Acid Rain Science and Politics in Japan is a pioneering work in environmental and Asian history as well as an in-depth analysis of the influence of science on domestic and international environmental politics. Kenneth Wilkening's study also illuminates the global struggle to create sustainable societies. The Meiji Restoration of 1868 ended Japan's era of isolation- created self-sufficiency and sustainability. The opening of the country to Western ideas and technology not only brought pollution problems associated with industrialization (including acid rain) but also scientific techniques for understanding and combating them. Wilkening identifies three pollution-related "sustainability crises" in modern Japanese history: copper mining in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, which spurred Japan's first acid rain research and policy initiatives; horrendous post-World War II domestic industrial pollution, which resulted in a "hidden" acid rain problem; and the present-day global problem of transboundary pollution, in which Japan is a victim of imported acid rain. He traces the country's scientific and policy responses to these crises through six distinct periods related to acid rain problems and argues that Japan's leadership role in East Asian acid rain science and policy today can be explained in large part by the "historical scientific momentum" generated by efforts to confront the issue since 1868, reinforced by Japan's cultural affinity with rain (its "culture of rain"). Wilkening provides an overview of nature, culture, and the acid rain problem in Japan to complement the general set of concepts he develops to analyze the interface of science and politics in environmental policymaking. He concludes with a discussion of lessons from Japan's experience that can be applied to the creation of sustainable societies worldwide.

What we can learn from the Japanese approach to theproblem of acid rain: a historical study of the influence ofscience on policy and sustainability.

"awareness" of the world's citizens and encourage governments to devote more attention and resources to address this issue. The series editors thank the international panel of contributors for bringing this timely series into completion. We also wish to acknowledge the very insightful input of the following colleagues: Prof. A. L. Page of the University of California, Prof. T . C. Hutchinson of the University of Toronto , and Dr. Steve Lindberg of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. We also wish to thank the superb effort and cooperation of the volume editors in handling their respective volumes. The constructive criticisms of chapter review ers also deserve much appreciation. Finally, we wish to convey our appreciation to my secretary, Ms. Brenda Rosier, and my technician, Ms. Claire Carlson, for their very able assistance in various aspects of this series. Aiken, South Carolina Domy C. Adriano Coordinating Editor Preface to Acidic Precipitation, Volume 5 (Advances in Environmental Science) Acidification research has been ongoing for several decades. It was not until the 1980s, however, that scientists began to recognize the complex ity of the factors causing the decline in forest growth and deterioration of fish populations in acidified lakes. The general feeling, based on correla tive research, was that long-range transported air pollution was the main cause. Proof, however, was difficult to obtain because of complex interac tions of various stress factors including natural ones.

A decade of climate change negotiations almost ended in failure because of the different policy approaches of the industrialized states. Japan, Germany, and the United States exemplify the deep divisions that exist among states in their approaches to environmental protection. Germany is following what could be called the green social welfare state approach to environmental protection, which is increasingly guided by what is known as the precautionary principle. In contrast, the US is increasingly leaning away from the use of environmental regulations, towards the use of market-based mechanisms to control pollution and cost-benefit analysis to determine when environmental protection should take precedence over economic activities. Internal political divisions mean that Japan sits uneasily between these two approaches. Miranda A. Schreurs uses a variety of case studies to explore why these different policy approaches emerged and what their implications are, examining the differing ideas, actors, and institutions in each state.

This book seeks to explain what 'science' and 'politics' are in the context of environmental policymaking & how the interplay of science & politics influences international environmental policy.

he Global Casino is a compelling introduction to environmental issues which links the physical environment to its political, social and economic contexts. Case studies from around the globe are used to illustrate key environmental issues, from global warming and deforestation to natural hazards and soil erosion. The book highlights the underlying causes behind environmental problems, including human actions and emphasises the potential for solutions. In line with contemporary international trends, emphasis is placed on the critical concept of sustainable development. This new edition has been thoroughly revised and updated, with the introduction of new illustrative material and up-to-the-minute case studies on topics such as endangered deep-sea species, the global uptake of unleaded petrol, geothermal energy in Iceland, genocide in Rwanda and the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004. Particularly useful features for students include points for discussion at the end of each chapter as well as a comprehensive glossary. The lists of key readings and websites, again linked specifically to the content of each chapter, have been fully updated and expanded. The Global Casino is the essential course companion for students of the environment, geography, earth sciences and development studies.