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Institutional Logics and Practice of the Evolution of Urban–Rural Relationships (Social Development Experiences in China)
by Xiaoye Zhe Yun AiThis book mainly analyzes the major issues at all phases of the transition of urban-rural relation, as well as measures adopted by the transition launcher in face of such issues, including not only the system and policy design of the national and local government, but the countermeasures of basic-level units at urban and rural areas and the people. Through reference of the social structure and social behavior, it proposes “opportunity structures”, “interactive mechanism” and “behavior strategies” for different periods, which to some degree promotes the transition of urban-rural relation and brings in new, more complicated issues for the development. It is under the impact of such new and existing issues that big problem follows when the urban-rural relation steps onto a new stage, showing several paths and practices different from the general urbanization and modernization theories.
The Institutional Paradigm of Economic Geography: A Perspective from Natural Resource and Environmental Econometrics
by Yiming HeThis groundbreaking book offers a comprehensive and contemporary analysis of the major areas of institutional economic geography. Each chapter discusses in detail the new developments and changes in the field, and with a balance of theory, applications and empirical tests provides a rigorous grounding in the economic analysis of the natural resources and environmental issues that are increasingly prominent policy concerns. The book is a must-read for any social scientist interested in real-world economic geography and institutional economics, including economists, political scientists, sociologists, historians, geographers and anthropologists.
Institutional Partnerships in Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems: A Compilation of Seven National Good Practices and Guiding Principles
by Maryam GolnaraghiThis book documents seven examples of Early Warning Systems for hydrometeorological and other hazards that have proven effective in reducing losses due to these hazards. The cases studied encompass a variety of climatic regimes and stages of economic development, raging across the industrialized countries of Germany, France, Japan and the United States, to Bangladesh, the island nation of Cuba and the mega-city of Shanghai. Demonstrated characteristics of these exemplary cases are synthesized into ten guiding principles for successful early warning systems that will, it is hoped, prove useful to countries seeking to develop or strengthen such systems within their own borders.
The Institutional Position of Seaports: An International Comparison (GeoJournal Library #51)
by H. StevensThe phenomenon of international seaport administration is the subject of this book. As a Ph.D.-student at the Delft University of Technology (period 1993 - 1997) I had the opportunity to develop and exercise my hobby on a full time base. The result was a Ph.D.-dissertation which was defended in December 1997. Unfortunately, these research results were published in Dutch while the majority of the interviewees and employees in the world of international seaport administration are English speaking people. Both for the reason of high international relevance of the results I felt the necessity to get this Ph.D.-research translated and published in English. With the excellent help of my promotor Prof.dr. W.G.M. Salet I found Prof.dr. H. van der Wusten prepared to cover this study on international seaport administration in the Kluwer GeoJournal Library series. I thank Mr. Van der Wusten for giving me this opportunity. But also due to the outstanding help of my current employer 'Zeeland Seaports Authority' the funding for the translation became very quickly possible. I thank the Managing Director of Zeeland Seaports Authority, Mr. J.M.H.G. Philippen, and the Commercial Director, Capt. J. Verkiel, for their interest and wonderful help in getting this study translated. And of course my sincere thanks go to Katy Owen who actually made this dream come true.
The Institutionalisation of Civic Initiatives: Practices, Public Effects and Models of Direct Civic Action in Europe
by Francesco CampagnariThis book examines two civic initiatives in Europe and analyses their evolution through the institutionalisation of their practices, local public effects, and established models for action at broader scales.Drawing from the concepts of civic action, problematic situations, public problems, and experience, this book coins the concept of direct civic action to explore civic initiatives beyond sectorial categories. It draws from the histories, everyday activities, and encounters with new problematic situations of a Slovak and a French initiative. It analyses the institutionalisation of their internal practices, their public cultural services, the models for action they establish in broader networks of initiatives, and how institutionalisation affects their experimentation and innovation. This book uses two case studies of civic initiatives in France and Slovakia, examining how the experimental and institutionalised approaches to problematic situations of civic initiatives are associated with the generation and continuative reproduction of public goods and policies. It also explores how local initiatives establish national and international networks and models for direct civic action.This book is aimed at scholars interested in civic initiatives, urban planning, public policies, innovation studies, and urban sociology. It is intended to engage members of civic initiatives by offering insights into organisational dynamics and their impact on public issues. Furthermore, it appeals to public officials and policy-makers who aim to establish policies that promote civic initiatives and encourage direct civic action.
