Energy and the environment

BOOK trated, but is ideal for an informed, interdisciplinaryaudience seeking an introduction to the field. Very thorough referencing of both the peer-reviewed and grey literature makes the pursuit of specific topics in greater depth possible with relative ease. The book deals with both present conditions and future prospects for human and environmental well-being,with emphasis on World Without End: the principal challenges, and policy options, Economics. Environment and for improving both. The problems discussed Sustainable Development occur at various levels of organization from the individual and household, to the by David W. Pearce and Jeremy J. War-ford national and international - and in economies characterized by various levels of develOxford University Press, 1993. opment and state control. Topics covered f39.95 hbk (xi + 440 pages) include: the influence on resource manageISBN 0 19 520881 1 ment of discounting over time; methods for Interpreting Nature: Cultura 11 economic valuation of natural resources: the causes and environmental consequences Constructions of the of human population growth; a comparison Environment of command-and-control and market-based by I. C. Simmons policy instruments; the influence of property rights on resource management; causes Routledge, 1993. of, and solutions to, price distortions; inf40.00 hbk, $12.99 pbk (xiii + 215 pages) come distribution and poverty; free trade ISBN0 415 09705 3/O 415 09706 1 and environmental quality; and political Energy and the Environment and economic aspects of global resource management. Two areas deserving of much edited by Bryan Cartledge more than their brief treatment in World Oxford University Press, 1993. Without End are solutions to rapid popuf25.00 hbk, f7.99 pbk (x + 170 pages) lation growth and the valuation and protecISBN0 19 858413 X/O 19 858419 9 tion of biodiversity. In the mind of an ecologist, the book t has been clear for a long time that the principal barriers to transforming human raises two critical questions: (1) could revsocieties into a collectively sustainable enter- olutionary changes in economic policy alone induce the reduction in human impact on prise are mostly socioeconomic in character. Yet, just ten years ago, the prospects for the planet’s life support systems required economists formulating the fundamental to achieve sustainability?i; and (2) what is theory and policy objectives required to the role of science in the struggle for susmake that transformation, or for ecologists tainability? Setting aside the issue of how to making necessary contributions to that define SustainabilityzJ, the answer to quesprocess, could hardly have seemed dimmer. tion one depends upon several factors. First, Now a small but rapidly growing number the timing of the hypothetical revolution of social and natural scientists are collab- relative to the extent and irreversibility of orating in the development of Ecological environmental degradation that has ocEconomics. Already, the number of publi- curred or been entrained will determine the cations and meetings generated by this effectiveness of many potential economic major new discipline is staggering. policy instruments. For example, it is clearly already too late for economic policy to save Even in the midst of a large literature, World Without End, which is written by two most of the world’s population diversity4 respected economists, really stands out. It and much of its species diversity. Second, provides a lucid, synthetic overview of the the answer also hinges on the kind of basic macro- and micro-economic theory sustainable world desired. Opportunity for and assumptions underlying the notion of a solitude on an undeveloped coastline is not now preservable with economic policy, but sustainable global economy. Throughout the book, the authors illustrate the problem its disappearance would not necessarily for which a given body of theory is relevant reduce sustainability. Third, the speed and using recent, important examples from di- unpredictability with which environmental verse nations. This coupling of conceptual, conditions change relative to the general theoretical issues with hundreds of real- adaptability of human social and economic world examples, amply supported by empiri- systems are crucial. Much of economic thinkcal data, makes the book engaging reading ing depends on equilibrium models, which and an invaluable reference. are difficult to apply to a world in constant The way the subject is handled, which is rapid flux. Most importantly, the potential of a relatively superficially, may leave advanced students of ecological economics a bit frus- new economics really depends upon whether

Policy and philosophy for achieving environmental sustainability

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REVIEWS

economists ever come to grips with limits to physical growth and limits to efficiency. In this otherwise excellent book, one is dismayed to find on the first page the statement ‘Wediffer from the antigrowth school.. in our belief that the limits can be avoided... if imaginative policies are devised and implemented’. Pearce and Warford then go on to explain that imaginative policies would reduce the environmental intensity of human well-being (the damage done per unit well-being). While such a reduction is imperative, environmental intensity cannot be made infinitelysmall - i.e. carrying capacity cannot be made infinitely large - as is obvious to any ecologist. Furthermore, it will be difficult even for drastic changes in consumption and technology to offset the increase in environmental intensity associated with a doubling of the human population size, simply because the most accessible essential resources have already been developed. The environmental damage caused in trying to provide adequate supplies of food, water, energy and other resources to the world’s second five billion is likely to be substantially greater than that caused in the mobilization of these resources for the first five billion. Thus, it seems clear that even ecological economists themselves are not poised to correct the ways of humanity. This raises the second critical question: what is the role of science in the struggle for sustainability? As expressed in a series of recent statements by natural scientists on this topic (see papers in Ref. 5), science has a vital role to play; the areas of outstanding importance and research potential are apparent in reading the book. Perhaps the most critical lacunae are, first, a characterization of the relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem function and between ecosystem function and human well-being: and, second, means of monitoring the sustainability of various human activities at local, regional and global levels. Moreover, what is known about these and other aspects of global change needs to be much more effectively communicated to the public”. In summary, most of the shortcomings of World Without End are not so much due to the authors as to the state of economics (and, especially, the defects in the training of economists) and ecology, and of prevailing attitudes about humanity’s relationship with the rest of the biosphere. InterpretingNature is a classification of various academic disciplines, art forms, social movements and other ‘cultural constructions’ based on their histories and present interpretations of the environment. Although the topic is interesting and important, its treatment is very superficial and reported in a dry, unengaging style. The section on economics is greatly outdated. Some 155

