Almost every week, more and more evidence emerges of the health effects of air pollution. In an effort to tackle this, cities across Europe are discussing “Clean Air Zones” (CAZs), with a primary focus on Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂) concentrations. A potential consequence, not readily communicated to the public, is that the bigger and marginally more fuel-efficient new vehicles have made little improvement in Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) emissions.

Systems pervade the natural, societal and technological worlds – from bee swarms to traffic jams; natural to industrial ecosystems; and underpinning pervasive issues, from climate change to obesity.

Dust storms so dense you can’t see your hand in front of your face; children dying of dust pneumonia; scarce water, and any that is present is contaminated with debris so badly that it has to be strained through a cloth to be drinkable. So begins Hannah Holleman’s account of how the US Dust Bowl of the 1930s, far from being a disaster so terrible that it couldn’t be allowed to happen again, is a phenomenon we are on course to repeat.

This is an interesting and detailed book that tells the story of street tree use and abuse through case studies comprising two cities that exhibited both contrasting and comparative situations. It begins with a useful summary of urban forestry within an introduction to the scope of, and justification for, the work.

This article is to explain the governance changes that make up the Special Resolutions on this year’s ballot paper. 

The 2017 strategic review identified ‘outstanding governance’ as one of the five key drivers that underpinned our organisational model. Trustees determined that, whilst the culture and effectiveness of our governance committees were very good, the Charity Objects and governing documents needed updating to align with the latest Charity Commission guidance.

In a follow-up to the December 2017 Living Labs edition of the environmental SCIENTIST, Filipa Ferraz devises a Living Lab analysis in a university context that raises the importance of integrating university roles, groups and layers.

Air quality, or the lack of it, has become a hot topic in the UK, which hopefully means this book will be read by a wider audience outside the environmental science community. In terms of helping to facilitate change, it certainly needs to be.

The introduction starts with emotive description of the impact polluters have on all of us, introducing the concept of air being used as a waste disposal route. I’m not sure that many people have thought of it this way, and this provides a different way of thinking about the problem.

At its heart, this book looks to set out an approach to science and practice that can “transform society towards greater sustainability”. This is very much in keeping with the approach that we champion within the IES.

Ariane König, from the University of Luxembourg, has edited this multi-author volume and she argues that a new concept, of ‘transformative sustainability science’ is required that is driven by three key approaches: future-orientation, systems-thinking and social learning.

The book comprises 19 highly diverse chapters, structured in three parts: