway transport networks by drawing on data collected under the Africa Infrastructure Country Diagnostics program. Also see Africa’s ICT Infrastructure edited by Mark Williams (Nov 2010/250p/$30), Africa’s Power Infrastructure by Anton Eberhard and Maria Shkaratan (Nov 2010/250p/$30), Africa’s Water and Sanitation Infrastructure by Sudeshna Ghosh Banerjee and Elvira Morella (Nov 2010/210p/$30), and Africa’s Infrastructure: A Time for Transformation (Dec 2009/384p/$39.95). (AFRICA * INFRASTRUCTURE IN AFRICA)

Berg Water Project: Communication Practices for Governance and Sustainability Improvement. Lawrence J.M. Haas. Washington DC: World Bank, June 2010/120p/$20.

Communication is central to multi-stakeholder dialogue and partnerships needed to achieve sustainability and governance reform in water resource management and infrastructure provision. The case study identifies current practice, offers advice on capacity building in an operational setting, and draws insights and lessons from experience. (WATER)

Building Broadband: Strategies and Policies for the Developing World. Yongsoo Kim, Tim Kelly, and Siddhartha Raja. The World Bank. Washington DC: World Bank, June 2010./304/$40.

Analyzes approaches that leading countries have taken in expanding their broadband markets, with a focus on the Republic of Korea. Case studies also cover Finland, France, Japan, Sweden, the UK, and the US.(COMMUNICATION * BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT)

Safer Homes, Stronger Communities: A Handbook for Reconstructing after Natural Disasters. Abhas K. Jha and three others. Washington DC: World Bank, Jan 2010/404p/$22.5.

On how to plan and carry out housing and community reconstruction projects that empower communities affected by disasters, and reduce the risk of their suffering from a future disaster. Includes > 100 short case studies collected from experts with recent experience in housing reconstruction. Also see Eco 2 Cities: Ecological Cities as Economic Cities. Hiroaki Suzuki and four others. Washington DC: World Bank, June 2010/388p/$26.5. (POST-DISASTER RECONSTRUCTION)

Eco 2 Cities: Ecological Cities as Economic Cities. Hiroaki Suzuki and four others. Washington DC: World Bank, June 2010/388p/$26.5.

This roadmap to ecological and economic sustainability of cities offers strategic guidance to cities on sustainable and integrated urban development within a framework that is flexible and easily customized to the context of each country or city. (CITIES * SUSTAINABILITY)

The Day After Tomorrow: The Future of Economic Policy in the Developing World. Edited by Otaviano Canuto and Marcelo Giugale. Washington DC: World Bank, Sept 2010/300p/$35.

More than twenty World Bank practitioners deliver their policy agenda for, and likely economic evolution of, developing countries in the post-crisis era. (ECONOMIC POLICY IN DEVELOPING WORLD * DEVELOPMENT)

ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHING- 2010 (21 items)

Cutting Costs in Chemicals Management: How OECD Helps Governments and Industry. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Paris: OECD Publishing, May 2010/48p.

The chemicals industry—including industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, food additives, and cosmetics—is a major industrial sector. But varying national requirements can mean duplication of efforts and barriers to trade. Analyzes the system for assessing and managing chemicals that helps governments and industry save about EUR 150 million each year through “work-sharing” facilitated by OECD. By agreeing on OECD test methods and data quality and sharing the workload of chemical safety testing and assessments, countries can achieve more environmentally sustainable and cost-effective results. (ENVIRONMENT * CHEMICALS MANAGEMENT)

Conflict and Fragility Transition Financing: Building a Better Response. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Paris: OECD Publishing, May 2010/136p.

More than one-third of Official Development Assistance is spent annually on fragile and conflict-affected countries, but it does not always flow promptly and effectively. International engagement is “less than optimal, especially in guiding and implementing transition financial process.” Financing affects behavior, aid architecture, power and influence, priorities, and capacity development. Maps out more effective, rapid, and flexible transition financing; also covers financial flows, procedural and cultural changes in donor administrations, maximizing use of instruments available, and improving operational effectiveness of pooled funding instruments. (DEVELOPMENT * DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE * TRANSITION FINANCING)

Better Regulation in Europe: United Kingdom 2010. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Paris: OECD Publishing, April 2010/173p.

Better regulation policy improves countries’ economic and social welfare prospects, underpins sustained growth, and strengthens resilience. Maps and analyzes the core issues of effective regulatory management: 1) strategies and policies; 2) institutional capacities; 3) transparency and effective public consultation and communication; 4) development of new regulation (impact assessment, administrative burdens); 5) compliance rates, enforcement policies and appeals, and 6) the multilevel dimensions of interface between different levels of government and between national processes. (GOVERNMENT * REGULATORY REFORM)

Transport for a Global Economy: Challenges and Opportunities in the Downturn. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Paris: OECD Publishing, Dec 2009/114p.

The transport sector is at the heart of globalization. Against the backdrop of finances drying up, companies failing, supply chains weakened, and protectionism on the increase, the transport sector anticipates the downturn will seriously damage its business while fundamental challenges, particularly for transport to become more sustainable, persist. This report summarizes workshops at the International Transport Forum 2009. (GLOBALIZATION * TRANSPORTATION)

Economic Policy Reforms 2010: Going for Growth. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Paris: OECD Publishing, March 2010/249p.

