The rapid trend of globalization has brought with it a variety of sustainability challenges, including global climate change, biodiversity loss, poverty, and social inequalities, which are problems with unclear boundaries, complicated interrelated components, undefined parameters, contradictory values, and no single solution. Social work has a long-standing tradition of emphasizing the interaction of people and their environment. For this reason, the field of social work is one of the best-placed academic disciplines for studying the impact of environmental change on social systems, and should play an important role in developing strategies for mitigating and adapting to these environmental challenges. However, traditional social work tends to lack sustaining work and neglect globally interconnected social problems. Combining case studies and country reports from around Asia with a theoretical framework for understanding sustainability concerns, this book aims to show how social work can play a valuable role in mitigating and adapting to environmental challenges and social sustainability. For social work to develop a meaningful and viable profession that addresses contemporary sustainability issues, it requires changes and transformation in paradigm, theories, strategies, social policy and social services that will facilitate a sustainable future for all mankind.

This open access book presents up-to-date analyses of community-based approaches to sustainable resource management of SEPLS (socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes) in areas where a harmonious relationship between the natural environment and the people who inhabit it is essential to ensure community and environmental well-being as well as to build resilience in the ecosystems that support this well-being. Understanding SEPLS and the forces of change that can weaken their resilience requires the integration of knowledge across a wide range of academic disciplines as well as from indigenous knowledge and experience. Moreover, given the wide variation in the socio-ecological makeup of SEPLS around the globe, as well as in their political and economic contexts, individual communities will be at the forefront of developing the measures appropriate for their unique circumstances. This in turn requires robust communication systems and broad participatory approaches. Sustainability science (SuS) research is highly integrated, participatory and solutions driven, and as such is well suited to the study of SEPLS. Through case studies, literature reviews and SuS analyses, the book explores various approaches to stakeholder participation, policy development and appropriate action for the future of SEPLS. It provides communities, researchers and decision-makers at various levels with new tools and strategies for exploring scenarios and creating future visions for sustainable societies.

Nature conservation planning tends to be driven by models based on Western norms and science, but these may not represent the cultural, philosophical and religious contexts of much of Asia. This book provides a new perspective on the topic of sacred natural sites and cultural heritage by linking Asian cultures, religions and worldviews with contemporary conservation practices and approaches. The chapters focus on the modern significance of sacred natural sites in Asian protected areas with reference, where appropriate, to an Asian philosophy of protected areas. Drawn from over 20 different countries, the book covers examples of sacred natural sites from all of IUCN’s protected area categories and governance types. The authors demonstrate the challenges faced to maintain culture and support spiritual and religious governance and management structures in the face of strong modernisation across Asia. The book shows how sacred natural sites contribute to defining new, more sustainable and more equitable forms of protected areas and conservation that reflect the worldviews and beliefs of their respective cultures and religions. The book contributes to a paradigm-shift in conservation and protected areas as it advocates for greater recognition of culture and spirituality through the adoption of biocultural conservation approaches.

Ch. 1. The impact of community forestry on biodiversity conservation in Nepal / Ishwari Prasad Poudel and Chou Loke-Ming -- ch. 2. Improving Leachate water quality using a wetland treatment system in Lorong Halus - A pilot study / Christian Budiman and Ting Yen-Ping -- ch. 3. Life cycle assessment of an urban waste refinery / Celia Chua Bee-Hong and Kua Harn-Wei -- ch. 4. A study of the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) Programs in primary schools, Singapore / Kelly Yong Kim-Lian and Victor R. Savage -- ch. 5. An assessment of sustainable cities / May Yadana Aung and Chou Loke-Ming -- ch. 6. Urban greenery as a mitigation strategy for urban heat island effect in high density commercial districts of Dhaka, Bangladesh / Nabanita Islam and Wong Nyuk-Hien -- ch. 7. The potential for residential water conservation in Dhaka, Bangladesh / Sonia F. Hoque, Asanga Gunawansa and Md. Mafizur Rahman -- ch. 8. Planned housing environments and children's outdoor play: Is child-friendliness possible? / Md Rashed Bhuyan and Tracey Skelton -- ch. 9. Wind: The alternative source of power for Singapore after solar energy? / Chew Keng-Hui and Lanry Yung -- ch. 10. The economics of wind energy / Alan Yau Wai-Hoo and Benjamin K. Sovacool -- ch. 11. Print media and climate change: A comparison of the 1992 Rio Summit and the 2009 Copenhagen Conference / Davina Loh and Victor R. Savage -- ch. 12. Green business strategies in the precision engineering industry in Singapore / Gan Chin-Yean and Audrey Chia -- ch. 13. The second green revolution: A review of the challenges and prospects / Leong Li-Sun and Victor R. Savage -- ch. 14. Towards broader implementation of corporate sustainability and sustainability reporting in the construction industry in Singapore / Kaia Margit Davis-Tan and Audrey Chia

This publication is the first Asia-Pacific report that comprehensively maps out the intersections between gender and environment at the levels of household, work, community and policy. It examines gender concerns in the spheres of food security, agriculture, energy, water, fisheries and forestry, and identifies strategic entry points for policy interventions. Based on a grounded study of the reality in the Asia-Pacific region, this report puts together good practices and policy lessons that could be capitalized by policymakers to advance the agenda of sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific.

Forests Are Gold examines the management of Vietnam's forests in the tumultuous twentieth century—from French colonialism to the recent transition to market-oriented economics—as the country united, prospered, and transformed people and landscapes. Forest policy has rarely been about ecology or conservation for nature’s sake, but about managing citizens and society, a process Pamela McElwee terms “environmental rule.” Untangling and understanding these practices and networks of rule illuminates not just thorny issues of environmental change, but also the birth of Vietnam itself.

Provides an overview of Native American philosophies, practices, and case studies and demonstrates how Traditional Ecological Knowledge provides insights into the sustainability movement.

Highlights the conflicts between economic growth and the conservation of nature in the context of sustainable development. Tisdell (economics, U. of Queensland, Australia) places particular emphasis on biological diversity and examines possible policies for resolving conflicts which arise from contrasting goals. He includes case studies from China and India and examines issues such as the value of resource and environmental economics in planning, the impact of economic globalization on conservation, priorities for the financial support of protected areas, the role of ecotourism, and the costs and benefits of conservation. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Shifting cultivation supports around 200 million people in the Asia-Pacific region alone. It is often regarded as a primitive and inefficient form of agriculture that destroys forests, causes soil erosion and robs lowland areas of water. These misconceptions and their policy implications need to be challenged. Swidden farming could support carbon sequestration and conservation of land, biodiversity and cultural heritage. This comprehensive analysis of past and present policy highlights successes and failures and emphasizes the importance of getting it right for the future. This book is enhanced with supplementary resources. The addendum chapters can be found at: www.cabi.org/openresources/91797