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	politics & development books If you agree with our message, and want to help us spread it, and to keep providing free information via our factsheets, links and forum, as well as all the other things we do, please get books from us instead of from giant companies with a very different agenda.


	the great turning: from empire to earth community David Korten In his classic international bestseller, When Corporations Ruled the World, Korten exposed the destructive and oppressive nature of the global corporate economy and helped spark a global resistance movement. Here, he argues that corporate consolidation of power is merely one manifestation of what he calls 'empire': the organisation of society through hierarchy and violence that has largely held sway for the past 5000 years. The Great Turning masterfully traces the roots of empire to ancient times and charts the long evolution of its favoured instruments of control, from monarchies and bureaucracies to the transnational institutions of the global economy. Empire is not the natural order of things - we can turn away from it. Korten draws on evidence from sources as varied as evolutionary theory, developmental psychology, and religious teachings to make the case that 'earth community' - a life-centred, egalitarian, sustainable way of ordering human society based on democratic principles of partnership - is indeed possible, and he details a grassroots strategy for beginning the momentous turning toward a future of as-yet-unrealised human potential. 408pp more on politics & development Price: £15.99
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	the upside of down: catastrophe, creativity and the renewal of civilisation Thomas Homer-Dixon The Upside of Down sets out a theory of the growth, crisis, and renewal of societies. Today's converging energy, environmental, and political-economic stresses could cause a breakdown of national and global order. Yet there are things we can do now to keep such a breakdown from being catastrophic. And some kinds of breakdown could even open up extraordinary opportunities for creative, bold reform of our societies, if we're prepared to exploit these opportunities when they arise. 448pp more on politics & development Price: £15.00
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	seeds of destruction: the hidden agenda of genetic manipulation F William Engdahl This skilfully researched book focuses on how a small socio-political American elite seeks to establish its control over the very basis of human survival, the provision of our daily bread. 'Control the food and you control the people'. This is no ordinary book about the perils of GMO. Engdahl takes the reader inside the corridors of power, into the backrooms of the science labs, behind closed doors in the corporate boardrooms. The author reveals a World of profit-driven political intrigue, government corruption and coercion, where genetic manipulation and the patenting of life forms are used to gain world-wide control over food production. The book is an eye-opener, a must-read for all those committed to the causes of social justice and World peace. 341pp more on politics & development Price: £19.99
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	the spirit level: why equality is better for everyone Kate Pickett & Richard Wilkinson Why do we mistrust people more in the UK than in Japan? Why do Americans have higher rates of teenage pregnancy than the French? What makes the Swedish thinner than the Greeks? The answer: inequality. This groundbreaking book, based on years of research, provides hard evidence to show: how almost everything - from life expectancy to depression levels, violence to illiteracy - is affected not by how wealthy a society is, but how equal it is; that societies with a bigger gap between rich and poor are bad for everyone in them - including the well-off; and, how we can find positive solutions and move towards a happier, fairer future. Urgent, provocative and genuinely uplifting, "The Spirit Level" has been heralded as providing a new way of thinking about ourselves and our communities, and could change the way you see the world. 400pp more on politics & development Price: £10.99
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	world on the edge : how to prevent environmental and economic collapse Lester Brown In this urgent time, "World on the Edge" calls out the pivotal environmental issues and how to solve them now. We are in a race between political and natural tipping points. Can we close coal-fired power plants fast enough to save the Greenland ice sheet and avoid catastrophic sea level rise? Can we raise water productivity fast enough to halt the depletion of aquifers and avoid water-driven food shortages? And can we cope with peak water and peak oil at the same time? 144pp more on politics & development Price: £12.99
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	the ecological rift: capitalism's war on the earth Brett Clark, John Foster, Richard York Critically examining the sanguine arguments of mainstream economists and technologists, Foster, Clark, and York insist instead that fundamental changes in social relations must occur if the ecological (and social) problems presently facing us are to be transcended. Their analysis relies on the development of a deep dialectical naturalism concerned with issues of ecology and evolution and their interaction with the economy. Importantly, they offer reasons for revolutionary hope in moving beyond the regime of capital and toward a society of sustainable human development. 352pp more on politics & development Price: £14.95
