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Books in Geography planning and development

    • Encyclopedia of Ecology

      • 3rd Edition
      • April 15, 2026
      • Brian D. Fath
      • English
      • Hardback
        9 7 8 0 4 4 3 2 1 9 6 4 1
      • eBook
        9 7 8 0 4 4 3 2 1 9 6 5 8
      Encyclopedia of Ecology, Third Edition, Four Volume Set - with over 300 chapters - once again provides a comprehensive reference work covering the current ideas and practices in ecology. Ecology is the ideal field for studying complex, adaptive, and self-organizing systems and by observing and understanding ecosystems, it provides valuable insights into creating sustainable systems. This knowledge is essential for addressing challenges in areas such as land management, environmental policy development, urban metabolism, industrial symbiosis, the global commons, and renewable energy.Ecology traditionally focused on measuring species abundance and distribution through field observations to establish a baseline understanding of nature. More recently, it emphasizes the relationships within populations, among species, and with their environment—networks of life central to this encyclopedia. Understanding these ecological connections is key to sustainability science and human-nature interactions. Current research spans biodiversity loss, soil conservation, sustainable agriculture, emerging diseases, eco-mimicry, and climate change. Ecological education and environmental literacy are increasingly integrated into curricula.Written and edited by an international team of experts and with special focus on interdisciplinary work in socio-ecological systems, this 3rd edition again links theory with application, and helps allow students needing entry-level summaries of specific ecology topics to create connections and find relevant, more in-depth resources in this exciting field.
    • Rethinking Rural

      • 1st Edition
      • April 1, 2026
      • Luca Salvati
      • English
      • Paperback
        9 7 8 0 4 4 3 4 5 6 3 7 4
      • eBook
        9 7 8 0 4 4 3 4 5 6 3 8 1
      Rethinking Rural: Data-Driven Approaches for Sustainable Development offers a comprehensive, interdisciplinary exploration of sustainable rural development through a quantitative lens. Drawing on official statistics, spatial analysis, and refined indicators, this edited volume brings together leading scholars from ecology, economics, and planning to rethink the environmental-econom... nexus shaping rural territories. With a focus on Europe and the Mediterranean but applicable globally, the book emphasizes continuous, spatially explicit monitoring of socio-ecological and socio-economic complexities to inform effective, place-specific policies that enhance sustainability and resilience. Structured in three parts, the book first presents integrated perspectives on rural system evolution, including climate change impacts, land use, and socio-economic drivers across diverse contexts such as Mediterranean landscapes and Colombia’s deforestation. The second part details traditional and advanced tools for monitoring rural environments, from territorial indicators to wildfire and habitat assessment. The final section addresses planning and policy challenges, evaluating natural disaster management, resilience strategies, environmental degradation costs, and socio-demographic influences on tourism insurance. Ideal for academics, researchers, and students in spatial planning, applied economics, environmental science, GIS, ecology, agronomy, demography, rural sociology, and geography, this volume equips readers with innovative methodologies and case studies to understand and shape sustainable rural futures.
    • Assembling Smart Cyber-Physical Systems

      • 1st Edition
      • April 1, 2026
      • Zakaria Benomar + 3 more
      • English
      • Paperback
        9 7 8 0 4 4 3 2 9 8 3 7 0
      • eBook
        9 7 8 0 4 4 3 2 9 8 3 8 7
      Assembling Smart Cyber-Physical Systems: Heterogeneous, Diffuse and Green Technological Infrastructures for Cities and Industries offers a comprehensive approach on how to design, implement, and use Cyber Physical Systems (CPSs)-computing systems with a strong interaction between the physical environment (equipped with sensors and actuators) and the cyber realm (the Cloud). Through a carefully structured methodological approach to systems design, readers will learn how the infrastructure continuum represents our environment, where we can move from edge computing to the Cloud, going through fog resources to set up an entire framework for services deployment and application in smart cities and industries.As dealing with complex systems has become increasingly difficult, CPSs are increasingly critical to cope with integrating software, which people are used to, with hardware, which is distributed among different domains. This book shows how to deal with such systems where there is no distinction among the different parts: computing, storage, networking, and IoT all contribute to setting up the modern processing environments, thus it is mandatory to keep them simultaneously under control.
    • Global Risks and Energy System Resilience