Examines structural policy measures taken by governments in response to the economic crisis, evaluates their impacts on long-term economic growth, and identifies the most imperative reforms needed to strengthen recovery. Also assesses policy reforms (in education, product market regulation, agriculture, tax and benefits, healthcare and labor market) implemented in OECD countries in the last five years to boost employment and labor productivity. Finds that reforms are more incremental than radical in nature, and seldom address the thorniest issues. Three analytical chapters consider intergenerational social mobility, prudential regulation and competition in banking, and key policy changes and long-term prospects in Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, and South Africa. (ECONOMY * ECONOMIC CRISIS)

Radioactive Waste Management Partnering for the Long-Term: Evolution and Current Practices in Thirteen Countries. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Paris: OECD Publishing, March 2010/134p.

Provides up-to-date information on experience with local partnership arrangements for the management of radioactive waste in 13 countries. Calls for meaningful and workable relationships between the institutional actors and the host community to achieve a balance between the requirements of fair representation and competent participation.

Pricing Water Resources and Water on Sanitation Services. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Paris: OECD Publishing, March 2010/108p.

Pricing water-related services determines to a large extent the access to adequate, sustainable, and affordable water and sanitation for all. This report compiles reliable and comparable data on pricing water and on water supply and sanitation services across OECD countries. Water services face increased challenges of competition for resources, deteriorating water quality, climate change, and poor management. (WATER * SANITATION SERVICE PRICING)

Innovative Financing Mechanisms for the Water Sector. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Paris: OECD Publishing, March 2010/145p.

Calls for innovation in financing the water and sanitation sector; focuses on mobilizing market-based repayable financing (loans, bonds, equity) to meet water-related MDG goals; and examines the extent to which previous recommendations have been implemented and the impact of the global financial crisis. (WATER * SANITATION FINANCING)

Projected Costs of Generating Electricity 2010. International Energy Agency. Paris: OECD Publishing, April 2010/218p.

Presents the latest data available for a wide variety of fuels and technologies: coal and gas (with and without carbon capture), nuclear, hydro, onshore and offshore wind, biomass, solar, wave and tidal, and combined heat and power. Provides levelized costs of electricity per MWh for almost 200 plants, based on data covering 21 countries (including four non-OECD) and several industrial companies. Also, for the first time, provides an extensive sensitivity analysis of the impact of variations in key parameters such as discount rates and fuel prices. Also examines other issues affecting power generation choices. (ENERGY * ELECTRICITY GENERATION COSTS * POWER GENERATION CHOICES)

Development Co-operation Report 2010. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Paris: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Publishing, April 2010/281p.

An annual report issued by the OECD Development Assistance Committee, offering key statistics and analysis of the latest trends in international aid. Shows that recent economic, food, and climate change challenges make the achievement of MDG more difficult. Describes DAC responses: 1) highlighting the development dimension of these crises; 2) keeping the development community focused on providing more aid; 3) delivering aid more effectively; 4) ensuring that climate change is addressed in policy choices. (DEVELOPMENT * AID TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES)

Geographical Distribution of Financial Flows to Developing Countries 2010: Disbursements, Commitments, Country Indicators. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Paris: OECD Publishing, April 2010/277p.

Provides comprehensive data on the volume, origin, and types of aid and other resource flows to around 150 developing countries for the period 2004-8. Shows each country’s intake of official development assistance as well as other official and private funds from members of the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee.
(DEVELOPMENT * AID TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES)

Recognizing Non-Formal and Informal Learning: Outcomes, Policies, and Practices. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Paris: OECD Publishing, April 2010/95p.

Non-formal and informal learning are a rich source of human capital. Policies that recognize this can play a significant role in a coherent lifelong learning framework. Calls for policy makers to recognize such learning, and improving present practices to make the knowledge and competencies people acquire outside of formal schooling more visible, thus bringing benefits to individuals and society at large. Explores the advantages of recognizing non-formal and informal learning outcomes, takes stock of existing policies and practices, and recommends how to organize recognition of these learning systems. Draws on an OECD review in 22 countries.(EDUCATION * INFORMAL EDUCATION * LIFELONG LEARNING)

Effective Transport Policies for Corporate Mobility Management. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Paris: OECD Publishing, April 2010/107p.

Many companies and other large employers have initiatives to address traffic-related nuisances generated by their workers and customers. Investigates the success factors in individual best practices of Corporate Mobility Management, and considers the roles of both companies and public authorities. (TRANSPORTATION * CORPORATE MOBILITY MANAGEMENT)

Improving the Governance of Risk. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. OECD Reviews of Regulatory Reform and Risk. Paris: OECD Publishing, April 2010/251p.

Governments are expected to protect citizens from adverse consequences of hazardous events, but it is not possible or necessary for all risks to be removed. A risk-based approach to design of regulation can help insure that regulatory approaches are efficient, while accounting for tradeoffs across policy objectives. Few OECD governments have taken steps to develop a coherent risk governance policy for regulation. Covers challenges in designing regulatory policy frameworks to manage risks, different cultural and legal dimensions of risk regulatory concepts across OECD, analytical models and principles for decision-making in uncertain situations, and key elements of risk regulation and governance institutions. Looks at five OECD countries (Australia, Ireland, Netherlands, Portugal, UK) and across four sectors (environment, food safety, financial markets, and health and safety). (GOVERNMENT * RISK AND REGULATION * REGULATION POLICY)

Organizing Local Economic Development: The Role of Development Agencies and Companies. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED) Series. Paris: OECD Publishing, April 2010/497p.

