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An oft repeated myth is that Los Angeles is located in the desert. Not true I'm afraid. Las Vegas is built in a desert, as are eastern California cities such as Lancaster or Barstow, but Los Angeles was and is no desert in the strict sense of the word. With an average annual precipitation of 15 inches the city receives almost four times as much rainfall as Las Vegas. Los Angeles is semi-arid in terms of climate, but early accounts suggest many areas were even more verdant than the annual precipitation would indicate. The early Spanish and subsequent Mexican and American accounts suggest that it was anything like a desert when the region was first encountered by Europeans. This is because there were appreciable areas of the Los Angeles basin where artesian waters, sourced from the surrounding hills and mountains, fed springs or kept groundwater levels high during the dry summer months. This produced green woodlands, shrublands and grasslands described in early European accounts. Those conditions helped the region support native peoples such as the Gabrielino/Tongva, Chumash and Fernandeño/Tataviam for many millennia prior to European arrival.   The potential for productive farms and pastures was an inducement for European settlement and until the mid 1950's Los Angeles was one of the highest producing agricultural counties in the nation. El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles (modern Los Angeles) was founded by the Spanish inland on the banks of the Rio Porciúncula (modern Los Angeles River) because this site in the middle of the basin provided ample permanent water fed by surrounding hills and mountains. The natural and agricultural landscapes of Los Angeles are now largely paved over or otherwise erased.   Driving through the lush precincts of Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Las Feliz or the UCLA campus one might accept the alternative myth that the region is a lush tropical realm of fig trees, palms, citrus trees, birds of paradise plants and b

The Right to Water: Politics, Governance and Social StrugglesEntradax  Farhana Sultana farhana@jonosc.com20:55 (21 horas atrás) para URBGEOG Hello everyone, Apologies for cross-postings and mass email, but a new book has just been published that may be of interest to folks on the list. Details of the book description, table of contents, and reviews are provided below, and as well as the link to the publisher's website for further information. Please feel free to circulate this email to other interested colleagues and institutions. Thanks! Best wishes,Farhana  "The Right to Water: Politics, Governance and Social Struggles" Edited by Farhana Sultana and Alex Loftus Earthscan (Taylor and Francis), UK, 2011 http://www.taylorandfrancis.com/books/details/9781849713597/  Description: The right to clean water has been adopted by the United Nations as a basic human right. Yet how such universal calls for a right to water are understood, negotiated, experienced and struggled over remain key challenges. The Right to Water elucidates how universal calls for rights articulate with local historical geographical contexts, governance, politics and social struggles, thereby highlighting the challenges and the possibilities that exist. Bringing together a unique range of academics, policy-makers and activists, the book analyzes how struggles for the right to water have attempted to translate moral arguments over access to safe water into workable claims. This book is an intervention at a crucial moment into the shape and future direction of struggles for the right to water in a range of political, geographic and socio-economics contexts, seeking to be pro-active in defining what this struggle could mean and how it might be taken forward in a far broader transformative politics. The Right to Water engages with a range of approaches that focus on philosophical, legal and governance perspectives before seeking to apply these more abstract arguments to an array of conc

The Great Lakes face grave danger as pollution, over-extraction, invasive species, and wetland loss continue to intensify, exacting a devastating toll on the watershed. While beaches close and fisheries decline, private companies are eyeing these precious waters for increased exploitation, whether in the form of additional commercial bottled water export, mining, oil and gas exploration, or control of once public water services. Decades of organizing, advocacy, legal and treaty rights work have made tremendous headway against the threats to the Lakes. These campaigns have slowed the devastation, created higher barriers for abuse, and insisted on public interest in water decisions. But still, the threats to enclose, appropriate and exploit our Great Lakes escalate faster than ever. On the Commons asserts that the many problems we face will not be solved piecemeal or by efforts that focus solely on ecological degradation or social injustice. We will be stymied in creating the future we want if we continue to fight the attacks on the lakes one by one without also developing a transformative vision and ground-breaking strategy. What is called for is a game-changing plan. Our Great Lakes Water Commons Initiative acts as a game changer in multiple ways. First, the Initiative makes an explicit connection between social inequities, disregard of community participation in resource decisions and environmental damage in the Great Lakes region. Such a holistic view is critical to ensuring not only the health and well being of the Lakes, but also the people who live there. For example: When water use decisions are made without community agreement, community members are further excluded from their rightful role in governance and stewardship of vital resources. When water belongs to those who can buy it and not to our communities, the future of every living being is jeopardized. When financially strapped municipalities sell water rights and access rather than prior

