Principles of Environmental Sciences
Principles of Environmental Sciences provides a comprehensive picture of the principles, concepts and methods that are applicable to problems originating from the interaction between the living and non-living environment and mankind. Both the analysis of
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Jan J. Boersema • Lucas Reijnders Editors
Principles of Environmental Sciences With Editorial Assistance by Joeri Bertels and Henk Bezemer
Editors Jan J. Boersema Institute for Environmental Studies Vrije Universiteit De Boelelaan 1087 1081 HV Amsterdam The Netherlands [email protected]
ISBN 978-1-4020-9157-5
Lucas Reijnders IBED/EDCO University Amsterdam Nieuwe Achtergracht 166 1018 WV Amsterdam The Netherlands [email protected]
e-ISBN 978-1-4020-9158-2
Library of Congress Control Number: 2008936827 © 2009 Springer Science + Business Media B.V. No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher, with the exception of any material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work. Chapters 23, 24, 25 © Edward Elgar Publishing, Aldershot, United Kingdom The Editors acknowledge that there are instances where they were unable to trace or contact the copyright holder for permission to reproduce selected material in this volume. The Editors have included complete source references for all such material and take full responsibility for these matters. If notified, the Publisher will be pleased to rectify any errors or omissions at the earliest opportunity. Cover illustration: Landscape near Emden (Germany) Photo: Jan J. Boersema Printed on acid-free paper springer.com
Preface
Why this book? This academic textbook is meant to be complementary to the many existing textbooks on environmental science. It distinguishes itself for two main reasons: • Environmental problems, the object of the environmental sciences, are seen and described as resulting from observed phenomena in our natural environment on one hand, and the societal awareness and evaluation of these phenomena on the other. A combination of the two causes a phenomenon to be considered ‘an environmental problem’. Therefore, students must learn that right from the beginning there is a cultural and historical dimension when it comes to defining and analysing environmental problems. That is why we pay attention to environmental history and to the variations in both perception and the implementation of solutions. In more philosophical terms: this book tries to avoid the ‘Scylla of positivism’ (as natural scientists, we know what the problems are) and the ‘Charybdis of constructivism’ (problems only exist if we see them as problems). • This book provides a comprehensive picture of the various principles, concepts, and methods applicable to environmental problems, and relates these methods to underlying guiding principles and the adjacent policy measures. The focus is on multi- and interdisciplinary methods, although most of the methods originate from a specific discipline and many have a limited domain. Wherever possible, examples of application of a method in practice are given, as well
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