Local economic government can offer significant far-reaching benefits, but the effects of local development are usually achieved in the same timeframe as business cycles (12-15 years). Thus it is best coordinated as a public/private partnership. Identifies how development agencies and companies work, what they do, and what constitutes success and value-added. Explores international practices in a variety of locations and contexts, and defines both the success factors and the challenges associated with economic development agencies. (LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT * JOB CREATION AT LOCAL LEVEL * DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES)

Energy Policies of IEA Countries: Canada 2009. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Paris: OECD Publishing, May 2010/266p.

Due to geographic factors, Canada has the highest energy intensity of any IEA member country, and is one of the highest per capita CO2 emitters in the OECD. “A comprehensive national energy efficiency strategy is needed, coupled with a coordinated climate change policy targeted at key emitting sectors.” Carbon capture and storage is a priority. Analyzes energy challenges facing Canada and provides sectoral critiques and recommendations for further policy improvements. Recommends that Canada provide international leadership in the development of CCS technology--an opportunity to develop a new technology that reduces greenhouse gas emissions on a large scale. (ENERGY * CARBON CAPTURE/STORAGE TECHNOLOGY * CANADA: ENERGY POLICY)

Globalization in Fisheries and Aquaculture: Opportunities and Challenges. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Paris: OECD Publishing, May 2010/162p.

Global markets for fish and fish products have greatly changed in recent decades, with ever-growing interactions across countries and continents. Change has brought substantial benefits to the world economy and many challenges to governments. Countries must develop fisheries management frameworks and aquaculture strategies that accommodate globalization without undermining resource sustainability. As part of the global commons, fisheries demand regional and international cooperation. Topics include globalization (in harvesting, aquaculture, fish processing, and the retail sector), global trends (in groundfish, salmon, shrimp, and tuna), and the largest seafood companies by region. (FOOD/AGRICULTURE * AQUACULTURE * FISHERIES)

Better Regulation in Europe: Germany 2010 (Complete Edition). Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Paris: OECD Publishing, May 2010/166p.

Maps and analyzes the issues which together make up effective regulatory management for Germany. Examines such issues as strategies and policies, institutional capacities, transparency and effective public consultation and communication, development of new regulation (impact assessment, administrative burdens), compliance rates, enforcement policies and appeals, and multilevel dimensions. (Also see Better Regulation In Europe: United Kingdom 2010; April 2010/173p). (GOVERNMENT * REGULATORY REFORM)

Do No Harm: International Support for Statebuilding. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Paris: OECD Publishing, Jan 2010/204p/$47pb.

Provides practical guidance based on the results of research undertaken under OECD’s Development Assistance Committee, International Network on Conflict and Fragility. Draws on comparative case studies of six countries (Afghanistan, Bolivia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nepal, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone) and a comprehensive literature review. Addresses how interventions of OECD countries may risk undermining positive statebuilding processes, and makes recommendations as to how this may be avoided. (DEVELOPMENT * STATEBUILDING)

OECD Economic Surveys: China 2009. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Paris: OECD Publishing, Feb 2010/234p/ $75pb.

Analyzes developments in China and draws on extensive statistical information. This edition focuses on monetary and financial policy, product market regulation, inequalities, and social policy. (CHINA)

Atlas of Gender and Development: How Social Norms Affect Gender Equality in non-OECD Countries. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Paris: OECD Publishing, March 2010/320p/$74pb.

Provides detailed country notes, maps, and graphics describing the situation of women in 124 developing transition countries using a new composite measure of gender inequality – the Social Institutions and Gender Index – developed by the OECD Development Centre. (DEVELOPMENT * GENDER INDEX)

UNIV OF CALIFORNIA PRESS – Fall 2010 (13 items)

California Crackup: How Reform Broke the Golden State and How We Can Fix It. Joe Mathews (senior fellow, New America Foundation) and Mark Paul (New America Foundation; former deputy treasurer of California). Berkeley CA: University of California Press, Aug 2010/240p/$19.95pb.

California’s dysfunctional governmental system has undergone incessant budget crises and been paralyzed by partisan gridlock, leading to demands for reform and a constitutional convention. Exposes the constitutional origins of California’s current political and economic system. Proposes solutions that allow Californians to debate choices, settle on the best ones, hold elected official accountable for results, and choose anew if something doesn’t work. (GOVERNMENT * CALIFORNIA CRACKUP)

The Atlas of Human Rights: Mapping Violations of Freedom around the Globe. Andrew Fagan (deputy director, Human Rights Centre, U of Essex). Berkeley CA: University of California Press, Aug 2010/128p/$21.95pb (copublished with Myriad Editions Ltd).

In the post 9/11 world, governments are using the threat of terrorism to justify tightening national security and restricting basic human rights. Addresses the implications of this trend, and judicial violations or legal restrictions that permit state-sponsored torture, indefinite detention, capital punishment, and police brutality. Charts both the progress and the limitation of free expression and media censorship, and details the geographic status of sexual freedom, racism, religious freedom, rights of the disabled, women’s rights, sex slavery, and rights of the child. (HUMAN RIGHTS ATLAS * ATLAS OF HUMAN RIGHTS)

People on the Move: An Atlas of Migration. Russell King (co-director, Centre for Migration Research; Prof of Geography, U of Sussex). Berkeley CA: University of California Press, Aug 2010/128p/$21.95pb (copublished with Myriad Editions Ltd).