The Institutionalisation of Civic Initiatives: Practices, Public Effects and Models of Direct Civic Action in Europe
by Francesco CampagnariThis book examines two civic initiatives in Europe and analyses their evolution through the institutionalisation of their practices, local public effects, and established models for action at broader scales.Drawing from the concepts of civic action, problematic situations, public problems, and experience, this book coins the concept of direct civic action to explore civic initiatives beyond sectorial categories. It draws from the histories, everyday activities, and encounters with new problematic situations of a Slovak and a French initiative. It analyses the institutionalisation of their internal practices, their public cultural services, the models for action they establish in broader networks of initiatives, and how institutionalisation affects their experimentation and innovation. This book uses two case studies of civic initiatives in France and Slovakia, examining how the experimental and institutionalised approaches to problematic situations of civic initiatives are associated with the generation and continuative reproduction of public goods and policies. It also explores how local initiatives establish national and international networks and models for direct civic action.This book is aimed at scholars interested in civic initiatives, urban planning, public policies, innovation studies, and urban sociology. It is intended to engage members of civic initiatives by offering insights into organisational dynamics and their impact on public issues. Furthermore, it appeals to public officials and policy-makers who aim to establish policies that promote civic initiatives and encourage direct civic action.
The Institutionalisation of Disaster Risk Reduction: South Africa and Neoliberal Governmentality (Routledge Studies in Hazards, Disaster Risk and Climate Change)
by Gideon van RietThe past three decades have seen a global shift in disaster management from an event driven response to a ‘could-be’ risk management approach. Disaster risk reduction (DRR) has become entrenched as a dominant paradigm within the field of disaster management. More than a decade after adopting DRR legislation in South Africa there remains a dearth of evidence that this has translated into substantive action. This book examines the institutionalisation of DRR in South Africa, conceived of as a political economy of knowledge production. Using a critical theory approach, the book does not consider why DRR is failing but instead asks ‘why DRR?’ As such, it explores possibilities beyond DRR’s narrow optic and offers new insights into disaster management through the lens of South Africa. This is valuable reading for graduate students and academics working in disaster studies, geography, public policy and development/post-development studies, as well as policy makers.
The Institutionalisation of Disaster Risk Reduction: South Africa and Neoliberal Governmentality (Routledge Studies in Hazards, Disaster Risk and Climate Change)
by Gideon van RietThe past three decades have seen a global shift in disaster management from an event driven response to a ‘could-be’ risk management approach. Disaster risk reduction (DRR) has become entrenched as a dominant paradigm within the field of disaster management. More than a decade after adopting DRR legislation in South Africa there remains a dearth of evidence that this has translated into substantive action. This book examines the institutionalisation of DRR in South Africa, conceived of as a political economy of knowledge production. Using a critical theory approach, the book does not consider why DRR is failing but instead asks ‘why DRR?’ As such, it explores possibilities beyond DRR’s narrow optic and offers new insights into disaster management through the lens of South Africa. This is valuable reading for graduate students and academics working in disaster studies, geography, public policy and development/post-development studies, as well as policy makers.
