Dear GEP-ED colleagues, Please find below information on a new book:
EARTH SYSTEM GOVERNANCE: WORLD POLITICS IN THE ANTHROPOCENE By Frank Biermann MIT Press, 2014 Humans are no longer spectators who need to adapt to their natural environment. Our impact on the earth has caused changes that are outside the range of natural variability and are equivalent to such major geological disruptions as ice ages. Some scientists argue that we have entered a new epoch in planetary history: the Anthropocene. In such an era of planet-wide transformation, we need a new model for planet-wide environmental politics. In this book, Frank Biermann proposes "earth system" governance as just such a new paradigm. Biermann offers both analytical and normative perspectives. He provides detailed analysis of global environmental politics in terms of five dimensions of effective governance: agency, particularly agency beyond that of state actors; architecture of governance, from local to global levels; accountability and legitimacy; equitable allocation of resources; and adaptiveness of governance systems. Biermann goes on to offer a wide range of policy proposals for future environmental governance and a revitalized United Nations, including the establishment of a World Environment Organization and a UN Sustainable Development Council, new mechanisms for strengthened representation of civil society and scientists in global decision making, innovative systems of qualified majority voting in multilateral negotiations, and novel institutions to protect those impacted by global change. Drawing on ten years of research, Biermann formulates earth system governance as an empirical reality and a political necessity. URL: http://mitpress.mit.edu/books/earth-system-governance First Endorsements: "Whether or not the Anthropocene is officially accepted as Earth's new geological epoch, the phenomenon demands transformative human responses. In this book, one of the world's foremost scholars on institutions and governance unpacks the implications of the Anthropocene narrative for global-scale governance. A particular strength of the book is the integration of the scientific underpinning of the Anthropocene with both analytical and normative approaches to effective governance. This is a must-read for those interested in where on Earth our increasingly globalized society is going." -WILL STEFFEN, Australian National University "This remarkable book offers a sweeping overview of the challenges of global environmental governance that now confront humankind. Biermann has done a great job surveying the complex international landscape, and detailing his proposals for the comprehensive reform of multilateral environmental institutions." -JAMES MEADOWCROFT, School of Public Policy, Carleton University "Drawing on insights from international relations theory, Frank Biermann's book contributes to a joint endeavor: the search for new ways to govern the Anthropocene. In taking this new epoch of planetary history seriously-that is, accepting that the fine line between humankind and nature is becoming increasingly blurred-this book is testimony to the fact that answers must be found beyond individual disciplines. Frank Biermann should be applauded for building a bridge between people interested in the earth system and people interested in governance." -KLAUS TOEPFER, Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies, Potsdam -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "gep-ed" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