Migration has provided millions with an escape route from poverty, oppression, and conflict. Explores the ways in which humans have spread around the world, adapted to new realities, and shaped their destinations. Discusses refugees and asylum seekers, diasporas, remittances, the brain drain, trafficking, students, retirement, return migration, etc. Maps of regions, countries, and continents display trends, issues, and processes at a glance. (Also in this series see The Atlas of Climate Change, The State of the American Empire, and The State of China Atlas.) (MIGRATION * ATLAS OF MIGRATION)

Apocalypse in Islam. Jean-Pierre Filiu (Assoc Prof, Institute for Political Sciences, Paris; former Visiting Prof, Georgetown U). Translated by M. B. DeBevoise. Berkeley CA: University of California Press, Jan 2011/272p/$29.95.

Observes the fast-growing belief in Muslim countries that the end of the world is at hand, and stresses the importance of this conviction, especially for those who are preparing for apocalypse. The overwhelming majority of Muslims, however, still remains unpersuaded. Identifies 1979 as the decisive year in the rise of contemporary millenarian speculation and shows how subsequent events in the Middle East have been incorporated into apocalyptic propaganda, seen as a form of anti-globalism disguised as anti-Semitism. The widespread fear of Christian Zionist domination is viewed as an impetus to jihad. (ISLAMIC APOCALYPSE * MIDDLE EAST * APOCALYPSE IN ISLAM)

The Coming Famine: The Global Food Crisis and What We Can Do to Avoid It. Julian Cribb (science writer). Berkeley CA: University of California Press, Aug 2010/224p/$24.95.

Shows how high food prices and regional shortages are sending shockwaves into the international community and calls for action to prevent the global food shortage that threatens to hit by mid-century. Anticipates a dangerous confluence of shortages – of water, land, energy, technology, and knowledge – combined with the increased demand created by population and economic growth. (FOOD/AGRICULTURE * GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS * FAMINE AHEAD?)

India and Pakistan: Continued Conflict or Cooperation? Stanley Wolpert (Prof Emeritus of History, UCLA). Berkeley CA: University of California Press, Sept 2010/134p/$19.95.

Traces the roots of the conflict between India and Pakistan (including Kashmir, claimed by both countries), explains attempts to solve their disputes, and assesses the dominant political leaders. Stresses the risk for conflict in South Asia to ignite into nuclear war, examines all proposed solutions, and proposes a road map for brighter future in the area.(REGIONS/NATIONS * INDIA AND PAKISTAN * PAKISTAN AND INDIA)

Instant Recess: Building a Fit Nation 10 Minutes at a Time. Toni Yancey (Prof of Health Services, School of Public Health, UCLA). Berkeley CA: University of California Press, Nov 2010/241p/$22.95pb.

Despite individuals’ best intentions or repeated resolutions to exercise, as well as investment in fitness education and counseling, physical activity at all levels of society continues to plummet in the US. Advocates a new approach to address this trend: one that respects diversity and is grounded in the cultures of those most at risk. (HEALTH * FITNESS IN U.S.)

Uncertain Path: A Search for the Future of National Parks. William C. Tweed (former chief park naturalist; Sequoia and Kings Canyon Natural Parks). Foreword by Jon Jarvis (director, National Park Service). Berkeley CA: University of California Press, Oct 2010/247/24.95.

Advocates making natural parks relevant for the next generations. Considers how to address climate change (that is currently melting glaciers, changing rainy seasons and creating more fires in US national parks), whether to intervene to preserve biodiversity, and whether parks should become ecosystem museums that exhibit famous landscapes and species. (NATIONAL PARKS: U.S.)

Studying Global Pentecostalism: Theories and Methods. Edited by Allan Anderson (Prof of Global Pentecostal Studies, U of Birmingham, UK) and three others. Berkeley CA: University of California Press, Aug 2010/328p/$24.95pb.

With its remarkable ability to adapt to many different cultures, Pentacostalism has become the world’s fastest growing religious movement. More than 500 million adherents worldwide have reshaped Christianity itself. This volume offers guidance to those who seek to study the movement. (RELIGION * PENTECOSTALISM: RAPID GROWTH)

Mexico: Why a Few Are Rich and the People Poor. Ramón Eduardo Ruiz (Prof Emeritus of History, U of California-San Diego). Berkeley CA: University of California Press, Aug 2010/288p/$21.95pb.

Reveals how development processes have fostered glaring inequalities, uncovers the fundamental role of race and class in perpetuating poverty, and sheds new light on the Mexican reality. Traces a legacy of dependency of outsiders, illustrated by the weighty role played by the US. (REGIONS/NATIONS * MEXICO)

The Modern Middle East: A Political History since the First World War (Second Edition). Mehran Kamrava (Interim Dean, School of Foreign Service, Georgetown U, Quatar). Berkeley CA: University of California Press, Nov 2010/528p/$27.50pb.