      • 1st Edition
      • April 1, 2026
      • Jun Zhao + 2 more
      • English
      • Paperback
        9 7 8 0 4 4 3 4 4 6 8 3 2
      • eBook
        9 7 8 0 4 4 3 4 4 6 8 4 9
      Global Risks and Energy System Resilience provides a comprehensive examination of the intricate interplay between various global risks and the resilience of energy systems. This essential reference delves into the complex geopolitical, economic, and financial factors that shape energy security today, offering a structured framework for understanding and addressing these challenges. The book covers crucial topics such as the evolution of energy system resilience, the development of an evaluation framework, and the quantification of the impacts of geopolitical, financial, and economic risks. This book follows the logical framework of “indicator measurement-impact assessment-scenario prediction.” It first analyses the current situation and provides an overview of global risks and the energy system resilience, measures the levels of different types of global risks and energy system resilience, and analyses the spatio-temporal evolution law. Second, the theoretical transmission mechanism of different kinds of risks on energy system resilience is analysed through literature review and theoretical review, and the actual impacts of different kinds of risks on energy system resilience are assessed by corresponding econometric models. Then, the influencing factors affecting the resilience of energy systems under the digital background are identified. The future development of the energy system resilience is then predicted. Researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals in energy strategy and policy evaluation, energy system resilience optimization, and risk avoidance policies will find this book invaluable for designing effective strategies to enhance energy security and stability. By bridging theoretical insights with practical applications, it equips readers with the knowledge necessary to navigate the complexities of today's energy landscape.
    • Smart Cities of AI Robots and Autonomous Vehicles

      • 1st Edition
      • March 1, 2026
      • Paras Chawla + 2 more
      • English
      • Paperback
        9 7 8 0 4 4 3 3 8 3 5 9 5
      • eBook
        9 7 8 0 4 4 3 3 8 3 6 0 1
      Smart Cities of AI Robots and Autonomous Vehicles: The Vision for 2030 explores the transformative potential and challenges of integrating AI-powered robots and autonomous vehicles in urban landscapes, envisioning a futuristic smart city landscape by 2030. It examines how artificial intelligence (AI) robots and self-driving cars will transform daily life, healthcare, education, industry, agriculture, and transportation.
    • Spatial Analysis for Complex Territorial Systems

      • 1st Edition
      • February 1, 2026
      • Luca Salvati
      • English
      • Paperback
        9 7 8 0 4 4 3 4 4 1 3 3 2
      • eBook
        9 7 8 0 4 4 3 4 4 1 3 4 9
      Spatial Analysis for Complex Territorial Systems: Geo-information Technologies and European Official Statistics offers a multidisciplinary exploration of spatial analysis, geo-information technologies, and official statistics, focusing on their application to environmental, economic, and planning challenges in Europe and the Mediterranean. Comprising 16 insightful chapters authored by leading scholars from Southern and Eastern Europe, Ireland, and the United States, it delves into the complexities of socio-ecological monitoring through data integration and refined statistical indicators. Key topics include climate monitoring, land degradation, settlement patterns, and disaster resilience, providing a comprehensive understanding of local contexts and policy implications.The book begins with contributions from a traditional ecological/agronomic... vision, then continues with a set of studies having a more strict socio-demographic and economic focus. It then discusses how other quantitative approaches, e.g. based on big data and primary surveys, may clarify the role of policies and planning addressing sustainable development goals in the ‘kaleidoscopic’ European landscapes. The conclusions of this book confirm the urgent need of integrating the vast potential of geo-information techniques, together with spatial analysis and official statistics, into more flexible sustainable development strategies reflecting local conditions and spatially explicit background contexts, starting from the basic demands of local communities and topical environments.Spatial Analysis for Complex Territorial Systems: Geo-information Technologies and European Official Statistics serves as an essential resource for academics, students, spatial planners, policymakers, architects, engineers, sociologists, and environmental demographers. It equips readers with practical tools and theoretical insights to inform data-driven approaches to sustainable development and regional planning, making it a vital addition to any academic curriculum in geographic information systems, applied statistics, and environmental science.
    • Future Smart Cities

