The Mediterranean diet is attracting international attention as a healthy and sustainable diet, yet countries in the region are increasingly beset by problems of undernutrition combined with obesity or other food-related diseases. This book highlights the need to consolidate the Mediterranean diet as a lever to improve the sustainability of food systems and consumption in the region.
The Sustainability Assessment of Food and Agriculture Systems (SAFA) Guidelines were developed for assessing the impact of food and agriculture operations on the environment and people. The guiding vision of SAFA is that food and agriculture systems worldwide are characterized by all four dimensions of sustainability: good governance, environmental integrity, economic resilience and social well-being.
This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 10th IFIP WG 5.11 International Symposium on Environmental Software Systems, ISESS 2013, held in Neusiedl am See, Austria, in June 2013. The 65 revised full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from numerous submissions. The papers are organized in the following topical sections: environmental application in the scope of the future Internet; smart and mobile devices used for environmental applications; information tools for global environmental assessment; environmental applications in risk and crises management; SEIS as a part of the 7th environment action programme of EU; human interaction and human factors driving future EIS/EDSS developments; environmental management/-accounting and -statistics; and information systems and applications.
Sustainable food systems are fundamental to ensuring that future generations are food secure and eat healthy diets. To transition towards sustainability, many food system activities must be reconstructed, and myriad actors around the world are starting to act locally. While some changes are easier than others, knowing how to navigate through them to promote sustainable consumption and production practices requires complex skill sets. This handbook is written for “sustainable food systems innovators” by a group of innovators from Asia, Africa, the Americas and Europe who are leading initiatives to grow, share, sell and consume more sustainable foods in their local contexts. It includes experiences that are changing the organizational structures of local food systems to make them more sustainable. The handbook is organized as a “choose your own adventure” story where each reader – individually or in a facilitated group – can develop their own personalized learning and action journeys according to their priorities. The topics included in this handbook are arranged into four categories of innovations: engaging consumers, producing sustainably, getting products to market and getting organized.
One of the most important issues in developing sustainable management strategies and incorporating ecodesigns in production, manufacturing and operations management is the assessment of the sustainability of business operations and organizations’ overall environmental performance. The book presents the results of recent studies on sustainability assessment. It provides a solid reference for researchers in academia and industrial practitioners on the state-of-the-art in sustainability appraisal including the development and application of sustainability indices, quantitative methods, models and frameworks for the evaluation of current and future welfare outcomes, recommendations on data collection and processing for the evaluation of organizations’ environmental performance, and eco-efficiency approaches leading to business process re-engineering.
Managing Healthy Livestock Production and Consumption is a highly interdisciplinary resource based on scientific and empirical evidence. It is illustrated with best practices of low-input livestock systems from different continents and offers predictive modelling alternatives for a more resilient future. By addressing gaps of knowledge and presenting scientific perspective studies of livestock's impact on the environment and the global food supply up to 2050, this book is useful for those advocating for sustainable food systems. Existing evidence of the effects of livestock production on food quality and nutrition is reviewed. Livestock production and consumption is a highly diverse topic where current publications only include/focus a single aspect of the issues, for example, greenhouse gas emissions or health impacts, leading to unilateral decisions such as refraining from meat consumption. However, animals are necessary to soil fertility and ecosystems balance and a more realistic resource is necessary for researchers, scientists, and policy makers. This book clarifies perceptions by presenting sound scientific evidence across livestock landscapes for the scientific community to better appreciate the ecological web of life and the social web of community related to livestock production. An edited work written by globally diverse scientists and practitioners, including field workers, technicians, and policy makers, this is a valuable resource for researchers, teachers, and development agents working in the area of sustainable livestock production and consumption of animal source foods. National, international organizations, policy makers, and donors interested in sustainable development of the livestock sector will also find the information here practical and applicable. - Describes the public-health impacts of sustainable diets and livestock products - Presents the impacts of livestock production on the environment and food supply - Explores future scenarios (up to 2050) of low input livestock systems - Includes current case studies of low input livestock systems that offer potential for scaling-up and replication for sustainable livestock futures
This book explains how True Cost Accounting is an effective tool we can use to address the pervasive imbalance in our food system. Calls are coming from all quarters that the food system is broken and needs a radical transformation. A system that feeds many yet continues to create both extreme hunger and diet-related diseases, and one which has significant environmental impacts, is not serving the world adequately. This volume argues that True Cost Accounting in our food system can create a framework for a systemic shift. What sounds on the surface like a practice relegated to accountants is ultimately a call for a new lens on the valuation of food and a new relationship with the food we eat, starting with the reform of a system out of balance. From the true cost of corn, rice and water, to incentives for soil health, the chapters economically compare conventional and regenerative, more equitable farming practices in and food system structures, including taking an unflinching look at the true cost of cheap labour. Overall, this volume points towards the potential for our food system to be more human-centred than profit-centred and one that has a more respectful relationship to the planet. It sets forth a path forward based on True Cost Accounting for food. This path seeks to fix our current food metrics, in policy and in practice, by applying a holistic lens that evaluates the actual costs and benefits of different food systems, and the impacts and dependencies between natural systems, human systems, agriculture and food systems. This volume is essential reading for professionals and policymakers involved in developing and reforming the food system, as well as students and scholars working on food policy, food systems and sustainability.
“This will be a very useful book for all health care trainees, helping them to deliver excellent patient-centred care. [This book] has a clear and engaging style, lots of brilliant activities, tips and examples, with up to date theories and evidence throughout.” Jo Hart, Professor of Health Professional Education & Health Psychologist, Head of the Division of Medical Education, University of Manchester, UK. “This engaging and accessible guide to consultation skills draws on a scientific understanding of human behaviour to share expertise with and support those providing healthcare consultations.” Susan Michie, Professor of Health Psychology and Director of the Centre for Behaviour Change, University College London. Consultation Skills blends the theories of behaviour change with practical clinical communication and motivational interviewing skills, enabling students to understand the theoretical foundations and know how to apply them in real-world healthcare scenarios. Bringing together clinical communication skills and behaviour change in one source, this book eliminates the need for students to refer to multiple sources, thus streamlining their learning process and providing a holistic understanding of these topics. Consultation Skills will also remain a useful reference guide for students after qualification, as they embark in their professional careers. Key features of this book include: Integrates clinical communication skills and behaviour change theory Incorporates the most up-to-date theories and techniques Includes engaging pedagogical features (case studies, reflective activities and knowledge application activities) to enhance student learning Comprehensive content in one source Post-qualification utility Drawing on the most up-to-date theories and techniques, this book equips students with the latest theoretical foundations and practical skills to become the healthcare professionals of the future. Jacqueline F. Lavallée is a lecturer at the University of Manchester, UK, and a Health Psychologist registered with the Health and Care Professions Council, where she works with individuals to support them in making behaviour changes to improve their health and wellbeing. She has always had an interest in health behaviours and the role of psychology in health and illness. Sarah C. Shepherd is a senior lecturer at the University of Manchester, UK, where she leads the clinical communication component of the MBChB. She has a background in health psychology and has been working in the field of clinical communication in medical education for 10 years.
This innovative and engaging book discusses the contribution of business to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015. It critically analyses selected impact measurement and management tools to highlight their respective benefits and limitations, and also provides guidance on critical management decisions to support high-quality impact measurement and management. The analyses underlying this book are the result of a three year research project conducted by an international consortium in the EU-funded research project GLOBAL VALUE – Managing Business Impact on Development. The research is complemented by examples from corporate practice and expert interviews to demonstrate and measure the contribution of business to sustainable development in the context of the SDGs.