Covers the period since the fall of the Ottoman Empire to today and explores the dynamics of economic development, authoritarianisms, and the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Incorporates recent events: Iranian presidential elections in 2009, Israel’s attack on Gaza in 2008, changes precipitated by the Obama administration, and the effects of globalization on development. (REGIONS/NATIONS * MIDDLE EAST)

The Maternal Factor: Two Paths to Morality. Nel Noddings (Prof of Education Emerita, Stanford U). Berkeley CA: University of California Press, Aug 2010/304p/$22.95pb.

Argues that maternal instincts are one of the sources of morality; extends ethics of care toward global peace and justice, and describes the care-driven concept of justice. Calls for men to value the work of caring both publicly and personally and for women to seek their ways to spirituality outside institutional, patriarchal religion. (WORK AND CARING * CARING AND JUSTICE)

Protecting Life on Earth: An Introduction to Conservation. Michael P. Marchetti (Assoc Prof of Biology, California State U, Chico) and Peter B. Moyle (Prof of Conservation Biology, U of California, Davis). Berkeley CA: University of California Press, Aug 2010/240p/$49.95pb.

A college-level reader to introduce conservation science. Explores the biodiversity crisis, introduces central concepts of evolution and ecology, covers conservation issues (extinction, climate change, sustainability, conservation law, and invasive species), and includes practical advice on conservation-relevant everyday choices (what we eat and buy, where we live and work). (ENVIRONMENT CRISIS * CONSERVATION)

JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY PRESS – Fall 2010 (7 items)

Trust and Integrity in Biomedical Research: The Case of Financial Conflicts of Interest. Edited by Thomas H. Murray (president, Hastings Center) and Josephine Johnston (director of research, Hastings Center). Baltimore MD: Johns Hopkins U Press, Sept 2010/288p/$50.

Financial entanglements among biomedical companies and researchers have called into question the worth and integrity of medical studies, nearly three-fifths of which are funded by the industry. Overviews diverse opinions about the perceived financial conflicts of interests in medical studies, analyzes the existing regulatory regime, poses questions and directions for future self and external regulation, and provides perspectives from a third-party research company.
(HEALTH * MEDICAL ETHICS * BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH INTEGRITY)

Improving the Quality of Care in Nursing Homes: An Evidence-Based Approach.. Thomas T.H. Wan (Prof of Public Affairs and Health Management, U of Central Florida) and three others. Baltimore MD: Johns Hopkins U Press, Oct 2010/144p/$45.

Reviews the history, development, and current state of care in nursing homes; identifies inconsistencies found among many US facilities; and focuses on aspects of care such as staffing and use of technology. The landmark Nursing Home Care Reform Act of 1987 mandated basic standards to ensure the physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being of residents. Yet little has changed since it was enacted. Proposals are offered for measuring and improving care. (HEALTH POLICY * NURSING HOME QUALITY)

Degrees of Inequality: Culture, Class, and Gender in American Higher Education. Ann L. Mullen (Assoc Prof of Sociology, U of Toronto). Baltimore MD: Johns Hopkins U Press, Jan 2011/256p/$50.

Interviews with 100 students attending Yale University and Southern Connecticut State University highlight how higher education reinforces the same inequalities it has been aiming to transcend. Yale boasts accomplished alumni, including national and world leaders in business and politics. SCSU graduates mostly commuter students seeking credential degrees in fields with good job prospects. (HIGHER EDUCATION * INEQUALITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION)

Building Organizational Capacity: Strategic Management in Higher Education. J. Douglas Toma (Assoc Prof of Higher Education, U of Georgia). Baltimore MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, Nov 2010/272p/$40.

Guides leaders and senior managers in effectively implementing reforms and anticipating potential pitfalls. Examines eight essential organizational elements — purposes, structure, governance, policies, processes, information, infrastructure, and culture— and illustrates their influence in strategic management through case studies at eight higher education institutions. (HIGHER EDUCATION: STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT)

Crafting State-Nations: India and Other Multinational Democracies. Alfred Stephan (Prof of Government, Columbia U), Juan J. Linz (Prof of Pol and Soc Sci, Yale U), and Yogendra Yadav (co-director, Lokniti; senior fellow, Center for the Study of Developing Societies, Delhi). Baltimore MD: Johns Hopkins U Press, Dec 2010/304/$30pb.

Conventional wisdom holds that the political boundaries of a state coincide with cultural boundaries. But today’s sociocultural diversity of many polities renders this understanding obsolete. Offers a new paradigm, the “state-nation,” which addresses the need in democratic nations to accommodate distinct ethnic and cultural groups within a country while maintaining national political coherence. Shows how policies in India have helped to craft multiple but complementary identities, while policies in Sri Lanka have contributed to polarized and warring identities. (GOVERNMENT * MULTINATIONAL DEMOCRACIES * INDIA * “STATE-NATIONS”)

Religious Politics in Secular States: Egypt, India, and the United States. Scott W. Hibbard (Asst Prof of Politics, DePaul U). Baltimore MD: Johns Hopkins U Press, Oct 2010/320p/$60.

Probes why conservative religious tradition in the US, India, and Egypt remains so influential. Explains that: 1)religion serves as a basis for social solidarity and political mobilization; 2) in providing a moral framework, religion’s traditional elements make it relevant to modern political life; 3) by manipulating religion for personal gain, political elites undermined the secular consensus of the modern state since the end of WWII. These factors sparked right-wing religious populism in the three nations. (GOVERNMENT * RELIGIOUS POLITICS * EGYPT * INDIA)

Urban Diversity: Space, Culture, and Inclusive Pluralism in Cities Worldwide. Edited by Caroline Wanjiku Kihato (senior research fellow in planning, U of Witwatersrand) and four others. Washington: Woodrow Wilson Center Press (dist. by Johns Hopkins U Press), Jan 2011/400p/$65.