Look inside Water Policy Reform Lessons in Sustainability from the Murray-Darling Basin John Quiggin , Thilak Mallawaarachchi , Sarah Chambers Edited by John Quiggin, Thilak Mallawaarachchi and Sarah Chambers, The University of Queensland, Australia 2012 256 pp Hardback 978 1 78100 031 1 Hardback $110.00 on-line price $99.00 Qty This book is also available as an ebook  978 1 78100 032 8 from - www.EBSCOhost.com www.myilibrary www.ebooks.com www.ebookscorporation.com www.dawsonera.com www.ebrary.com/corp/ www.books.google.com/ebooks Description 'This book is a must-read for anyone interested in how to ensure sustainability while effectively addressing social and economic issues. The contributors are all well-recognised in their areas of expertise and their chapters are highly informative. The book's focus is on policy reform in the Murray-Darling Basin. It offers a "window to the future" and important insights for other parts of the world that are also facing the dilemma of the overextraction of water and what to do about it. I highly recommend it.' - Quentin Grafton, The Australian National University Contents Contributors: D. Adamson, O. Banerjee, J. Bennett, S. Chambers, J. Connor, L. Crase, T. Cummins, S. Driml, T. Goesch, P. Gooday, D. Hatton MacDonald, T. Mallawaarachchi, A. McClintock, M. Morrison, N. Nguyen, D. Pannell, J. Quiggin, H. Ross, A. Ryan, P. Schrobback, S. Tapsuwan, A. Watson, M. Young, Z. Zarezadeh Further information 'This book is a must-read for anyone interested in how to ensure sustainability while effectively addressing social and economic issues. The contributors are all well-recognised in their areas of expertise and their chapters are highly informative. The book's focus is on policy reform in the Murray-Darling Basin. It offers a "window to the future" and important insights for other parts of the world that are also facing the dilemma of the overextraction of water and what to do about it. I highly

Water Accounting International Approaches to Policy and Decision-making Jayne M. Godfrey , Keryn Chalmers Edited by Jayne M. Godfrey, Dean, College of Business and Economics, The Australian National University and Keryn Chalmers, Head, Department of Accounting and Finance, Monash University 2012 336 pp Hardback 978 1 84980 749 4 Hardback $150.00 on-line price $135.00 Qty This book is also available as an ebook  978 1 84980 750 0 from - www.EBSCOhost.com www.myilibrary www.ebooks.com www.ebookscorporation.com www.dawsonera.com www.ebrary.com/corp/ www.books.google.com/ebooks Description One of the most pressing global issues of the 21st century is the scarcity of water of a quantity appropriate to ensure economic, environmental and social sustainability. In addressing the issue through policy and management, of critical importance is access to high quality information. But water scarcity has many implications, and it is possible that different reporting approaches, generally called water accounting systems, can be appropriate to addressing them. In this groundbreaking book, international experts respond to the question: what role can water accounting play in resolving individual, organizational, industry, national and international economic, social and environmental issues? They explore how various forms of water accounting are utilized and the issues that they address.

Concerned with water resources throughout his career, Luna B. Leopold has at last brought together over forty years of experience to produce Water, Rivers and Creeks, a nontechnical primer on hydrology and water resources. As an expert engineer, meteorologist, environmentalist and geologist, few individuals could provide the breadth of coverage with the insightful brevity that characterize this introduction to water. By integrating the basics of hydrology and geomorphology with the practical formulation of policy, this book is intended for the general public, students of environmental studies, legislators, policy makers, and all others who are interested in the use, control, and management of water.

