Newsletter: Special edition October 2011

Unisa Press supports world efforts towards sustainable development and management of climate change Working together saving tomorrow today! is the motto of UN Framework Convention on Climate Changes 17th Conference of the Parties (COP 17), held in Durban, South Africa, from 28 November to 9 December 2011, tasked with assessing annual progress in dealing with climate change worldwide. Member countries, together with corporations, organisations and social formations in those countries, are expected to champion the cause of managing climate change for sustainable development. With South Africa being the host for this years Conference of the Parties, Unisa Press is proud to announce its full support of this important meeting of heads of states on climate change. Long before it became fashionable, the Press has made strides in publishing relevant materials and books in support of this human cause; some in strategic partnership with the United Nations University Press (www.unu.edu/unupress) and Trialogue (www.trialogue.co.za). The presss latest contribution to this important matter is a book produced timely for the COP 17 event by political economist Patrick Bond and his team, Ashwin Desai, Joel Kovel, Larry Lohman, Oscar Reyes, Khadija Sharife, The South Durban Community Environmental Alliance, Yash Tandon, Goolam Vahed and Del Weston.

Unisa as a whole has been fully awakened to climate change issues through various departments and activities such as Exxaro Chair in Business and Climate Change under the Institute for Corporate Citizenship at Unisa. The statement issued by them reads: There is overwhelming evidence that the worlds climate has been changing and will continue to change. In the wake of the 2009 Copenhagen Climate Change Summit, pressure has risen on governments and businesses to rein in activities that generate greenhouse gases (GHGs) leading to global warming and climate change. Pressure has also risen on governments and businesses to do something in order to adapt to climate change. Transition to a low carbon, networked and secure global village is now one of the possibilities. Governments and business entities must therefore play their roles in addressing climate change as one of the major challenges of the 21st century.

Books: Some of the publications for sale on sustainable development issues by the press include: Durbans Climate Gamble, playing the carbon markets, betting the earth

Soft cover ISBN: 978-1-86888-685-2 SA price: R230,00 / South Africa & Africa: www.unisa.ac.za/press Europe: www.eurospanbookstore.com USA & Canada: www.isbs.com

Durban, South Africa a city of immense beauty but also a city with deep environmental scars caused by industrial giants and insensitive government. As the hosting city for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change conference COP 17 Durban will be at the centre of the worlds climate negotiations. This book takes the reader on a journey from Durbans apartheid roots to its somewhat jaded present, passing cultural icons and political battles narrating socio-economic and environmental conflict and the reinvention of the citys tradition of social protest.

All this creates a context from which the reader can interpret the citys hosting of the COP 17, combined with the reflections of critical political ecologists, socialists, political economists, geographers and environmental activists on Durbans political ecology, global climate policy and COP politics. In this context we can understand why the COP 17 represents a vast climate gamble: will carbon trading solve the Earths climate crisis?

It looks at the environmental injustices the Earth will have to endure in the face of the demise of the Kyoto protocol, and looks critically at COP 17s faith in finding market solutions for market problems while it recklessly gambles with the Earths future.

The editor, Professor Patrick Bond, directs the University of KwaZulu-Natal Centre for Civil Society. Patrick is a political economist with longstanding research interests and NGO work in urban communities and with global justice movements in several countries. He teaches political economy and eco-social policy at SDS and is involved in research on economic justice, geopolitics, climate, energy and water. He is joined by contributors Ashwin Desai, Joel Kovel, Larry Lohman, Oscar Reyes, Khadija Sharife, The South Durban Community Environmental Alliance, Yash Tandon, Goolam Vahed and Del Weston.Climate Change: A guide for Corporates

Item 8073, 2009, xvi+ 148pp, full colour publication, soft cover ISBN: 978-1-86888-564-0 SA price: R230,00 / Africa: R242,00 (Airmail incl) South Africa & Africa: www.unisa.ac.za/press Europe: www.eurospanbookstore.com USA & Canada: www.isbs.com H. Stoffberg and P. Prinsloo Foreword by Mosibudi Mangena, Former Minister of Science and Technology of South Africa Unisa Press and Trialogue, South Africa Were the first generation that has had the power to destroy the planet. Ignoring that risk can only be described as reckless Sir Nicholas Stern, 2009 Not a day passes by without new information emerging about the impact of climate change on our planet or the seemingly relentless pace of change to our world due to climate change. Each day brings forth renewed calls for action the need for action from individuals, governments, and increasingly, the corporate world. It is no longer business as usual we can literally no longer afford that. But how do we react? What can corporations, big and small, do to address climate change? Responding to climate change is becoming a permanent feature on the agendas of companies, NGOs, employees and the broader public. Formulating appropriate responses to climate change is however often surprisingly difficult. Debates and regulations surrounding climate change are clouded in strange scientific terminology and a pile of data which overwhelm us. We may also feel that the scale and scope of climate change is so immense that our individual and corporate responses cannot really make a difference. To this end, the authors provide an overview of South African media publications which highlights not only the imperative for a corporate response to climate change, but also the change in paradigm faced by business. Here, the reader is drawn into the most current corporate climate change debate through printed media excerpts and accompanying corresponding graphics and photos. The book continues with an intriguing report on an empirical study conducted on the web database of the newspaper Business Day. Findings point to the most important climate change topics of discussion in specifically the corporate environment over the last 11 years. The local Business Day frequency search is also positioned in an international context with similar searches conducted in the Wall Street Journal, the London Financial Times and the Australian Financial Review. The book is printed on Sappi triple green a high-quality coated fine paper which is sustainable and environmentally sound.

