Matière à débattre et décider

This book champions the idea that it is possible to achieve plentiful agricultural production whilst improving the quality of the environment. It discusses the various specific features of ecologically-intensive agriculture, sets out the changes in the concept and states the means of expanding the use of ecological functionalities for agriculture and animal husbandry. It addresses the conditions for global economic and social viability, seen as a factor in successful ecologically-intensive agriculture. Based on a panel with very wide experiences, this work will fuel the debates between agricultural professionals and environmental groups so that farmers themselves become true champions of the agricultural biosphere.

Which physiological mechanisms are behind pain? Are all animals likely to feel pain? Which tools and which criteria should be used to evaluate pain? What are the solutions to prevent, limit and ease the pain of these animals?

This expert scientific assessment presents a state of scientific knowledge on these issues and suggests areas of research to shed light on the debate on animal-society relations.

At a time when a real "occupational distress market" is opening out, it is crucial to provide the interested parties with keys to understanding that will help them to make strategic choices or envisage prevention actions. This book, the only one in French, presents and compares the various economic analysis methods of occupational health (professional stress) and explains how "figures" are put on the consequences of stress at work.

How will waste management be organised in the years to come?What are the conflicts between the population and the decision makers? What are the decisive economic factors? What progress has been made in terms of health? The authors of this book answer questions from decision makers on household waste management. They present the historic, sociological, economic and health components that go hand in hand with territorial waste management and the use of technologies in France.

The risk management policy introduced since Cyclone Xynthia in February 2010 has highlighted the need to re-think French risk management policy and its climate change adaptation plan.This collective work analyses the recent natural disasters, especially Xynthia, and makes a few suggestions for an integrated risk management policy.

What do we know today about the impacts of agriculture on the biodiversity?What services can the biodiversity bring to agriculture? These questions have mobilised a group of experts from various international institutions.

The risks of shortages of certain metals and uncertainties surrounding land reserves of several others justify seeking to diversify the sources of supply and to call on the potential of the deep marine mineral resources.

The WTO has a duty to protect the geographical indications that identify a product where the quality, reputation or other set characteristic can basically be attributed to its geographical origin. Champagne, Roquefort, Darjeeling and Basmati are all examples of this. Through a comparative analysis, the book shows how India protects the craft products and ancient varieties that reflect its cultural identity from the threats of globalisation and how the Indian experience throws French and European law into question.

The Codex Alimentarius, created in 1963 to establish international food standards, has seen a change in its challenges with the World Trade Organisation agreements. This book uses detailed cases to examine the modalities and conditions influencing companies in the decisions of an intergovernmental organisation by setting out their constraints and how they must adapt.

Whilst a dominant viewpoint, widely taken up by managers of natural environments, and historical reasons (wasteland was in days gone by the result of neglect due to war, epidemics, major social crises and so on) have given feral nature - totally left to its own devices - a negative connotation, this book champions the naturalness, denounces nature management policies and makes a case for enclosed spaces and "natural" forests.