The Geopolitics Of Natural Resources David L. Feldman Edited by David Lewis Feldman, Professor and Chair, Department of Planning, Policy and Design and Professor of Political Science, University of California, Irvine, US 2011 672 pp Hardback 978 0 85793 074 3 Hardback £215.00 on-line price £193.50 Qty Series: Elgar Mini Series Description 'An inspired anthology of classic and contemporary reading concerning geopolitics and the the commons, this book provides essential background for students and practitioners of natural resources governance.' - Helen Ingram, University of California, Irvine, US Contents 30 articles, dating from 1950 to 2005 Contributors include: T. Beatley, M. Cole, A. Dinar, P. Haas, T. Homer-Dixon, K. Jacobs, M. McGinnis, R. Mitchell, K. Lee, H. Vaux, Jr. Further information 'An inspired anthology of classic and contemporary reading concerning geopolitics and the the commons, this book provides essential background for students and practitioners of natural resources governance.' - Helen Ingram, University of California, Irvine, US This significant collection examines the diverse ways natural resources are managed and controlled and the controversies that arise regarding their use, allocation, and protection resulting from governance decisions and policies. Professor Feldman has selected seminal works which focus on several key issues, including the role of common property resources in questions of trans-boundary resource management, the diverse ways societies and interest groups accord value to resources and their use, and how resources are catalysts for both international conflict and cooperation. This authoritative volume will be of immense value to students, professionals and practitioners interested in the field of geopolitics and natural resources. Full table of contents Contents: Acknowledgements Introduction David Lewis Feldman PART I GEOPOLITICS AND THE COMMONS 1. Michael V. McGinnis (1995), 'On the Verge of

"They asked the hard question as to whether, in fact, the new infrastructure meant to extract more water would, in the long run, actually ensure continuous and increased water supply. Rather than tap new surface and groundwater sources, they concluded that it made more economic and ecological sense to conserve water through cheaper system repair and watershed protection."

Using planetary science to shape economics By Oliver Greenfield - Green Economy Coalition - September, 2011 Six big ideas for a green infrastructure capable of protecting people and future generations Economic theory (and common sense) tells us that when something is valuable, and it is free, its use tends to infinity - this explains why trees, biodiversity, freshwater and atmospheric space for carbon are all being used 'like there is no tomorrow'. It also assumes that when something is exhausted (or too expensive), a substitute is almost certain to be found. Economic theory then takes this substitution concept up to a macro level and thinks of the 'trade-off' between environment and economy. The logic is that we can have 'more environment' if we are prepared to put up with 'less economy', or we can have 'less environment' if we want a bigger economy. The traditional economic world view that dominates the political spectrum is based on infinite resources, substitution, and ultimately this trade-off between environment and economy. If the rationale behind our economic system is based on some of these assumptions, then it seems fitting for us to explore whether the planet can indeed support these assumptions. Let us take a quick journey into planetary science. Back to basics Gravitational forces, generated both by the earth orbiting the sun and the moon orbiting the planet, create movement and flow of magma, collision of tectonic plates and surfacing of minerals. These minerals are weathered and distributed across the earth's surface, primarily by water. The constant heating and cooling created by the earth's rotation accelerates the chemical reactions between newly released minerals (soils and rocks) and atmospheric gases. These chemical reactions are the pool from which life emerged, creating single cells capable of using minerals and energy from the sun to photosynthesise; generating proteins for their own growth, and respiring to br

THE PLATFORM OF SOLUTIONS  JOIN THE 1,000 ACTIVE MEMBERS  AND SHARE YOUR SOLUTIONS  WITH THE WORLD The 6th World Water Forum in Marseille will be the Forum of Solutions. The online platform Solutions for Water was developed for everyone to take part and to enable the sharing of solutions on the widest scale possible. Today the Platform of Solutions counts over 1,000 active members. Since its launch in August 2011 there have been nearly 20,000 visitors from 154 countries - approximately 500 per day. Nearly 900 solutions have already been submitted and numbers are growing from day to day. We are proud to announce that a new version of the platform has been launched, with an updated set of functionalities such as saving a solution before submitting, an advanced search system, including geolocation… Also included in the new more dynamic user-interface is a social media sharing system. Members can thus easily exchange ideas and network with each other, to ultimately meet-up in real life during the 6th World Water Forum week in March. With this interactive tool people from all horizons can propose and access concrete and practical solutions. It was designed to receive all types of contributions, whether for finance, governance, education or communication purposes… It will also help foster and secure the necessary commitments for their implementation and upscaling throughout the world. All the solutions submitted via the platform will be put forward in various ways during the Forum week. Share your solutions with the world!  solutionsforwater.org