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	the politics of the earth: environmental discourses 2nd ed John Dryzek The Politics of the Earth offers a new way of classifying and comparing the main strands of environmental politics. It is a fascinating and essential reading for all students of environmental politics and policy, and for anyone with an interest in environmental issues. 256pp more on politics & development Price: £25.99
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	the new golden age : a revolution against political corruption and economic chaos Ravi Batra Bringing his signature insight and expertise, the controversial economist Ravi Batra takes on a host of problems facing the world economy, including the oil and housing bubbles, falling minimum wages, corporate scandals, gross ethical lapses, the rise of celebrity economists at the Federal Reserve and elsewhere, and political crises of all kinds. He is unflinching in his criticism of the global economic elites and the suffering and deprivation they have caused in the lives of ordinary men and women. At the same time, he also offers an expansive, optimistic vision of how the international community can overcome the many challenges before it and bring about something historically unprecedented: true global economic prosperity. 256pp more on politics & development Price: £12.99
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	life inc: how the world became a corporation and how to take it back Douglas Rushkoff Douglas Rushkoff was mugged outside his apartment on Christmas Eve, but when he posted a friendly warning on his community website, the responses castigated him for potentially harming the local real-estate market. When did these corporate values overtake civic responsibilities? Rushkoff examines how corporatism has become an intrinsic part of our everyday lives, choices and opinions. He demonstrates how this system created a world where everything can be commodified, where communities have dissolved into consumer groups, where fiction and reality have become fundamentally blurred. And, with this system on the verge of collapse, Rushkoff shows how the simple pleasures that make us human can also point the way to freedom. 304pp more on politics & development Price: £9.99
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	bioregional solutions: for living on one planet Pooran Desai & Sue Riddlestone We live in a consumer society, and over-consumption is the driving force of environmental degradation. This stark reality led Pooran Desai and Sue Riddlestone to found BioRegional Development Group. In this Briefing they show how we can meet more of our needs for wood products, paper, textiles, food and housing from local renewable and waste resources. They outline the theoretical framework of bioregional development and the award winning practical solutions that BioRegional have developed with industry partners. They quantify how we can significantly reduce CO2 emissions and recycle waste, and so greatly reduce our ecological footprint. 112pp more on politics & development Price: £7.00
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	globalization and its discontents Joseph Stiglitz In this hugely controversial book, the most recent winner of the Nobel Prize for Economics argues that though globalization should be a powerful force for good, it has been badly mishandled by the West (especially its lead institutions, the World Bank and the IMF), and that the anti-globalizing protesters have much to say that we should listen to. Coming from a figure of Stiglitz's background and authority, this is an explosive message which will change the way we regard modern global politics. 320pp more on politics & development Price: £9.99
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	communities, councils and a low-carbon future: what we can do if governments won't Alexis Rowell includes current examples of best eco practice from local authorities across the UK and elsewhere, as well as a look at the background to unsuccessful projects. This book is designed to inform and inspire councils and councillors, as well as local environmental activists, community groups and Transition Initiatives. Local government can be a huge driver for positive change, but not on its own. Communities need to understand what they can reasonably (and unreasonably!) ask for from local councils, and they need to know exactly what levers they can pull. 216pp more on politics & development Price: £14.95
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	the affluent society J K Galbraith A classic. 'A compelling challenge to conventional thought' - New York Times. In this newly updated edition of his classic text on the "economics of abundance", Galbraith lays bare the hazards of individual and social complacency about economic inequality. It is as relevant now, with the ever-widening gap between rich and poor, as when it was first published 40 years ago. Galbraith challenges why we worship work and productivity when so many of the goods we produce are superfluous, and why we grudge spending on public works while ignoring extravagance in the private sector. The Affluent Society exemplifies Galbraith's wit, clarity and eloquence of prose. 288pp more on politics & development Price: £10.99
