The Global Casino

The Global Casino is an introduction to environmental issues which deals both with the workings of the physical environment and the political, economic and social frameworks in which the issues occur. Using examples from all over the world, the book highlights the underlying causes behind environmental problems, the human actions which have made them issues, and the hopes for solutions. It is a book about the human impact on the environment and the ways in which the natural environment impacts human society.

The seventh edition has been fully revised and updated throughout, with new case studies, figures, and online resources comprising a complete lecture course for tutors and multiple-choice questions for students. New concepts and topics covered for the first time in this edition include the blue economy, marine heatwaves, Africa’s Great Green Wall, rewilding, net zero commitments, nature-based solutions, emerging contaminants in global rivers, green infrastructure in sustainable cities, initiatives promoting zero emission vehicles, and zoonotic diseases (including the COVID-19 pandemic). New case studies include gender impact assessment of big dams in Laos and Vietnam, reducing food loss and waste, liming sugar maple trees in North America to counteract soil acidification, and soil erosion and poverty in Rwanda. Eighteen chapters on key issues follow three initial chapters which outline the background contexts of the physical and human environments and the concept of sustainable development. Each chapter provides historical context for key issues, outlines why they have arisen, and highlights areas of controversy and uncertainty to appraise how issues can be resolved both technically and in political and economic frameworks. Each chapter also contains an updated critical guide to further reading – most of them open access – and websites, talks and podcasts, as well as discussion points and essay questions. The text can be read in its entirety or individual chapters adopted as standalone reading.

This book is an essential resource for students of the environment, geography, development studies and earth sciences. It provides comprehensive and inspirational coverage of all the major global environmental issues of the day in a style that is clear, concise and critical.