Institutions and Systems in the Geography of Innovation (Economics of Science, Technology and Innovation #25)
by M. P. Feldman Nadine MassardThis volume provides a collection of theoretical articles and empirical studies on innovation and location by focusing on the institutions and systems that mediate knowledge spillovers. The objective is to provide an international comparison using a variety of approaches. The volume is organized around the three themes. The first focuses on theoretical work that attempts to advance our understanding of knowledge externalities and systems on innovation. The second section provides empirical studies that attempt to measure these impacts. The final section considers future challenges to regional economic development policy in the face of economic integration and globalization.
Instructor's Manual to Chris Park's The Environment
by Greg LewisThe very survival of the planet is at risk: human misuse of natural resources and disturbance of natural environmental systems is pushing the Earth to the limits of its capacity. The Environment is a lively, comprehensive introduction for environmental study, explaining how the environment functions, how environmental systems relate, and the ways in which people and environment interact. Focussing particularly on the environmental impacts of human activities, the book explains the ways in which an understanding of basic physical principles can help us to use the environment and its resources. Three particular approaches are adopted throughout: * a systems approach - highlighting the interactions and interrelationships between the environment's diverse parts * an interdisciplinary perspective - stepping back from individual subject focus to examine the complex breadth of the environment's diversity * a global perspective - incorporating stimulating examples drawn from around the world to illustrate broad global patterns and contrasts. The Environment explains the principles and applications of the different parts of the Earth's system: the lithosphere, the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, and explains the interrelationship across these systems. It explores the present environmental crisis, examines how the planet Earth fits into the wider universe, and explores human-environment interactions, to offer a clear understanding of the diverse and complex environment we live in and new ways of thinking about the way it is changing. Specific features include: * Lively, stimulating and accessible text * Superb illustrations: 4-colour plate sections * Case studies drawn from around the world, boxed within the text * Chapter summaries * Annotated further reading lists A Lecturer's Manual is available to accompany the text
Instructor's Manual to Chris Park's The Environment
by Greg LewisThe very survival of the planet is at risk: human misuse of natural resources and disturbance of natural environmental systems is pushing the Earth to the limits of its capacity. The Environment is a lively, comprehensive introduction for environmental study, explaining how the environment functions, how environmental systems relate, and the ways in which people and environment interact. Focussing particularly on the environmental impacts of human activities, the book explains the ways in which an understanding of basic physical principles can help us to use the environment and its resources. Three particular approaches are adopted throughout: * a systems approach - highlighting the interactions and interrelationships between the environment's diverse parts * an interdisciplinary perspective - stepping back from individual subject focus to examine the complex breadth of the environment's diversity * a global perspective - incorporating stimulating examples drawn from around the world to illustrate broad global patterns and contrasts. The Environment explains the principles and applications of the different parts of the Earth's system: the lithosphere, the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, and explains the interrelationship across these systems. It explores the present environmental crisis, examines how the planet Earth fits into the wider universe, and explores human-environment interactions, to offer a clear understanding of the diverse and complex environment we live in and new ways of thinking about the way it is changing. Specific features include: * Lively, stimulating and accessible text * Superb illustrations: 4-colour plate sections * Case studies drawn from around the world, boxed within the text * Chapter summaries * Annotated further reading lists A Lecturer's Manual is available to accompany the text
Instrument Development for Atmospheric Research and Monitoring: Lidar Profiling, DOAS and Tunable Diode Laser Spectroscopy (Transport and Chemical Transformation of Pollutants in the Troposphere #8)
by Jens Bösenberg, David Brassington and Paul C. SimonJens Bosenberg Max-Planck-Institut fur Meteorologie, Bundesstr. 55, D-20146 Hamburg, Germany TESLAS, which stands for Tropospheric Environmental Studies by Laser Sounding, was formed in November 1987 as a subproject of EUROTRAC to enhance the measurement capabilities for vertical profiling of ozone in the troposphere by means of laser remote sensing. For studies of several atmospheric processes related to the formation and redistribution of photo-oxidants there was a clear need for measuring extended time series with appropriate vertical and temporal resolution. These could not be obtained by conventional in situ techniques, at least not with affordable effort, so remote sensing appeared to be the best way to obtain the required information. At the beginning of the subproject, some Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) systems for measuring the vertical distribution of ozone already existed, but their use was restricted to very few laboratories and very few measurement campaigns, since the instruments were highly complex, rather unreliable, and required extensive efforts for maintenance and operation by skilled scientists. In addition, the accuracy of these measurements under a variety of meteorological conditions was not really well established. The main tasks within TESLAS therefore were to develop fully the DIAL-methodology for remote sensing of tropospheric ozone, and to develop instruments which are accurate, reliable, easy to operate, and suitable for field deployment or airborne operation.
Instrumental Multi-Element Chemical Analysis
by Z. B. AlfassiThe analysis of materials containing several elements used to be a difficult problem for analytical chemists, so a well established sequence of wet chemical qualitative tests were performed to ensure each element was detected. Quantitative tests could then be carried out on the sample, according to the range of elements present. Most analytical chemists were very familiar with these techniques, having been taugth them from a very early stage in their education and careers. The analytical chemist can now call on a range of specialist instrumental techniques which can detect the presence of many elements, often simultaneously, and often quantitatively, providing rapid results on samples which, in the past, could take days. The drawback is that the instruments tend to be expensive, suited to particular sample types or matrices and complex in both setting up and in the interpretation of results. Furthermore the general analytical chemist may have access and familiarity with only one or two methods. Written by an international team of contributors, each experts in their particular fields, this book familiarizes analytical chemists with the range of elemental analysis techniquers, to enable them to specify the most appropriate test for any given sample. In addition, it contains important chapters on sample preparation and quality control, essential elements in obtaining accurate and reliable analytical results. As such, this book will be essential reading for all analytical chemists. The techniques of elemental analysis are important in many other disciplines, so the book will be of particular interest to those commissioning a wide range of analytical measurements, such as chemists, geologists, environmental scientists and biologists. The breadth and depth of coverage will also make the book very useful for advanced students.
Instrumentation and Measurement Technologies for Water Cycle Management (Springer Water)
by Anna Di Mauro Andrea Scozzari Francesco SoldovieriThis book aims at presenting a unified framework for the description of working principles, recent advances and applications of cutting-edge measurement technologies for the water sector. Instrumentation and measurement technologies are currently playing a key role in the monitoring, assessment and protection of environmental resources. Measurement techniques and sensing methods for the observation of water systems are rapidly evolving and are requiring an increased multi-disciplinary participation.The whole water sector is characterised by multiple technological contexts concerning the monitoring of the resource, given the broad coverage that includes water from its natural domains to the men-made infrastructures. In particular, instrumentation and measurement technologies have a pervasive presence in all the necessary aspects for the assessment, monitoring and control of the water resource and of its relationship with the various environmental stressors, including the anthropic pressures.Therefore, the book aims at presenting how the diagnostics/monitoring methodologies and the related technologies can give an answer to the issues raised by the complex scenario characterising the water cycle management (WCM). The book is structured in five topical sections, grouped by similarity of their technological and/or applicative contexts.
Instrumentation and Metrology in Oceanography
by Marc Le MennThrough research, physical oceanography aims to solve the numerous problems stated by thermal, optical and dynamical properties of the oceans. Instrumentation and Metrology in Physical Oceanography describes the means used in oceanography to determine physical properties of the oceans by medium of in situ measurements. This book explores the theoretical functioning of sensors and instruments, as well as different practical aspects of using these tools. The content of this book appeals directly to technicians or engineers wishing to enhance their knowledge of instrumentation and application to environment surveillance. Instrumentation and Metrology in Physical Oceanography details the functioning of sensors and instruments used to assess the following parameters in oceanography: temperature, conductivity, pressure, sound velocity, current in magnitude and direction, time and position with GPS, height of water and tide, waves, optical and chemical properties (turbidity), dissolved gas (O2, CO2), pH, nutrients and other dissolved elements. Furthermore, this book also elaborates on the different means used to obtain measurements at sea (boats, drifting floats, moorings, undersea platforms, gliders…) and techniques currently being developed.