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	rising powers, shrinking planet Michael Klare From the pre-eminent expert on resource geopolitics, an indispensable account of how the world's increasing demand for ever-diminishing supplies of vital resources is radically changing the international balance of power. There is a permanent new structure of world power, one in which market forces and military strength matter far less than the global scarcity of vital natural resources. Documenting this new dynamic, Michael Klare forecasts a future of surprising new alliances and explosive danger. As essential sources of energy rapidly deplete, governments rather than corporations are taking over the pursuit of resources. The future holds a radically altered world where the West is forced to compete with the 'Chindia' juggernaut and a resurgent Russia holds Europe to ransom. The only route to survival, Klare shows, lies in an unprecedented level of international cooperation. A window into the current oil crisis engulfing the world, this is an essential and highly relevant insight into the future of global politics. 336pp more on politics & development Price: £10.99
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	the end of money and the future of civilisation Thomas H Greco This book couldn't be more timely, given the current economic situation. Like the proverbial fish that doesn't know what water is, we swim in an economy built on money that few of us comprehend. And what we don't know is hurting us. "The End of Money and the Future of Civilization" demystifies the subjects of money, banking and finance by tracing historical landmarks and important evolutionary shifts that have changed the essential nature of money. Greco's masterful work lays out the problems and then looks to the future for the next stage in money's evolution that can liberate us from the current grip of centralized and politicized money power. Greco provides specific design proposals and exchange-system architectures for local, regional, national, and global financial systems. He offers innovative strategies for their implementation and outlines actions that grassroots organizations, businesses, and governments will need to take to achieve success. 304pp more on politics & development Price: £12.99
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	the transition timeline: for a local, resilient future Shaun Chamberlin The Transition Timeline lightens the fear of our uncertain future, providing a map of what we are facing and the different pathways available to us. It describes four possible scenarios for the UK and world over the next twenty years, ranging from Denial, in which we reap the consequences of failing to acknowledge and respond to our environmental challenges, to the Transition Vision, in which we shift our cultural assumptions to fit our circumstances and move into a more fulfilling, lower energy world. The practical, realistic details of this Transition Vision are examined in depth, covering key areas such as food, energy, demographics, transport and healthcare, and they provide a sense of context for communities working towards a thriving future. The book also provides a detailed and accessible update on climate change and peak oil and the interactions between them, including their impacts in the UK, present and future. Use it. Choose your path, and then make that future real with your actions, individually and with your community. As Rob Hopkins outlines in his foreword, there is a rapidlyspreading movement addressing these challenges, and it needs you. 192pp more on politics & development Price: £12.95
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	meeting environmental challenges: the role of human identity Tom Crompton and Tim Kasser In addressing environmental challenges like climate change, governments, charities and business tend to focus either on changing policy or business practice, or on urging individuals to adopt different behaviour. The role of human identity is largely absent from the debate. And yet, our identities - who we see ourselves as being - have a profound impact in shaping the responses we make to environmental challenges. This provocative book will rattle the cages of many environmentalists, 'green-minded' business-people and policy makers. In it, Crompton and Kasser suggest that many current approaches to addressing problems like climate change may actually inadvertently serve to reinforce those aspects of identity that drive us towards unsustainable behaviour in first place. They suggest that it will only be by re-shaping political debate and social institutions in order to promote more helpful aspects of identity that we can have any hope of meeting environmental challenges. The book closes by highlighting the opportunities that this perspective presents for building new alliances between people working not just on environmental issues, but also on a range of social and developmental concerns: Many of those aspects of human identity that frustrate progress on the environmental agenda also frustrate progress on meeting other challenges. 96pp more on politics & development Price: £8.00
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	time's up!: an uncivilized solution to a global crisis Keith Farnish This is not an environmental book, even though it is concerned with the environment. It is not a book to save the world, even though the world is clearly in trouble. Ultimately, "Time's Up!" is a book about survival; about ensuring that every individual human has the means to save herself or himself from the global crisis that is unfolding. People know that the climate is changing, that species are being removed from the Earth at a rapidly increasing rate, that entire ecosystems are becoming shadows of their former richness; they know, but they do not understand. The global environmental crisis is closing in on humanity from all directions, yet the crisis barely registers on this culture's list of problems.As we stand, humanity is doomed to a collapse that will leave only a few nomads, and a toxic, barely survivable Earth in its wake. So why is nothing being done beyond changing light bulbs, recycling and buying organic food? It's certainly not for a lack of good reasons. Humans have no motivation stronger than survival, yet the culture that dominates - the culture we call Industrial Civilization - has created a set of priorities that value financial wealth, the possession of superfluous goods and short, cheap thrills, above that most basic need.In short, we are prepared to die in order to live a life that is killing us. "Time's Up!" is all about changing this. It describes what our actions are doing to the very things on Earth that we depend on for survival, at scales that we rarely contemplate. It arms us with the tools to free us from the culture that has blinded us for centuries, and which will allow us to live lives that will give the Earth, and ourselves, a future. "Time's Up!" proposes something radical, fundamental and frightening; something long-term, exhilarating and absolutely necessary; something totally uncivilized. 192pp more on politics & development Price: £9.95
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	soil not oil: climate change, peak oil and food insecurity Vandana Shiva Climate change will dramatically alter how we live and is already affecting the lives of the world's most vulnerable people. In "Soil Not Oil", bestselling author Vandana Shiva connects the food crisis, peak oil, and climate change to show that a world beyond a dependence on fossil fuel and globalization is both possible and necessary. Bold and visionary, Shiva reveals how three crises are inherently linked and that any attempt to solve one without addressing the others will get us nowhere. Condemning industrial agriculture and industrial biofuels as recipes for ecological and economic disaster, Shiva's champion is the small, independent farm.What we need most in a time of changing climates and millions hungry, she argues, are sustainable, biologically diverse farms that are more resistant to disease, drought, and flood. Calling for a return to local economies and small-scale food production Shiva outlines our remaining options: a market-centred short-term escape for the privileged, which will deepen the crisis for the poor and marginalized, or a people-centred fossil-fuel-free future, which will offer a decent living for all. 320pp more on politics & development Price: £12.99
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	the party's over: oil, war and the fate of industrial societies Richard Heinberg Without oil, what would you do? How would you travel? How would you eat? What would everyday life be like? The world is about to change dramatically and permanently as a result of oil depletion. Within the next few years, the global production of oil will peak. Thereafter, even with a switch to alternative energy sources, industrial societies will have less energy available to do all the things essential to their survival. We are entering a new era as different from the industrial one as the latter was from mediaeval times. "The Party's Over" deals head-on with the imminent decline of cheap oil. It shows how oil and war have been closely related for the past century, and how competition to control oil supplies is likely to lead to new resource wars in the Middle East, Central Asia, and South America. Tracing the crucial role of fossil fuels in the rise of industrialism, Heinberg discusses the degree to which energy alternatives can compensate for oil, and recommends: a managed transition to a slower-paced, low-energy, sustainable society in the future; a global programme of resource conservation and sharing implemented by the US - the world's foremost oil consumer and the most mightily armed nation in world history - in concert with other countries; and realistic ways for families, communities, nations, and the world to prepare for the coming crisis. A riveting wake-up call that does for oil depletion, what Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring" did for the issue of chemical pollution - i.e. raising to consciousness a previously ignored global problem of immense proportions - "The Party's Over" is essential reading for all those concerned with the future of modern life as we know it. 320pp more on politics & development Price: £12.99
