Ebook: Index of Leading Environmental Indicators 2006

This publication is a review of political, media, and scientific coverage of environmental topics for the past year and the trends of attitudes and environmental measurements over the past several years and decades. It is full of interesting articles, extracts, graphs, and a few photos.

It is organized into roughly eight chapters.

1) "The Year the Music Stopped" discusses the author's notion that the modern environmental movement has crested and that an extreme wing of the movement still does its thing, but that even their traditional support from the left is eroding.

2) "The Year in Review: Climate Change" demonstrates that there is a rising counter voice to the din that Climate Change is accepted by everyone. We shall see how this balances out or is drowned out. I enjoyed the honest discussion and the rising realization that if hydrocarbon emissions are going to be reduced, nuclear energy has to be brought into the picture. The French use a great deal of nuclear power and they are the idol of all things left, yet there is no criticism of them (nor have there been accidents).

3) "Black Ink in the Green News: Media Roundup 2005" is an interesting review of the treatment the issues of the environment and global warming in the hands of the press.

4) "Air Quality", 5) "Water Quality", 6) "Toxic Chemicals in the Environment", and 7) "Biodiversity each take an aspect of the environment and show the positive aspects of the reality and the public discourse. Certainly, not all is accomplished or even discussed in a truly scientific way in the public discourse, but there is reason for hope.

8) "Special Report: China as the Ultimate Test Case for Environmental Progress" is an important discussion of the rapid industrial growth and vast environmental degradation that is occurring. What is going to be the future course? How is China going to keep growth from moderating while they moderate environmental damage from that growth?

This is in a magazine format, is most readable, and quite enjoyable for those who take a balanced view towards environmental issues and economic growth.