Instrumentation and Metrology in Oceanography
by Marc Le MennThrough research, physical oceanography aims to solve the numerous problems stated by thermal, optical and dynamical properties of the oceans. Instrumentation and Metrology in Physical Oceanography describes the means used in oceanography to determine physical properties of the oceans by medium of in situ measurements. This book explores the theoretical functioning of sensors and instruments, as well as different practical aspects of using these tools. The content of this book appeals directly to technicians or engineers wishing to enhance their knowledge of instrumentation and application to environment surveillance. Instrumentation and Metrology in Physical Oceanography details the functioning of sensors and instruments used to assess the following parameters in oceanography: temperature, conductivity, pressure, sound velocity, current in magnitude and direction, time and position with GPS, height of water and tide, waves, optical and chemical properties (turbidity), dissolved gas (O2, CO2), pH, nutrients and other dissolved elements. Furthermore, this book also elaborates on the different means used to obtain measurements at sea (boats, drifting floats, moorings, undersea platforms, gliders…) and techniques currently being developed.
Instrumentation for Ground-Based Optical Astronomy: Present and Future The Ninth Santa Cruz Summer Workshop in Astronomy and Astrophysics, July 13–July 24, 1987, Lick Observatory (Santa Cruz Summer Workshops in Astronomy and Astrophysics)
by Lloyd B. RobinsonHistorically, the discovery of tools, or evidence that tools have been used, has been taken as proof of human activity; certainly the invention and spread of new tools has been a critical marker of human progress and has increased our ability to observe, measure, and understand the physical world. In astronomy the tools are telescopes and the optical and electronic instruments that support them. The use of the telescope by Galileo marked the beginning of a new and productive way to study and understand the universe in which we live. The effects of this new tool on what we can see, and how we see ourselves, are well known. However, after almost four centuries of developing ever more sensitive and subtle instruments as tools for astronomy, it might have been expected that only a few minor improvements would remain to be made, or that possibly the law of diminishing returns would have taken effect. On the contrary, the new instruments and ideas for new instruments described in this book make it clear that the rate of progress has not diminished, and that this subject is still as exciting and productive as ever. Instrumentation for Ground-Based Optical Astronomy was chosen as the theme for the Ninth Santa Cruz Summer Workshop in Astronomy and Astrophysics.
Instrumentation in Earthquake Seismology (Modern Approaches In Geophysics Ser. #Vol. 22)
by Jens Havskov Gerardo AlguacilThis work provides an up-to-date overview of modern instruments used in earthquake seismology as well as a description of theoretical and practical aspects of seismic instrumentation. The main topics are:• Choosing and installing equipment for seismic stations• Designing and setting up seismic networks and arrays• Maintaining and calibrating seismic instrumentsIt also provides detailed descriptions of the following:• Seismic sensors• Digitizers• Seismic recorders• Communication systems• Software used for seismic station and networksIn this second edition, new seismic equipment is presented and more comprehensive sections on topics like MEMS accelerometers, sigma-delta AD converters, dynamic range discussion and virtual networks have been included.This book is primarily intended for seismologists, engineers and technicians working with seismological instruments. It combines practical “know-how” with sufficient theory to explain the basic principles, making it also suitable for teaching students the most important aspects of seismic instrumentation. The book also gives a current overview of the majority of instruments and instrument manufacturers on the market, making it easy to compare the capability of instruments from different sources.SEISAN software was used for several examples in the book. This widely extended seismic analysis software is freely available from the University of Bergen website.The content of this book draws on the authors’ (a seismologist and a physicist) combined experience of working in this field for more than 35 years.