Examines the multiple meanings of inclusion and exclusion in fast-changing urban contexts; identifies specific areas of contestation, including public spaces and facilities, governmental structures, civil society institutions, cultural organizations, and cyberspace; explores socioeconomic and cultural mechanisms that can encourage inclusive pluralism in the world’s cities. (CITIES * DIVERSITY IN CITIES)

MISC. PUBLISHERS (18 items)

Evolution of Twenty-First Century Knowledge Workers (Special Issue). Edited by Francesco A. Calabrese (Director, Institute for Knowledge and Innovation, GWU). On the Horizon (www.emeraldinsight.com), 18:3, 2010, pp157-287.

Essays on knowledge management as a discipline, knowledge productivity coaches at Lockheed Martin, knowledge work in 2020 (workers need better information integration across devices and sources), six core strategies for knowledge empowerment (professional readiness, lifelong learning, building capacity, etc.), the daunting task of making sense of vast amounts of incoming information (once there is ubiquitous, integrated access), dynamics of knowledge-based organizations and the role of emotional intelligence, the search for meaning in knowledge-driven organizations, building the multidimensional mind/brain infrastructure, values as knowledge, future organization values that resonate with the new environment (increasing change, uncertainty, complexity, and anxiety, or CUCA), and the need for adaptive leadership. (WORK * KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT * BUSINESS)

Anticipatory Systems and the Philosophical Foundations of Futures Studies (Special Issue). Edited by Riel Miller (founder, XperidoX Futures Consulting; faculty member, Sciences Po, Paris) and Roberto Poli (ethics/futures studies/sociology, U of Trento, Italy). foresight: the journal of futures studies, strategic thinking, and policy, 12:3, 2010, 88p.

Essays on the many aspects of anticipation (in philosophy, biology, brain studies, psychology, social sciences, futures studies), the thinking of theoretical biologist Robert Rosen (1934-1998) on anticipatory systems in nature, anticipatory systems in physics, dynamic ontology, the ontological theory of Nicolai Hartmann (1882-1950), sociological contributions to futures’ theory building, and making anticipatory systems more robust. (METHODS * ANTICIPATORY SYSTEMS)

Europe 2030: Territorial Scenarios (Special Issue).. Edited by Simin Davoudi (School of Architecture and Planning, Newcastle U) and Ed Dammers (Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving, The Hague). Futures:The Journal of Policy, Planning, and Futures Studies, 42:8, Oct 2010, 779-855.

Presents findings of a scenario project funded by the European Spatial Observation Network. Papers focus on approaches to scenario construction (the model approach, the design approach, Shell’s strategic conversation approach), demographic scenarios of an aging Europe (very limited immigration vs. open borders), scenarios on spatial and economic development (a 2x2 matrix based on strong vs. weak cohesion and strong vs. weak competitiveness), energy scenarios (substantially higher prices vs. post-peak oil), contronting climate change (awaiting events vs. timely preparation), territorial futures (trends vs. competititon vs. cohesion), and Wild Cards of European futures (e.g., Global Ocean Conveyor shutdown cools NW Europe by 5 degrees C, the Euro becomes the de facto reserve currency by 2020, an era of energy scarcity as Iraq is plunged into civil war). (REGIONS/NATIONS * EUROPE 2030 SCENARIOS)

The Post-Catastrophe Economy: Prospering After the Great Recession. Eric Janszen (iTulip.com, Boston). NY: Portfolio, Sept 2010/224p/$25.95.

A financial analyst argues that an even bigger financial catastrophe is imminent and that tax cuts and fiscal stimulus will not work. Our problems are rooted in the debt-driven FIRE economy (Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate), and we must change our fundamental approach, using private and public funds to develop major for-profit transportation, energy, and communications infrastructure projects. This will spark employment and growth, reduce dependence on foreign energy and debt, and improve economic efficiency. (ECONOMY * ECONOMIC CRISIS)

Macrowikinomics: Rebooting Business and the World. Don Tapscott (nGenera Insight, Toronto) and Anthony D. Williams (Toronto). NY: Portfolio, Oct 2010/304p/$27.95 (www.Macrowikinomics.com).

Authors of Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything (2007) continues their argument that, in this new age of networked intelligence, businesses and communities are bypassing crumbling institutions worldwide. Shows how mass collaboration is working in education, healthcare, finance, the media, and environmental activism (e.g. the mass activism of 350.org). (BUSINESS * COMMUNICATION)

Cocaine Nation: How the White Trade Took Over the World. Tom Feiling (London UK). NY: Pegasus Books, Aug 2010/351p/$27.95 (published in UK as The Candy Machine, 2009).

A documentary filmmaker describes the US drug war, initiated four decades ago and costing $1 trillion, resulting in increased drug purity, lower street prices, overflowing prisons, and no victory in sight. Colombia remains the world’s leading producer of cocaine despite US efforts, but the front lines of the drug war have now moved to Mexico. Concludes that legalization has costs (perhaps wider addiction), but is the less ruinous solution, enabling taxation and creating more treatment beds instead of jail cells. (CRIME/JUSTICE * COCAINE TRADE * DRUG WARS)

The Facebook Effect: The Inside Story of the Company That Is Connecting the World. David Kirkpatrick (former senior editor, Fortune). NY: Simon & Schuster, June 2010/372p/$26; e-book $12.99; paper edition $16 in Feb 2011.

