I have enjoyed the beauty of nature since I was a child, and I quickly understood that human life depends on the availability of air, water, and food, all of which are the gifts of nature. Growing up in a period of unbridled and uncontrolled industrialization in West Germany during the 60s and 70s made me understand that we cannot treat nature the way we did, with never-ending pollution of rivers, coastal areas, and air. I decided to try and become a professional environmental manager and study the science-based availability of solutions and apply them so we can learn again how to live in harmony with nature.
I wrote
The Water, Energy, and Food Security Nexus in Asia and the Pacific: Central and South Asia
During my time in India, I met some amazing women scientists. The Brahmaputra is one of the world's largest branching rivers, with multi-branched channels that branch and merge to form a distinctive branching pattern. It is home to temporary islands, and the flow of the water exhibits rapid periodic fluctuations between seasons.
Just as the water of the Brahmaputra has to navigate many obstacles from the river's source to the sea, women scientists in India face many obstacles in their work and personal lives. This book documents and illustrates the beauty of science and the importance of involving more women in science worldwide to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and reduce the multitude of contemporary socio-environmental problems, using India as an example.
During my many years in the Emirates, I explored the flora, vegetation, and geomorphology of the coastal, mountainous, and sandy deserts and experienced their incredible beauty, which was particularly stunning during Winter sunsets.
I came to understand why the ancient Arabs loved and cared for their land, and I fell in love with it, too. This book, edited by my friends the late Peter Hellyer and the late Simon Aspinall, provides a comprehensive and beautifully illustrated documentation of the richness and diversity of the Emirates' natural ecosystems, habitats, and flora and fauna.
During my many years working for UNESCO in Arabia, Africa, East Asia, and South Asia, as well as during my early years in Europe, I had the great privilege of not only traveling to many countries and experiencing the true beauty of natural landscapes, seascapes, and coastal areas, but also meeting people of different nationalities, ethnicities, and religions, and I came to appreciate many of their cultural traditions and customs.
UNESCO has three types of designated protected areas, including UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, UNESCO World Heritage Sites and Global Geoparks. My hometown in northern Germany is located in the Terra Vita Geopark, which celebrates the 'life story of the Earth.' This book provides an excellent overview of the UNESCO Global Geoparks of the world.
Preserving nature's wonders for future generations.
UNESCO and gestalten collaborate on a book about the planet’s spectacular landscapes, allowing readers to discover, enjoy, and learn more about the planet’s natural wonders. Encompassing sites across 46 countries, UNESCO Global Geoparks feature extraordinary geology and landscapes. Featuring world-class images, the title highlights the stunning beauty of these geoparks while taking the reader on an entertaining and insightful journey that unravels the mystique behind each site. What makes it special? Why is it worth preserving? How might it look in 100 years? We impart knowledge through detailed texts that are both authoritative and…
I have been actively involved in the scientific research, conservation, restoration, and development of mangrove ecosystems since 1989. Mangroves are an important part of the natural systems of our plant world and are of enormous importance to wildlife and humans both ecologically and for a whole range of socio-economic reasons. Mangroves are world champions in carbon sequestration. Mangroves can grow in salt water, and 97% of the water on Earth is salty.
This ATLAS provides comprehensive information on the importance and biogeography of mangroves, although an updated and web-based new version is urgently needed. At the moment, this is the best ATLAS we have, and I highly recommend it as a 'must have' for anyone serious about science-based professional conservation and restoration of mangrove ecosystems.
Published with ISME, ITTO and project partners FAO, UNESCO-MAB, UNEP-WCMC and UNU-INWEH.
This atlas provides the first truly global assessment of the state of the world's mangroves. Written by a leading expert on mangroves with support from the top international researchers and conservation organizations, this full colour atlas contains 60 full-page maps, hundreds of photographs and illustrations and a comprehensive country-by-country assessment of mangroves. Mangroves are considered both ecologically and from a human perspective. Initial chapters provide a global view, with information on distribution, biogeography, productivity and wider ecology, as well as on human uses, economic values, threats, and approaches…
Although much of the world's desert ecosystems are poor in plant species and have very low vegetation cover and density, it should not be forgotten that even the flora in desert ecosystems provides a variety of services and benefits to both humans and animals.
Renée Richer and her collaborators have put together a wonderful and highly informative account of the flora of Qatar, which I believe is an inspiration to contemporary conservationists, botanists, and vegetation ecologists. It belongs in the collection of both professional and amateur nature lovers.
With a focus on quality and scientific precision, Hidden Beauty is the definitive guide of plants in Qatar. In addition to the high-quality images throughout, which facilitate the identification of plants, the detailed information has been edited and reviewed by leading global experts in Middle Eastern plants. This process has led, among others, to clarifying and rectifying past misidentifications, and to shedding light to 10 new species of plants newly recorded for Qatar. Targeting both professionals in the field as well as a general audience, the release of this title emphasises the need for environmental assessments at a national and…
This open access publication investigates the need for more open and interdisciplinary cooperation on the water-, energy-, and food-security-nexus in Asia and the Pacific.
The long-term social and economic success of the region depends on how water, energy, and food security is achieved at a regional scale that combines Central Asia and South Asia, which are typically treated separately in policy and scholarly works. This book considers how securing the “Nexus” of water, energy, and food resources serves as a starting point for utilizing emerging region-wide opportunities. It does so by identifying the present state of play, deeply analyzing cross-cutting drivers (e.g., climate change, poverty, environmental crises and urbanization) and offering insights into possible solutions.