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	a renewable world: policies, practices and technologies Herbert Girardet and Miguel Mendonca Climate change - and its environmental, economic and socal consequences - is set to become the greatest challenge for humanity in the 21st century. There has been much new research and much recent publicity about the huge problems facing us, but plausible proposals on how to deal with these are, so far, woefully inadequate. A few reports have given some indications about what can actually be done to get to grips with climate change, but very little has so far been written about how the necessary changes can be brought about. A Renewable World, a flagship publication of the World Future Council, is intended to fill an important knowledge gap. It will treat the subject as an ethical problem to be addressed on behalf of future generations. It will build on the best thinking on climate and energy to be found across the world. It will also integrate much of the research and campaign work being done by the WFC - the work on feed-in tariffs, energy efficiency, sustainable agriculture, sustainable cities, future justice and the KidsCall campaign. World Future Councillors and staff will be centrally involved in shaping this project and in giving it the substance that will make it stand out. 192pp more on politics & development Price: £14.95
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	the long emergency: surviving the converging catastrophe of the 21st century James Howard Kunstler The last two hundred years have seen the greatest explosion of progress and wealth in the history of mankind. But the age of oil, that fuelled this expansion, is coming rapidly to an end. The depletion of fossil fuels is about to transform life as we know it, and do so much sooner than we think. In "The Long Emergency", the distinguished commentator and analyst James Howard Kunstler explains what to expect after we pass the tipping point of peak oil production, and sets out to prepare us for economic, political, and social changes of an unimaginable scale. 320pp more on politics & development Price: £8.99
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	the final energy crisis Sheila Newman (editor) With oil reaching $100 a barrel in January 2008 and the US facing challenges to dollar hegemony, few people would now deny that there is an energy crisis and that it is linked to economic uncertainty. However, the mainstream lacks a theory to explain this apparently sudden challenge to optimistic expectations of long-term economic growth and an end to world poverty. "The Final Energy Crisis" provides political explanations to fill that gap. The authors engage with depletion trends in oil, gas, coal, uranium, soil and biodiversity.Taking an interdisciplinary approach, they study energy trends, prospects, assets and liabilities in different political systems and regions, including the US, Venezuela, China, Africa, the ex-Soviet Union, North Korea, Japan, France and Australia. Far from being a doom-laden work on peak oil, this book offers practical suggestions for readers keen to be part of the solution to resource depletion. This comprehensively updated edition includes 13 new chapters and thorough revisions of existing material. 336pp more on politics & development Price: £19.99
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	ecocities: rebuilding cities in balance with nature Richard Register Most of the world's population now lives in cities. So if we are to address the problems of environmental deterioration and peak oil adequately, the city has to be a major focus of attention. "Ecocities" is about re-building cities and towns based on ecological principles for the long term sustainability, cultural vitality and health of the Earth's biosphere. Unique in the literature is the book's insight that the form of the city really matters - and that it is within our ability to change it, and crucial that we do. Further, that the ecocity within its bio-region is comprehensible and do-able, and can produce a healthy and potentially happy future. The book describes the place of the city in evolution, nature and history. It pays special attention to the key question of accessibility and transportation, and outlines design principles for the ecocity. The reader is encouraged to plunge in to its economics and politics: the kinds of businesses, planning and leadership required. The book then outlines the tools by which a gradual transition to the ecocity could be accomplished. Throughout, this new edition is generously illustrated with the author's own inspired visions of what such rebuilt cities might actually look like. 371pp more on politics & development Price: £23.50
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	the natural step for communities: how cities and towns can change to sustainable practices Sarah James & Torbjorn Lahti Sustainability might seem like one more buzzword, and cities and towns like the last place to change, but this book provides inspiring examples of communities that have made dramatic chjanges towards sustainability, and explains how others can emulate their success. The book first clarifies the concept of sustainability, offering guiding principles that help identify sustanable action in any area. It then introduces the sixty-plus eco-municipalities of Sweden thathave adopted changes to sustainable practices throughout municipal policies and operations. The third section explains how they did it, and outlines how other communities in North America and elsewhere can do the same. 280pp more on politics & development Price: £19.99