Certificate in Global Environment Challenges Human activity is increasingly changing the natural environment at an unprecedented rate. Humanity faces a range of complex and interrelated challenges: global warming, ecosystem disruption, biodiversity loss, and for many, increasing difficulty in meeting basic human needs for energy, food, water and shelter. As a result, environmental issues are inextricably linked to many aspects of local, regional and global development, health, security and politics. The Postgraduate Certificate in Global Environment Challenges is an online distance learning programme for people working, or or considering a career, at the intersections of policy, real-world practice and/or research in a range of sectors including government, international agencies, NGOs, private sector and academia. Environmental challenges can only be adequately understood and addressed by considering how human activity, intentional or not, drives environmental change. Likewise development and health challenges can not be fully understood and addressed without appreciating their environmental dimensions. The certificate therefore takes an interdisciplinary approach, drawing on expertise from across and beyond the University to develop participants' knowledge, understanding and skills. The distance learning programme offers a flexible approach to personal and professional development and can be studied around your other commitments, including full time work, from anywhere in the world with internet access. Check out the Global Environment Challenges microsite at http://www.gec.jux.com/   To apply online, please click:  The Courses The Global Environment Certificate programme is delivered as an online distance learning, 60-credit Postgraduate Certificate, comprising the following three 20 credit taught courses: 1. Global Environment Challenges (Core Course) This course introduces the nature and relevance of key environmental challenges. Taking an integ

NCEE Working Papers by Subject Quick Links NCEE Working Paper Series Instructions Subject Area Classifications NCEE Working Papers by Year NCEE Working Papers by Authors powered by NCEE Custom Search: Working Papers All NCEE Web Acid Rain Agriculture: Land Use Air Pollution Ambient Air Quality Benefit-Cost Analysis Biodiversity Children's Health Climate Change Costs of Pollution Control Cross-media pollution Discounting Distributional Effects Economic Damages/Benefits Economic Impacts Electric Power Energy Enforcement Issues Environment and Development Environmental Management: General Environmental Policy Existence/Nonuse Values Exposure Assessment Forests Hazardous Waste Health Industrial Sources Institutional Issues: General International Trade Marine/Coastal Zone Resources Modeling Non-Point Source Pollution Pollution Control Options and Economic Incentives Recreation/Travel Demand Recreation Renewable Resources and Conservation: General Renewable Resources and Conservation: Land Use Risk Assessment Solid Waste Sustainable Agriculture Toxic Substances Transportation Valuation Methods Valuation Water Pollution Water Resources Water Supply

From targets to solutions and commitments, the 6th World Water Forum "Time for Solutions" is advocating a strategic approach to solving key water problems. Whether institutional, technical, legal, financial or communication-related, a solution is a successful answer to a problem and contributes to reaching one of the Forum's ambitious thematic and regional targets. Commitments can then be sought at all levels and from all kind of stakeholders to strengthen the implementation and follow-up of the target action plans and promising solutions.

Welcome to the Environmental Economics Research Hub The goal of the Environmental Economics Research Hub is to address Australia's major environmental management challenges with integrated economic research that provides immediate and continuing policy impacts. It brings together leading environmental economists, scientists, educators and policy makers to face the challenges of sustainable water use, soil loss and salinity, biodiversity loss and adaptation to climate change. EERH is proudly associated with the Australian Centre for Biosecurity and Environmental Economics (AC BEE), the Centre for Water Economics, Environment and Policy (CWEEP), and the Centre for Climate Economics & Policy (CCEP).

Dear all, I am considering putting forward a proposal for one or two Special Issues of a water-focused, peer-reviewed journal (in the English language) as a Guest Editor. I have two topics in mind: 1) Papers that seek to assess the effectiveness of the river basin council model. and 2) Papers examining sanitation and wastewater from a multidisciplinary perspective. Each paper would be about 6,000-8,000 words. I am looking for both empirical papers and theoretical pieces. Before I submit the proposals to the journal editor, I would like to have an initial statement of interest, so please just reply to my email address (raul.pacheco-vega AT ubc DOT ca) and send me a brief summary of what your proposed paper would look at. The sooner I receive proposals, the better. Once I have gauged initial interest from folks, I will be able to prepare both proposals and offer more information on timelines, the journal to be targeted and so on. Thanks! Dr. Raul Pacheco-Vega ____________________________________________ Dr. Raul Pacheco-Vega Lecturer, Department of Political Science The University of British Columbia Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4 Canada http://www.raulpacheco.org