      • 1st Edition
      • January 2, 2026
      • Uday Chatterjee + 1 more
      • English
      • Paperback
        9 7 8 0 4 4 3 3 3 6 6 7 6
      • eBook
        9 7 8 0 4 4 3 3 3 6 6 8 3
      Future Smart Cities: A Blueprint for Inclusive and Sustainable Living provides a guide to the intricate process of urban development in the 21st century. As an extensive manual for those involved in urban planning, policy-making, technology, and community leadership, it provides a clear blueprint for constructing cities that are intelligent and fair, ecologically conscious, and economically sustainable.Examinin... the convergence of technology, sustainability, and social fairness from an interdisciplinary perspective, it offers valuable insights into the transformative capabilities of smart city programs. The content explores fundamental concepts such as digital innovation, data-driven decision-making, inclusive governance, and sustainable design. These principles are shown through the analysis of real-world case studies and the presentation of best practices. The book aims to inspire practical approaches for urban development that prioritize the well-being of all people, minimize environmental impact, and promote resilience in the face of global crises by highlighting the significance of inclusion and sustainability.Futur... Smart Cities: A Blueprint for Inclusive and Sustainable Living provides readers with the necessary knowledge, resources, and motivation to contribute to a future in which cities flourish as dynamic, inclusive, and environmentally-frie... centers of innovation and potential.
    • Improving Environmental and Human Well-being with Community Trees and Forests

      • 1st Edition
      • January 1, 2026
      • David Nowak
      • English
      • Paperback
        9 7 8 0 4 4 3 3 2 9 1 2 8
      • eBook
        9 7 8 0 4 4 3 3 2 9 1 3 5
      Improving Environmental and Human Health with Community Trees and Forests provides the latest and most comprehensive information on community forests globally, how these trees improve human health and well-being, the value of community trees, and what local land managers, from the lot to regional scale, could do to improve the benefits provided by community trees. It offers a complete understanding of the benefits and costs associated with trees in cities and how these benefits occur. This book facilitates the creation of sustainable community forests that provide optimal benefits to individuals and society.It takes a systems approach, focusing on the forest population rather than the individual tree, and providing information on the best tree species and designs to produce optimal effects. The book is divided into three major sections: The Basics, Urban Forest Benefits, and Improving the Urban Environment with Trees. It covers how cities affect our local environment, the monetary value of trees, and specific steps that land managers should follow to manage and improve their local tree and forest population. This comprehensive resource is valuable for city forest and park managers, policy makers, regional managers, and non-profit groups.
    • Managing Disaster Induced Displacement in the Global South

      • 1st Edition
      • January 1, 2026
      • Shray Pathak + 2 more
      • English
      • Paperback
        9 7 8 0 4 4 3 3 6 4 8 0 8
      • eBook
        9 7 8 0 4 4 3 3 6 4 8 1 5
      Managing Disaster Induced Displacement in the Global South provides a crucial examination of the rising challenge of displacement caused by natural disasters—a consequence increasingly felt in the world's most vulnerable regions. This timely volume delves into the complex interplay of climate change, environmental degradation, and socio-economic factors that drive displacement, offering a comprehensive look at how communities, governments, and international organizations can respond effectively. Drawing on an array of case studies from across the Global South, the book presents innovative strategies and policies that have been employed to manage the risks and realities of displacement.The book explores themes of resilience, adaptation, and the often-overlooked human rights issues that arise during such crises. It highlights the complexity of the issue by examining the multifaceted causes and consequences of disaster-induced displacement, shedding light on the interconnected roles of climate change, environmental degradation, and socio-economic vulnerabilities. It brings knowledge together in a single resource, compiling recent research, case studies, and best practices from various contexts within the Global South to provide a comprehensive guide that can inform policy, practice, and research. Through detailed analysis and presentation of innovative solutions and policy frameworks that have shown promise, the book guides policymakers, community leaders, and international organizations toward adopting more holistic and proactive approaches to managing displacement.Written by leading experts in disaster management, human rights, and environmental policy, this book is an indispensable resource for policymakers, scholars, and activists seeking informed and practical paths forward in the face of one of the most pressing global challenges of our time.
    • Smart Cities and Artificial Intelligence

      • 2nd Edition
      • December 1, 2025
      • Christopher Grant Kirwan + 1 more
      • English
      • Paperback
        9 7 8 0 4 4 3 2 3 6 2 1 1
      • eBook
        9 7 8 0 4 4 3 2 3 6 2 2 8
      Smart Cities and Artificial Intelligence: Convergent Systems for Planning, Design, and Operations, Second Edition delves into the evolution of urban ecosystems through the integration of advanced technologies like machine learning, geospatial intelligence, and smart connected objects. By examining cities as dynamic, real-time systems and providing tools such as generative design and living lab models, this book equips readers with both conceptual and practical knowledge for planning, designing, and operating smart cities. The book adopts a multidisciplinary approach, emphasizing the convergence of digital and physical realms and the transformative impact of human and machine intelligence on urban environments.It offers a holistic understanding of smart city functions, aiming to make cities more livable and sustainable. New sections include a focus on the Metaverse, comparisons of global smart city models, and updated use cases and applications of AI since the first edition.