A history of how Mark Zuckerberg created the company, now with 500 million users, from his Harvard dorm room in 2004. Although an advocate of social networking and “radical transparency,” there are many questions about protecting user privacy. (COMMUNICATION & FACEBOOK)

How to Cool the Planet: Geoengineering and the Audacious Quest to Fix Earth’s Climate. Jeff Goodell (Saratoga Springs NY; contributing editor, Rolling Stone). NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, April 2010/272p/$26.

Author of Big Coal (Houghton Mifflin, 2006/324p) describes the attempts of scientists to lower the temperature of the planet with huge machines that suck CO2 from the air, machines that brighten clouds and deflect sunlight away from earth, and even artificial volcanoes that spray heat-reflecting particles into the atmosphere. Considered to be “fringe” only five years ago, geoengineering is now being taken seriously and may be our last best hope. There are risks, but the alternatives could be worse. However, the operation costs of tweaking the earth’s climate may be small compared to the legal costs. (CLIMATE CHANGE * GEOENGINEERING)

Russia after the Global Economic Crisis. Edited by Anders Aslund (senior fellow PIIE), Sergei Guriev (Prof of Economics, New Economics Schooll), and Andrew Kuchins (CSIS). Washington: Peterson Institute for International Economics, May 2010/262p/$22.95pb (free PDF download at www.piie.com).

The second book in the Russia Balance Sheet Project assesses current structural and policy shortcomings brought into sharp focus by the economic crisis, and sets forth tough choices that must be made to avoid future stagnation. Russia is doing well in the short term, but “facing huge structural challenges in the long run…the current system has exhausted its potential;” it still has substantial assets and “huge potential” for further change, but change will not be easy. Chapters discuss Russian politics, corruption and the rule of law, energy inefficiency, military reform, foreign policy, and federalism. (REGIONS/NATIONS * RUSSIA)

Gridlock: Why We’re Stuck in Traffic and What to Do About It. Randal O’Toole (senior fellow, Cato Institute).
Washington: Cato Institute, Jan 2010/232p/$24.95.

Traffic congestion today is five times worse than it was 25 years ago, yet many transport planners seem to seek even worse congestion so as to encourage people to use mass transit. Trains are more expensive than roads and cars, and far less green. We can follow the European model by discouraging auto mobility while subsidizing mass transport, or we can build a system relying on user fees without punitive taxation. The three core principles of such a system: 1) those who use the system should pay for it; 2) negative effects should be dealt with cost-effectively; 3) new technologies must be embraced. Also proposes turning surface transport funding and planning entirely over to the states. (TRANSPORTATION * TRAFFIC CONGESTION)

Evaluating Sustainability of Projected Water Demands in 2050 under Climate Change Scenarios. Natural Resources Defense Council. NY: NRDC, July 2010/40p/free PDF.

A study prepared by Tetra Tech, Inc integrates water withdrawal projections and future estimates of renewable water supply across the US, assessing future water availability in the face of a changing climate by using global climate change models for the next 20-40 years. “Under the business-as-usual scenario of demand growth, water supplies in 70% of US counties may be at risk to climate change, and about one-third of counties may be at high or extreme risk.” Pressure on public officials and water users to creatively manage supply and demand will be greatest in Florida, Texas, and the Southwest. (WATER * U.S. WATER DEMAND IN 2050)

Long for This World: The Strange Science of Immortality. Jonathan Weiner. NY: Ecco/HarperCollins, Aug 2010/310p/$27.99.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author describes the fractured and fuzzy science of immorality, with special attention to the British gerontologist Aubrey de Grey who seeks radical life extension by getting rid of “cellular junk” that leads to aging. Questions the desirability of immortality. (SCI/TECH * LIFE EXTENSION * IMMORTALITY)

What Technology Wants. Kevin Kelly (Pacifica CA; former executive editor of Wired; www.kk.org) . NY: Viking, Oct 2010/432p/$27.95.

Technology as a whole is not a jumble of wires and metal, but a living, evolving organism with its own unconscious needs and tendencies. Examples from the past are used to trace technology’s long course, followed by a dozen trajectories of technology into the near future. Three practical lessons: 1) by listening to what technology wants, we can better prepare for the inevitable technologies to come; 2) by adopting principles of pro-action and engagement, we can steer technologies into their best roles; 3) by aligning ourselves with the long-term imperatives of this near-living system, we can capture its full gifts and give our lives greater meaning. (SCI/TECH)

The World in 2050: Four Forces Shaping Civilization’s Northern Future. Laurence C. Smith (Prof of Geography and Earth Sciences, UCLA). NY: Dutton, Sept 2010/352p/$26.95.

