*** DANIEL LACHMANN: Environmental Problems Globally. From Perception to Reaction. Peter Lang (42-50 Eschborner Landstraße, D-60489 Frankfurt. Tel: (49-69) 780700 – fax: 78070550 – Email: frankfurt@peterlang.com – Internet: http://www.peterlang.com ). 2016, 256 pp. €42, £34, $54.95. ISBN 978-3-631-67347-8.
How can people improve the way they are involved in the protection of the environment, for themselves and future generations and not just because they are compelled to do so by legislation but as “proactive socio-economic, political and legal actors?” This is the general question and lightning conductor throughout this study in which a German sociologist seeks to shed light on the hazards and pitfalls paving the way towards developing a perception of environmental threats and a response to them.
In an attempt to provide practical solutions, Daniel Lachmann begins by explaining that pollution and environmental damage involve and identify possible attitudes towards the complexity of environmental problems. His work is part of a constructivist perspective and he subsequently puts forward a number of theoretical explanations regarding the reasons why social construction around the environmental question can be perceived in very different ways. He then looks at the perspective of rational choice for explaining how subjectivity constructs both the reality and model of behaviour of individuals as consumers, parents, employers or employees, etc. This gives rise to a whole raft of other questions: how do our perception, social positions and world views influence a particular choice made between multiple potential forms of actions? are values, beliefs or convictions what drive us? Do we pursue instrumental utilities or a combination or interplay of them? Do we shift our attention to certain activities while others remain ignored, irrespective of the actual environmental impact? Do we engage in high, medium or low-cost activities to express our environmental concern? Is it just our active engagement that counts?
The main thrust of the book seeks to provide answers to these questions in a highly scientific manner and the study unfolds at two different levels: a) a cross-national comparison at macro-level will show that there are indeed differences concerning the perception of the environment as well as the level of environmental concern and action between countries; b) a detailed microanalysis of six countries selected – Germany, Spain and the Czech Republic, as well as Norway, the US and New Zealand – help us to establish the relevance of the theoretical hypotheses employed by the author for identifying the environmentalism of each country. This ultimately enables the author to establish a scoreboard of qualified similarities and differences and understanding of the complexity of the question as a whole. Pierre Bouvier
*** CHARALAMBOS PLATIAS: La politique environnementale de l'UE et le développement durable. Les questions de gouvernance politique. Editions Sideris (116 rue Solonos, GR-10681 Athens. Tel: (30-210) 3833434 – fax: 3832294 – Email: contact@isideris.gr). 2016, 424 pp. €17. ISBN 978-960-08-0735-6.
The European Union’s environment and sustainable development policies are worthy, interesting and “charming” instruments. Nonetheless, resources are needed to achieve these goals in terms of what governance and methods should be applied. In this book, Charalambos Platias, a political scientist working at the European research and environmental training entre at the University of Pantheon in Athens demonstrates possible ways of fostering sustainable development and transforming the economy and society in Europe and the world. He also looks at ways that can be developed to build a system that is capable of providing a favourable framework for this construction. He explains that the internal and external dimensions of policy and governance form a complex system and interact and mutually complement each other by pursuing different but converging objectives where different levels of ambition all have their place. In his book, Charalambos Platias, seeks to highlight the different questions and aspects which he believe are the key areas of responsibility for scientists in their quest to build tomorrow’s world and an understanding of this world. (AKa)
*** EMANOUELA DOUSSI: Le changement climatique. Editions Patakis (38 Panayi Tsaldari, GR-10437 Athens. Tel: (30-210) 3650000 – fax: 3811940 – Email: bookstore@patakis.gr – Internet: http://www.patakis.gr ). « Sciences sociales et politiques » series. 2017, 112 pp. €10.99. ISBN 978-960-569-626-9.
Is the Earth warming up and if so, by how much? Are greenhouse gas emissions increasing? Is international cooperation in this area sufficient and effective? What has changed between the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement? These are some of the questions to which Professor Emanouela Doussi (University of Athens) provided a number of answers in this highly contemporary book, given that climate warming is one of the most difficult and complex problems the world has ever had to confront. This global threat is directly linked to critical areas of the economy, our lifestyles and the way in which our societies are organised. It involves the energy and food sectors, as well as the law, business decision-making, technology, transport, agricultural production and livestock rearing and, as well as fuel choices and many more things besides. In this context, the international agreement concluded in Paris could possibly provide a boost towards a low carbon economy. Are the targets in this connection appropriate, particularly for countries like Greece? Do we have any other options available? What is the cost of inaction in the face of this problem? Finally, what are the challenges facing the international community in terms of climate change governance? The author provides a number of clarifying responses to each of these questions and many more of them too. (AKa)
*** L'Europe en formation. Revue d'études sur la construction européenne et le fédéralisme – Journal of Studies on European Integration and Federalism. Centre international de formation européenne (« L’Adriatic », 81 rue de France, F-06000 Nice. Tel: (33-4) 93979397 – fax: 93979398 – Email: europe.formation@cife.eu – Internet: http://www.cife.eu ). 2016, No.380, 126 pp. €20. Subscription: €50.