JOIN THE GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR RIGHTS OF NATURE The Global Alliance is a world-wide movement of individuals and organizations creating human communities that respect and defend the rights of Nature. At the core we know that when we disrespect and harm Nature we diminish ourselves and impoverish our children. Societies that do not respect the rights of rivers to flow and forests to grow undermine us all. A human right to life and dignity is meaningless without water and wilderness.

the commons movement The commons is what we share together. From parks and clean water to scientific knowledge and the Internet, some things are no one's private property. They exist for everyone's benefit, and must be protected for future generations. A movement is emerging today to create a commons-based society. What is On The Commons? On the Commons is a citizens' network that highlights the importance of the commons in our lives, and promotes innovative commons-based solutions to create a brighter future.

What is a Commons-based society? Print A commons-based society refers to a shift in values and policies away from the market-based system that dominates modern society, especially over the past 30 years. The foundation of the market is narrowly focused on private wealth, while the commons is built upon what we all share-air, water, public spaces, public health, public services, the Internet, cultural endowments and much more. One of the most compelling ideas being raised today is the possibility of evolving from a market-based society to a commons-based society. The commons has always been an element of human civilization. But its central role in sustaining all societies has recently been rediscovered, inspiring new lines of thinking in fields ranging from high technology to public health to business. A commons-based society is one that values and protects commons assets, managing them for the benefit of everyone. Market-based solutions would be valuable tools in a commons-based society, as long as they do not undermine the workings of the commons itself.

Predicting Stakeholder Support for Fishery Policies Preview Buy now DOI:10.1080/08920753.2011.637484 Arren Mendezona Allegrettia, Jerry J. Vaskea & Stuart Cottrella pages 20-32 Available online: 09 Dec 2011 Alert me Abstract Fisheries management has been used to address declining fisheries and threats to livelihood and food security. Past research suggests that public support for fishery policies is a necessary component for sustaining the long-term success of fisheries management. This study predicted public support by examining fishers' perspectives on co-management and fish catch since the establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs), a commonly employed fisheries management tool. Data were obtained from onsite surveys (n = 505) with fishers from three municipalities in Cebu, Philippines: Oslob, Santander, and Samboan. Structural path analyses revealed that beliefs about co-management and fish catch predicted support for fishery policies (R2 = 59%). Separate path analyses for each municipality showed that co-management had greater influence in predicting public support for fishery policies in Oslob and Santander. Fish catch was a better predictor for public support for fishery policies in Samboan. Results can help local governments, non-governmental organizations, and fishery managers to prioritize, plan, and improve fisheries management in municipal waters.

2 de 733     CFP: Beyond the Culture of Nature Entrada X   Responder Ruth Morgan ruthmorgan@mac.com para H-WATER mostrar detalhes 05:57 (2 horas atrás) From: "Wellock, Thomas" Date: 19 January 2012 7:26:42 PM Second Call for Papers: Beyond the Culture of Nature: Rethinking Canadian and Environmental Studies Location: The University of British Columbia, Vancouver campus (http://www.canadianstudies.ubc.ca/) Date: 29-30 September, 2012 Canadian and Environmental Studies are two fields in transformation.  Initiated in part as emancipatory projects in the 1970s, seeking to define subjects and articulate their meanings, the two fields have diverged and been complicated by shifting ideas about nation and nationalism on the one hand, and the environment and sustainability on the other.  Wilderness once stood as a central shared concern of the two fields, but constructivist critiques have highlighted its associations with race, gender, settler societies and social power, and the discourse of sustainability has transcended wilderness as a cultural and linguistic artifact, reliant on a binary vision of nature and culture.  This conference asks what has replaced the culture of nature that once provided common ground for Canadian and Environmental Studies?  How do area and interdisciplinary studies intersect, and with what benefits and problems?  Does a shared agenda remain?  This conference seeks to bring Canadian and Environmental Studies scholars together to discuss and debate the relations of their two fields and imagine the intertwined futures of Canadian and Environmental Studies. Possible conference themes include:        The place of nature in Canadian Studies        The place of Canada in Environmental Studies        What's left of wilderness and the culture of nature?        Understanding Canada, regions and places in a world of global flows and environmental processes