Instrumentation in Earthquake Seismology (Modern Approaches in Geophysics #22)
by Jens Havskov Gerardo AlguacilHere is unique and comprehensive coverage of modern seismic instrumentation, based on the authors’ practical experience of a quarter-century in seismology and geophysics. Their goal is to provide not only detailed information on the basics of seismic instruments but also to survey equipment on the market, blending this with only the amount of theory needed to understand the basic principles. Seismologists and technicians working with seismological instruments will find here the answers to their practical problems. Instrumentation in Earthquake Seismology is written to be understandable to the broad range of professionals working with seismological instruments and seismic data, whether students, engineers or seismologists. Whether installing seismic stations, networks and arrays, working and calibrating stationary or portable instruments, dealing with response information, or teaching about seismic instruments, professionals and academics now have a practical and authoritative sourcebook. Includes: SEISAN and SEISLOG software systems that are available from http://extras.springer.com and http://www.geo.uib.no/seismo/software/software.html
Instrumentelle Analytik: Grundlagen - Geräte - Anwendungen (Springer-Lehrbuch)
by Douglas A. Skoog James J. LearyMit der deutschsprachigen Ausgabe des Standard-Lehrbuchs zur Instrumentellen Analytik von Skoog und Leary schließt sich endlich eine Lücke im Buchangebot für fortgeschrittene Studenten der Chemie an Universitäten und Fachhochschulen. Aufgrund des multidisziplinären Eindringens der Analytischen Chemie in andere Bereiche richtet sich das Buch auch an Physiker, Ingenieure und Biochemiker. Das Buch führt aktuell und kompetent in die Grundzüge und Feinheiten der heutigen Instrumentellen Analytischen Chemie ein. Über 530 detailreiche, selbsterklärende Abbildungen, Anhänge zu Statistik und Elektronik, Übungsaufgaben mit Lösungen und viele wichtige Originalzitate ergänzen dieses moderne Lehrbuch für Studierende und Praktiker.
Insularity and Geographic Diversity of the Peripheral Japanese Islands (International Perspectives in Geography #18)
by Akitoshi Hiraoka Satoshi Suyama Hisamitsu Miyauchi Takehisa SukeshigeThis book clarifies the geography of the peripheral Japanese islands from a variety of angles. The islands are distributed in the tropical and cool temperate zones, and the most distant inhabited islands are more than 1,000 km from the mainland. In the past, they were Japan's frontier, close to neighboring countries. However, during Japan's modernization process, the islands were positioned as backward regions, supplying food, resources, and labor. Today, the islands are considered to be on the periphery of Japan, with lifestyles different from those of the mainland. The islands are also getting attention as sightseeing locales and emigration regions attracting those who prefer country life—an image of the islands that has been created by the romanticized gaze from the Japanese mainland. The authors describe the various forms of the outlying Japanese islands and at the same time discover their common regional characteristics, as defined by the view from the mainland.
Insurance, Climate Change and the Law (ISSN)
by Franziska Arnold-DwyerThe insurance industry has found itself at the front line of climate change challenges, providing insurance cover in relation to risks associated with climate change. As risk carriers, insurers pay claims for climate change related losses – such as property damage caused by windstorms, flooding, and wildfires – which have been increasing in frequency and severity.As major institutional investors, insurance companies invest in assets that may be increasingly vulnerable to climate risks. Insurance regulators across the globe have therefore started to require insurance companies to identify, manage, and report on climate change risks that could pose a threat to their financial stability. However, managing and reporting on the effect of climate risk on an insurer’s balance sheet is an inward-looking perspective that does not stem climate change. It needs to be paired with an outward-looking perspective that takes account of the insurance industry’s impact on the environment and the insurance industry’s capacity to influence what policyholders, investee enterprises, and other business partners do to address climate change challenges. For the insurance industry, the key components of positive outward impact are ‘impact underwriting’ and ‘impact investment.’ This book sets out the current legal and regulatory landscape for impact underwriting and impact investment. Whilst the focus of research and regulatory interventions to date has been on inward impact, in this book it will be argued that, to take positive climate action that supports the Paris Agreement goals and the national and international Net Zero targets, the debate should now move on to considering the positive outward impact the insurance industry can make and how we can create a legal environment to facilitate this.The book puts forward the case for a new vision of the role of the insurance industry as climate action enablers and makes proposals for insurance products and risk transfer and loss resilience structures that can support policyholders in their transition to a Net Zero economy. The audience for this book will include legal practitioners, insurance industry professionals, financial and insurance regulators, policymakers, and interested academics.