This edition of the journal founded by Alexandre Marc, the tribune of comprehensive federalism, contains a feature article on climate policies following COP21. Its editor, Laurent Baechler, points out that this agreement concluded in December 2015 in Paris and which entered into force on 4 November last, constitutes a “significant diplomatic success” with regard to the more ambitious targets outlined than the Kyoto Protocol. There are 195 signatures to it and it has an international remit. On the other hand, it is less blinding than its predecessor, given that it is essentially based on the voluntary efforts of the signatory countries. Consequently, it could prove a let down if a dynamic of cooperation between countries is not triggered and which previously adopted very different positions and highly divergent strategies in the fight against climate change. This explains the relevance of this article and the fact that it is proposing a panorama that incorporates these strategies, whilst taking the pulse of a certain number of rich and emerging countries. Countries such as the US, Turkey, Russia, China and Mexico will have a decisive impact on the success of the Paris Agreement. The insights provided are perhaps unsurprising but they are very important, explains the editor in chief of this journal, “to the extent that the fight against climate change is closely linked to thinking and problems at a national level with regard to the decarbonisation of economies”. It should also be pointed out that this issue begins with a homage paid by Claude Nigoul to Jean-Pierre Gouzy. The latter very recently passed away and this homage testifies to the beginnings of European construction throughout his life as a journalist and his support for the federalist cause. This testimony is also included in the 380th and final chronicle on “the political life in Europe and the world”. (MT)
*** ARNAUD BUCHS: La pénurie en eau est-elle inéluctable ? Une approche institutionnalisée de l’évolution du mode d’usage de l’eau en Espagne et au Maroc. Presses Interuniversitaires Européennes / Peter Lang (41 av. Maurice, B-1050 Brussels. Tel: (41-32) 3761717 – fax: 3761727 – Email: brussels@peterlang.com et order@peterlang.com – Internet: http://www.peterlang.com ). « Ecopolis » series, No. 25. 2016, 331 pp. €48, £38, $62.95. ISBN 978-2-87574-319-0.
In this book an extension to a PhD thesis undertaken at the University of Grenoble, Arnaud Buchs explains that drought, aridity and water shortages should not be considered as synonyms. In his analysis, he focuses on the notion of water shortage and examines the different work that has been taken on the physical rarity of water resources and an approach that places the use of this resource at the heart of any valid explanation. He is currently a senior lecturer in economics at the Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès and in his book he provides a scientific examination of the main indicators of shortage (particularly hydric stress) and explains that shortage is a phenomenon of a pronounced anthropic dimension that is to a large extent a social construct but can also be geographically and historically located. In his institutionalistic, historic and pragmatic approach to the economy, he outlines the justifications underpinning the rules for water usage. He puts forward a number of elements to help future understanding of the phenomena of water shortages in Spain and Morocco and discusses a number of other solutions proposed for attempting to tackle this problem. These solutions will be part of the development of the new way of using water. (PBo)
*** IOANNIS VASSILIOU: L’Union européenne et l'énergie. La route vers 2050 : pensées, idées, conclusions. Historical Quest (66 rue Chrisidos, GR-13122 Ilion. Tel: (30-210) 2611832 – fax: 2611832 – Email: info@historical-quest.com – Internet: http://www.historical-quest.com ). 2017, 112 pp. €10. ISBN 978-618-5088-26-2.
Energy cost efficiency, supply problems, the fight against climate change and the optimum use of renewable energy sources are the main elements retained by the European Union in its effort to foster a rational energy policy. They are also the starting point for the formulation of specific objectives that seek to develop a safer and more competitive energy system. Ioannis Vassiliou has a doctorate in international political economy and is involved in university research in the United Kingdom and Greece and focuses on the European Union and the political and economic situation at an international scale. In this book he provides a detailed and critical analysis of the entire Union energy policy mechanism and the role played by its institutions and different bodies. The committees and bodies working in the Union are also examined. On the basis of his evaluation of the current situation, he looks at what the future strategy up to 2050 could include. This insight also leads to conclusions that incorporate both the past and future, as well as particularly key energy issues, the on-going economic crisis and our current respective social situations. (AKa)
*** Futuribles. L’anticipation au service de l’action. Futuribles Sarl (47 rue de Babylone, F-75007 Paris. Tel: (33-1) 53633770 – fax: 42226554 – Email: revue@futuribles.com – Internet: http://www.futuribles.com ). January-February 2017, No. 416, 128 pp. €22. Annual subscription: €115. ISBN 978-2-84387-429-1.
This issue of the perspectives review set up and headed by Hugues de Jouvenel looks at the relations (less incongruous than it might first appear) between science and science fiction and, at another level, the lessons that can still be drawn from Thomas More’s, Utopia, for our own future, 500 years after this book was first published. This edition also focuses on energy perspectives and their essentially uncertain future. On the question of the “the price of energy tomorrow”, the emeritus professor at the University of Paris-Dauphine, Jean-Marie Chevalier, highlights the many areas of uncertainty dominating this subject. After having established a panorama of possible price developments for oil, natural gas and coal, he seeks to distinguish the key elements that either play a major role or put a brake on midterm developments in the sector. Unpredictability prevailing in this field is also confirmed by Rodolphe Greggio and Benoît Mafféï. They provide a critical assessment of the forecasts made in the past but which, nonetheless, show, as explained by the editor-in-chief, that they were not “as mistaken as we may have feared”. In any case, they help us to understand whether the current context does indeed suggest that the time has come for a gradual transition in carbonised energies towards renewable energy sources but also suggest that it would be reckless to attempt to accurately predict what the future will behold, in what proportions and according to what geographical scale this change will produce. The customary “European column” of Jean-François Drevet focuses on a subject of major importance, “the difficult question of taxation in Europe” in contexts such as the emblematic example of Apple in the Republic of Ireland. This former Commission official points out that, “one could conclude that a tax on companies is too serious matter to remain within the remit of national governments”. Nonetheless, he does not have too many illusions about this matter apart from the fact that, “only this has to necessary power to face down the multinationals and defend the general European interest, not just consumers but also that of taxpayers and citizens”. (MT)