World population is exploding, wild species are vanishing, our environment is degrading, and the costs of resources from oil to water are rising. Drawing on the latest global modeling research, Smith projects that eight nations of the Arctic Rim (including the US) will be increasingly prosperous, powerful, and politically stable. But nations closer to the equator will face water shortages, aging populations, and crowded megacities sapped by the rising costs of energy and coastal flooding. (REGIONS/NATIONS * ARCTIC RIM NATIONS * ENVIRONMENT)

* Disconnect: The Truth about Cell Phone Radiation, What the Industry Has Done to Hide It, and How to Protect Your Family. Devra Davis (Washington DC; Visiting Prof, Mt. Sinai Medical Center, NYC; www.devradavis.com ). NY: Dutton, Sept 2010/304p/$26.95.

Founding director of the toxicology and environmental studies board at the US National Academy of Sciences views cell phone radiation as “a national emergency.” Cell phone usage has been shown to damage DNA, break down the brain’s defense, reduce sperm count, and increase memory loss, the risk of Alzheimer’s, and even cancer. The growing brains of children make them especially vulnerable—and half of the world’s four billion cell phone users are under 20. Shows how federal regulatory standards are set by the trillion-dollar cell phone industry, and how we can make safer cell phones.
(HEALTH * CELL PHONE RADIATION * COMMUNICATIONS * CHILDREN)

Four Fish: The Future of the Last Wild Food.
Paul Greenberg (NYC). NY: The Penguin Press, July 2010/266p/$25.95; e-book $12.99.

Our relationship with the ocean is undergoing a profound transformation: just three decades ago, nearly everything we ate from the sea was wild; today, wild and farmed fish occupy equal parts of a complex marketplace. Greenberg explores the history of the four fish that dominate our menus—salmon, sea bass, cod, and tuna—and shows their current status. He also describes Norwegian mega-farms that use genetic techniques to grow millions of pounds of salmon each year, shows how PCBs and mercury find their way into seafood, and explains how we can start to heal the oceans and fight for a world where healthy and sustainable seafood is common. (Also see Globalization in Fisheries and Aquaculture; OECD, May 2010.)(FOOD/AGRICULTURE * AQUACULTURE * FISHERIES)

NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS

(4 items)

* Ocean Acidification: A National Strategy to Meet the Challenges of a Changing Ocean. National Research Council. Washington: National Academies Press, 2010/175p/$32pb (www.nap.edu).

Like climate change, ocean acidification is a growing global problem that will intensify with continued CO2 emissions. The ocean absorbs a significant portion of all CO2 emissions, which moderates the rate of climate change but also causes changes in ocean chemistry, which is “changing at an unprecedented rate and magnitude,” with a demonstrated impact on many marine organisms. Long-term consequences are not known, but are expected to result in changes to many ecosystems. Initial steps have been taken to develop a US ocean acidification program. A global observation network of chemical and biological sensors is needed to monitor changes.(OCEAN ACIDIFICATION * ENVIRONMENT)

* Toward Sustainable Agricultural Systems in the 21st Century. National Research Council (Committee on 21st Century Systems Agriculture). Washington: National Academies Press, 2010/598p/$65pb.

In the last 20 years, a remarkable emergence of innovations and technological advances have generated promising changes and opportunities for sustainable agriculture. Growing awareness of unintended impacts of some agricultural practices have led to heightened societal expectations for improved environmental, community, labor, and animal welfare standards. The scientific evidence is assessed on strengths and weaknesses of different production, marketing, and policy approaches for improving and reducing costs of agriculture.. Also explores how lessons learned about sustainability can be applied to agriculture in different regional settings, with emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa. By focusing on a systems approach, “this book can have a profound impact on development of sustainable farming systems.”
(FOOD/AGRICULTURE * SUSTAINABLE FARMING SYSTEMS * AGRICULTURE FOR 21C)

* The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health.
Institute of Medicine. Washington: National Academies Press, 2010/620p/$49.95 (free PDF at www.nap.edu).

Report of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Initiative on the Future of Nursing, exploring how the roles, responsibilities, and education of nurses should change significantly to meet increased demand for care in America’s increasingly complex health system. Nurses, numbering >3 million, make up the largest single segment of the health care work force, and spend the greatest amount of time delivering patient care. They should assume leadership roles in redesigning care in the US, and encourage further education (e.g., 80% with a bachelor’s degree by 2020). Regulatory and institutional obstacles that limit the scope of practice should be removed. Chapters and appendices focus on transforming education and leadership, meeting the need for better data, matching nursing practice to future needs, transformational models of nursing across different care settings, and international models of nursing. (HEALTH * NURSING REFORM)

* S&T Strategies of Six Countries: Implications for the United States. National Research Council. Washington: National Academies Press, 2010/126p (8x11”)/$32pb.

An increase in global access to knowledge and goods is transforming world-class science and technology by brining it within the capability of a growing number of global parties who must compete for resources, markets, and talent. “Globalization has facilitated the success of formal S&T plans in many developing countries.” As a result, centers for technological R&D are now globally dispersed, setting the stage for greater uncertainty in the political, economic, and security arenas. “These changes will have a potentially enormous impact for US national security policy, which for the past half century has been premised on US economic and technological dominance.” As the US monopoly on innovation wanes, arms export regulations and restrictions on visas for foreign S&T workers become less useful as security strategies. This report analyzes S&T strategies of Japan, Brazil, Russia, India, China, and Singapore (JBRICS), six countries that are undergoing remarkable growth in their S&T capabilities. The acute level of S&T competition today suggests that countries that fail to exploit new technologies will find their industries uncompetitive or obsolete. (SCI/TECH * TECHNOLOGY R&D IN SIX COUNTRIES)

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