Insurance, Climate Change and the Law (ISSN)
by Franziska Arnold-DwyerThe insurance industry has found itself at the front line of climate change challenges, providing insurance cover in relation to risks associated with climate change. As risk carriers, insurers pay claims for climate change related losses – such as property damage caused by windstorms, flooding, and wildfires – which have been increasing in frequency and severity.As major institutional investors, insurance companies invest in assets that may be increasingly vulnerable to climate risks. Insurance regulators across the globe have therefore started to require insurance companies to identify, manage, and report on climate change risks that could pose a threat to their financial stability. However, managing and reporting on the effect of climate risk on an insurer’s balance sheet is an inward-looking perspective that does not stem climate change. It needs to be paired with an outward-looking perspective that takes account of the insurance industry’s impact on the environment and the insurance industry’s capacity to influence what policyholders, investee enterprises, and other business partners do to address climate change challenges. For the insurance industry, the key components of positive outward impact are ‘impact underwriting’ and ‘impact investment.’ This book sets out the current legal and regulatory landscape for impact underwriting and impact investment. Whilst the focus of research and regulatory interventions to date has been on inward impact, in this book it will be argued that, to take positive climate action that supports the Paris Agreement goals and the national and international Net Zero targets, the debate should now move on to considering the positive outward impact the insurance industry can make and how we can create a legal environment to facilitate this.The book puts forward the case for a new vision of the role of the insurance industry as climate action enablers and makes proposals for insurance products and risk transfer and loss resilience structures that can support policyholders in their transition to a Net Zero economy. The audience for this book will include legal practitioners, insurance industry professionals, financial and insurance regulators, policymakers, and interested academics.
Insurance Systems in Times of Climate Change: Insurance of Buildings Against Natural Hazards
by Cornel QuintoNatural disasters such as large-scale flooding are on the increase. Climate change directly affects our basis of existence. This includes residential buildings, and commercial and industrial properties. The author highlights the requirements that will have to be met by a protection system for buildings in the future. Insurance against natural hazards lies at the heart of such a system. The insurance systems of Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland and the USA are presented. The author explains what type of insurance system is best suited to meet the challenge of climate change. The starting point of the legal section is statutory insurance with a monopoly. The question of whether such insurance is compatible with Swiss and EU law is examined. Keywords in this respect are economic freedom, competition, services of general interest and universal service.
Insurgent Democracy: The Nonpartisan League in North American Politics
by Michael J. LansingIn 1915, western farmers mounted one of the most significant challenges to party politics America has seen: the Nonpartisan League, which sought to empower citizens and restrain corporate influence. Before its collapse in the 1920s, the League counted over 250,000 paying members, spread to thirteen states and two Canadian provinces, controlled North Dakota’s state government, and birthed new farmer-labor alliances. Yet today it is all but forgotten, neglected even by scholars. Michael J. Lansing aims to change that. Insurgent Democracy offers a new look at the Nonpartisan League and a new way to understand its rise and fall in the United States and Canada. Lansing argues that, rather than a spasm of populist rage that inevitably burned itself out, the story of the League is in fact an instructive example of how popular movements can create lasting change. Depicting the League as a transnational response to economic inequity, Lansing not only resurrects its story of citizen activism, but also allows us to see its potential to inform contemporary movements.