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	blood and oil: the dangers and consequences of america's growing petroleum dependency Michael Klare Since September 11th 2001 and the commencement of the 'war on terror', the world's attention has been focused on the relationship between US foreign policy in the Middle East and the oceans of crude oil that lie beneath the region's soil. Michael Klare traces oil's impact on international affairs since World War II, revealing its influence on the Truman, Eisenhower, Nixon and Carter governments. He shows how America's own wells are drying up as demand increases and warns that by 2010 the US will need to import 60 per cent of its oil. And since most of this supply will have to come from chronically unstable, often violently anti-American zones - the Persian Gulf, the Caspian Sea, Latin America and Africa - their dependency is bound to lead to recurrent military involvement. 288pp more on politics & development Price: £9.99
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	politics of the environment: ideas, activism, policy Neil Carter The continuous rise in the profile of the environment in politics reflects growing concern that we may be facing a large-scale ecological crisis. The new edition of this highly acclaimed textbook surveys the politics of the environment, providing a comprehensive and comparative introduction to its three components: ideas, activism and policy. Part I explores environmental philosophy and green political thought; Part II considers parties and environmental movements; and Part III analyses policy-making and environmental issues at international, national and local levels. This second edition has been thoroughly updated with new and revised discussions of many topics including the ecological state, ecological citizenship, ecological modernisation and the Greens in government and also includes an additional chapter on 'Globalisation, Trade and the Environment'. As well as considering a wide variety of examples from around the world, this textbook features a glossary, guides to further study, chapter summaries and critical questions throughout. 432pp more on politics & development Price: £22.99
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	shock doctrine: the rise of disaster capitalism Naomi Klein Around the world in Britain, the United States, Asia and the Middle East, there are people with power who are cashing in on chaos; exploiting bloodshed and catastrophe to brutally remake our world in their image. They are the shock doctors. Thrilling and revelatory, "The Shock Doctrine" cracks open the secret history of our era. Exposing these global profiteers, Naomi Klein discovered information and connections that shocked even her about how comprehensively the shock doctors' beliefs now dominate our world - and how this domination has been achieved. Raking in billions out of the tsunami, plundering Russia, exploiting Iraq - this is the chilling tale of how a few are making a killing while more are getting killed. 576pp more on politics & development Price: £12.99
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	the transition handbook: from oil dependency to local resilience Rob Hopkins Most of us avoid thinking about what happens when oil runs out (or becomes prohibitively expensive), but 'The Transition Handbook' shows how the inevitable and profound changes ahead can have a positive outcome. These changes can lead to the rebirth of local communities, which will grow more of their own food, generate their own power, and build their own houses using local materials. There are now over 35 formal Transition Initiatives in the UK, including towns, cities, islands, villages and peninsulas, with over 500 globally at the earlier stages of launching this process. "This is much more than just a book. It is a manual for a movement. And not just any movement, but one which - in avoiding the civilisation collapse threatened by the twin crises of peak oil and climate change - could prove to be the most important social force humanity has ever seen" Mark Lynas, author of 'Six Degrees' 240pp more on politics & development Price: £12.95
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	post carbon cities: planning for energy and climate uncertainty Daniel Lerch Post Carbon Cities: Planning for Energy and Climate Uncertainty is the first major guidebook on peak oil and global warming for people who work with and for local governments. It provides a sober look at how these phenomena are quickly creating new uncertainties and vulnerabilities for cities of all sizes, reviews how "early-actor" cities are already responding to peak oil, and recommends what steps local decision-makers can take to begin addressing these unprecedented challenges. Although based on examples from North America, Post Carbon Cities fills an important gap in the resources currently available to local government decision-makers on planning for the changing global energy and climate context of the 21st century. 100pp more on politics & development Price: £17.95
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	chaos point: the world at the crossroads Ervin Laszlo We have a choice: Breakdown or Breakthrough. Revered author and systems theorist Ervin Laszlo provides a concise yet encompassing overview of the present world situation, showing where we are, and how we got here. Where we are, Laszlo tells us, is at a critical juncture in history, a 'decision-window' where we face both the danger of global collapse and the opportunity of worldwide renewal. According to Laszlo we have six to seven years to head off unsustainable trends that would lead to a 'tipping point' beyond which there is no turning back. After this tipping point we either evolve to a safer, more sustainable world, or the social, economic and ecological systems that frame our life break down. This is the Chaos Point, but this need not be the end of the world, only the end of a phase of the world beyond which a new world could dawn. In today's decision-window we have a unique chance of creating that new world and this pioneering book tells us what healing and renewal means, and how each of us can help in achieving it. 240pp more on politics & development Price: £8.99