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of the facts are miscredited or simply re ported incorrectly (e.g. the relative contribution of fossil fuels to world energy consumption), though this doesn’t change the thrust of the argument. As an introduction for ecologists educating themselves on aspects of sustainability, it doesn’t compare at all with World Without End. Finally, Energy and the Environment is an edited volume on the relative environmental benefits and costs associated with various energy technologies. The papers cover disparate topics: the comparative needs of developing and developed countries; sustainable development; fossil fuels; natural gas; alternative energy for Europe; environmental problems of energy production in Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union: and, finally, nuclear power. The volume seems to be designed as an introductory level account. It would have been substantially improved if an overview chapter had provided the essential global data for, and characterization of, each major energy source: its potential availability; economic and technological dimensions of its mobilization; its impact on human and ecosystem health; national security and other issues. Despite the lack of synthesis, a Eurocentric focus, and a biased treatment of nuclear power that many experts would dispute (despite the authors’ assertions to the contrary), the papers are generally of high quality and do outline the principal considerations, Allthree books show that humanity has a long way to go to overcome the formidable challenges in effecting ‘sustainable de velopment’. They also show that the more ecologists get involved the better. Gretchen C. Daily Energy and Resources University

Group, 100

of California, CA 94720,

Bldg T-4,

Berkeley,

USA

References 1 Roughgarden, .I. in Biodiuersity Decline: The T.M., ed.) (in press) Drioing Forces (Swanson, 2 Daily, C.C. and Ehrlich, P.R. (1992) BioScience 42,761-771

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Holdren, J.P., Daily, G.C. and Ehrlich, P.R. in Definition and Measurement of Sustainability: The Biophysical Foundations, World Bank, United Nations University and Environmental Protection Agency (in press) Ehrlich, P.R. and Daily, G.C. (1993) Ambio 22, 64-68 auct. mu/t. (1993) EcoL Appl. 4,547-589 Vitousek, P.M. Ecology (in press)

Technical tips for pollination biologists Techniques for Pollination Biologists by CA. Keams and D. W. Inouye University Press of Colorado, 1993. $37.50 hbk, $22.50 pbk, (xviii + 583 pages) ISBN0 87081 279 3/O 87081281 5

that key findings of many of these papers are also described, such that many techniques are presented in the context of why they were chosen, how well they worked, what was learned, and which questions are most in need of further research. Thus, much of the book reads like a carefully researched basic textbook that is studded with technical details and advice. Descriptions of recent studies, general concepts and statistical procedures are necessarily oversimplified, but their inclusion makes the book far more readable and instructive than its title might suggest. In producing this book, the authors draw on many years of field experience at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Colorado,USA,as well as on tips from various North American colleagues. For example, the reader learns which waterproof-marker colors fade from exposure to weather, how to keep a captive hummingbird alive, and how to persuade free-roaming insects to visit experimental flowers. These detailed but crucial suggestions can save an entire season’s worth of effort. Pollination ecologists require both lowand high-tech equipment, ranging from the proverbial ‘bags, flags and tags’ to data loggers, particle size analysers and HPLCs. Sources and recent prices for this wide selection of items are listed (US companies as well as a few European suppliers). The authors’ familiarity with database manage ment is reflected in an exhaustive and very useful system of indexes (general subjects, plants, animals and chemicals) and appendices (bibliographic references, a glossary, suppliers and a list of computer programs) that comprise 30%of the book. In conclusion, 1highly recommend this well-balancedand wellexecuted book. Kearns and lnouye deserve praise for providing colleagues and students with an impressive, state-of-the-art reference volume.

nterest in pollination biology has soared I in recent years as classical studies of pollination mechanisms have given way to investigations of more general topics such as optimal foraging theory, competition for pollinators, plant mating systems, natural selection and patterns of gene flow. This trend is likely to continue as new cohorts of graduate students discover the advantages of choosing plant-pollinator systems to address current theory in evolutionary ecology. It is for this audience, in particular, that Techniques for Pollination Biologists can serve as an invaluable reference. Established researchers will also want to use the book for easy access to technical information (a similar recent text by Amots Dafni is also available’). Kearns and lnouye describe and evaluate methods for studying flowers, nectar, pollen, animal pollinators, pollen dispersal, seed set and plant mating systems. Their book offers far more than a wide-ranging compendium of current techniques, howAllison A. Snow ever. A glance at the bibliography of over 1200 references reveals that a substantial Dept of Plant Biology, Ohio State University, portion of the recent literature on plant Columbus, OH 43210, USA reproductive ecology has been cited (these indexed citations are part of a larger data- References base that is available on disk from Inouye; 1 Dafni, A. (1992) Pollination Ecology: A Practical Approach, Oxford University Press / pers. commun.). What is more impressive is 1

TREE vol.

9, no. 4 April

1994