Battleground

Environmental questions stir strong feelings across the whole political spectrum. Concerns about rising cancer rates in industrialized nations, a warming climate, and sprawling cities have grown louder as people better grasp how much human activity shapes the natural world. Many first encounter these fights in their own towns, long before they understand the underlying science or history, and news coverage tends to frame them as simple battles between opposing sides, which hides much of what is really at stake.

This reference work is meant as a starting point for students, teachers, librarians, and interested citizens. It covers more than 100 of the most contested environmental topics. Each entry names the issue, the people and groups who held different views or positions, and the place and time the dispute took place. It also explains the cultural, social, and political forces behind the conflict.

The entries examine topics such as childhood asthma, the Kyoto Summit and Treaty, smart growth, the Three Gorges Dam in China, and genetically modified food. They describe relevant public policies and consider where each controversy may be heading. Every entry closes with cross-references and a brief bibliography for further research. Sidebars throughout look closely at particular local disputes to show how complicated these issues can be.