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	collapse: how societies choose to fail or survive Jared Diamond From groundbreaking writer and thinker, Jared Diamond comes an epic, visionary new book on the mysterious collapse of past civilizations - and what this means for our future. Why do some societies flourish, while others founder? What happened to the people who made the forlorn long-abandoned statues of Easter Island or to the architects of the crumbling Maya pyramids? Will we go the same way, our skyscrapers one day standing derelict and overgrown like the temples at Angkor Wat? Bringing together new evidence from a startling range of sources and piecing together the myriad influences, from climate to culture, that make societies self-destruct, "Collapse" also shows how unlike our ancestors we can benefit from our knowledge of the past and learn to be survivors. 592pp more on politics & development Price: £9.99
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	heat: how to stop the planet burning George Monbiot We know that climate change is happening. We know that it could, if the worst predictions come true, destroy the conditions that make human life possible. Only one question is now worth asking: can it be stopped? In this brand new hardback book, George Monbiot shows that it can. By revealing how we can save the planet without losing our comfort and security, Monbiot exposes the cowardice of our politicians and sweeps away their perpetual excuse for doing nothing: that it would be too painful and expensive to sustain life on earth. For the first time, he demonstrates that we can achieve the necessary cut - a 90 per cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 - without bringing civilization to an end. Combining his unique knowledge of campaigning and environmental science, he shows how we can transform our homes, our power and our transport systems. But he also shows that this can happen only with a massive programme of action, which no government has yet been prepared to take. hardback 304pp click on image for contents page more on politics & development Price: £8.99
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	do it yourself: a handbook for changing our world Edited by the Trapese Collective Massive issues, but how can we make any difference? This book shows you how; it's not a book about what's wrong with the world, but a collection of dynamic ideas which explore how we can build meaningful social change, ourselves, here and now. The book weaves together stories and experiences with in-depth analysis. Simple how-to guides offer practical ideas for change. Taken together, these small steps can move us towards taking back control of our lives from governments and corporations. Written by activists and grassroots campaigners, this guide covers: reducing your energy consumption, organising without leaders, setting up a community garden, organising a health collective, education, alternative media, how to run a social centre, cultural activism, direct action. 306pp click on image for contents page more on politics & development Price: £12.99
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	toward a transpersonal ecology: developing new foundations for environmentalism Warwick Fox This scholarly text explores key ideas such as political, methodological and psychological involved in deep ecology and argues for an approach to ecophilosophy based on identification rather than values. A must-have for anyone interested in the philosophical aspect of the emerging new paradigm. 380pp click on image for contents page more on politics & development Price: £27.95
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	ecology into economics won't go: or life is not a concept Stuart McBurney This mixture of personal philosophy, argument, wit and concern exposes the delusion that economic growth can be sustainable, showing that attempts to solve environmental problems through market-based incentives do not work. The culprit is the economic system, acting against life and nature. 192pp click on image for contents page more on politics & development Price: £9.95
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	the compassionate revolution: radical politics and buddhism David Edwards Shows how our capitalist system is dependent on the promotion of the three Buddhist 'Poisons': greed for profit at any cost in terms of humanm suffering; hatred of foreign obstacles to profit; and ignorance of the cosy link between Western corporations and Third World dictators, helping to protect Western profits. David Edwards argues that the antidote to exploitative social systems is rational awareness rooted in unconditional kindness and compassion for all. 256pp click on image for contents page more on politics & development Price: £9.95
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	converging world John Pontin & Ian Roderick The Converging World is based on the principle of 'contraction and convergence' in regard to climate change, which means reducing the ecological footprint of some while increasing that of others. Such convergence has many dimensions: technological change, cultural diversity, differing values, human rights, political power, social struggles and resistance. As the pressures of population and consumption are stretching the planet's capacity beyond its limits, this convergence is an urgent necessity. This book explores these ideas and describes how a new charity is forming to put these ideas into action. Inspired by the work of an Indian agency called Social Change and Development (SCAD), the initiative has started by directly reducing carbon emissions by erecting wind turbines in India, which leads to income for economic development in this poor part of the world. At the same time it will indirectly raise funds as gifts from individuals and businesses in the 'demanding' (Western) world in return for an allocation of the carbon saved. These funds are used to address the important issue of carbon reduction in the developed world and to promote social change towards sustainable living through local groups across the globe. The Converging World is an action story which tackles the complexities of climate change, environmental degradation and social injustice. 80pp more on politics & development Price: £8.00
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	green alternatives to globalisation: a manifesto Michael Woodin & Caroline Lucas An accessible and concise statement of the green alternatives to economic globalisation. Arguing that globalisation increases poverty, undermines democracy, and destroys the environment, the authors demonstrate the urgent need for a new approach - economic localisation - that is based on the green principles of equity, ecology and democracy. 262pp click on image for contents page more on politics/economics/development Price: £14.99
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	small is beautiful: a study of economics as if people mattered (new edition) E. F. Schumacher A green classic in which Shumacher challenges the doctrine of economic and technological specialisation, and proposes a system of smaller working units, communal ownership, and regional workplaces utilising local labour and resources. 272pp click on image for contents page more on politics & development Price: £7.99
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	hands on energy, infrastructure & recycling Emma Judge Appropriate 'green' technologies are sometimes regarded as a second-rate solution but this volume challenges this concept by presenting real-life examples of successful alternatives to demonstrate appropriate technological stories from Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. All of the 54 stories included in this booklet have been produced as a result of personal experience from somewhere in the world. Subjects covered in this series include success stories from agriculture, agro-processing, enterprize, energy, building and shelter, water and sanitation. The books offer a range of solutions for development professionals, NGOs, entrepreneurs and individuals who want to improve people's livelihoods and the environment. They give practical advice and demonstrate a wide range of 'how to' technologies including income-generating schemes in cities like Delhi and Dhaka, transport initiatives in Kathmandu and Copenhagen and energy-saving projects in Addis Ababa and Beijing. This book covers innovations in energy and power, buildings, tansport and re-use of materials. 240pp more on politics & development Price: £12.95
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	localization: a global manifesto Colin Hines (Head, International Economics Unit, Greenpeace) A manifesto to unite all those who do not aspire to a monolithic global consumer culture; it details policies to create local self-sufficiency and shows clearly that there is an alternative to globalisation. 192pp click on image for contents page more on politics & development Price: £12.99
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	bringing the food economy home: local alternatives to agribusiness Helena Norberg-Hodge, Todd Merrifield & Steven Gorelick If the many social, environmental and economic crises facing the planet are to be resolved, a good place to start is to rebuild local food economies. This title shows how a shift towards the local would protect and rebuild agricultural diversity, along with many other benefits. 176pp click on image for contents page more on politics & development Price: £16.95
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	eating fossil fuels: oil, food and the coming crisis in agriculture Dale Allen Pfeiffer 'Eating Fossil Fuels' examines the interlinked crises of energy and agriculture and highlights some startling findings, including the fact that studies suggest that without fossil-fuel based agriculture, the US could only sustain about two thirds of its present population. For the planet as a whole, the sustainable number is estimated to be about two billion. Concluding that the effect of energy depletion will be disastrous without a transition to a sustainable, relocalized agriculture, the book draws on the experiences of North Korea and Cuba to demonstrate stories of failure and success in the transition to non-hydrocarbon-based agriculture. It urges strong grassroots activism for sustainable, localized agriculture and a natural shrinking of the world's population. 125pp more on politics & development Price: £9.99
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