The business of sustainable development in Africa: Human rights, partnerships, alternative business models Item 7914, 2008, xvi + 359pp, soft cover ISBN 978-1-86888-527-5 Price: SA R210,00 / Africa: R224,00 (Airmail incl) Europe: GB 21.00 / 28.00 USA and Asia : UNU Press tel +81(0)354671212 / website www.unu.edu/unupress / e-mail: sales@unu.edu. Sustainable development

Edited by Ralph Hamann, Stu Woolman and Courtenay Sprague Unisa Press, United Nations University Press and GTZ Winner: Hiddingh-Currie Award for Academic Excellence, 2009 At last! A book focused on the vital subject of corporate citizenship and partnerships in Africa. Written by a diverse group of scholars and practitioners, the book achieves an excellent balance of theory and practice, and offers insightful African perspectives within a broader global context. The authors have drawn valuable lessons from both large companies and social enterprises, and from internal management challenges and more systemic collaborative efforts. This deserves a prominent place on the bookshelf of anyone who is interested in business, in international development, or in Africa. Jane Nelson, Director, CSR Initiative, JFK School of Government, Harvard This book argues that a strategic, values-based approach, coupled with a willingness to innovate and collaborate can assist companies in grappling with such challenges, and may even turn such challenges into new opportunities. The overarching themes of human rights, cross-sector partnerships and alternative business models are described along with diverse case studies drawn mostly from sub-Saharan Africa. The lessons of the case studies and critical essays provide insights rarely seen in the literature on business and sustainable development. Coming from the Global South, these lessons have broader significance for the global debate on private sector development and they transcend much of the current, sometimes over-simplified commentary associated with the field. Dr David Wheeler, Dean of Management, Dalhousie University, Canada This book opens a crucial debate on the contribution and commitment of the private sector to development in Africa. Sustainable development cannot be achieved through government action alone and the private sector has an important role to play. The book succeeds in unpacking what this means for companies in diverse African contexts. It highlights the tensions between business activities and the development agenda, as well as the need to understand the role of companies beyond the traditional emphasis on philanthropy. Michelle Ndiaye Ntab, Chief Executive Officer, African Institute of Corporate Citizenship (AICC)

The Environmental Handbook, 1st edition

Produced in co-operation with WWF-SA and endorsed by Indalo Yethu, this exciting new publication from the Trialogue stable is dedicated to the corporate response to green issues from climate change, energy use and water consumption, to pollution, waste management, green buildings and eco-friendly products. This handbook will be the definitive annual barometer of corporate environmental behaviour, presented through multiple lenses that set benchmarks for companies and their stakeholders.

The Sustainability Handbook, 6th edition

The sixth edition of The Sustainability Handbook explores the sustainability challenge and articulates a clear business case for responsible corporate action. An overview of the King III Code on Good Corporate Governance highlights the rationale for integrating sustainability with core business strategy and reporting. Readers can find a detailed outline of the sustainability issues that are relevant to South African businesses presented in an easily digestible format. Adding to these are a series of Sustainability Profiles, illustrating corporate responses to a range of critical sustainability issues. These days, the way companies behave towards a wider set of stakeholders, with respect to a much broader set of social and environmental issues, now has a direct bearing on their corporate

reputation. In response, Trialogue and Media Tenor have launched an exciting new benchmark, the Media Sustainability Index (MSI), presented in this edition. Journals: Agrekon
ISSN: 0303-1853 Frequency: Four issues per year Taylor & Francis/Unisa Press co-published journal

Editor: Prof Nick Vink Agrekon aims to promote research and discussions on agricultural economic issues related to southern Africa. It includes disciplinary, multi-disciplinary and problem orientated articles such as boosting smallholder production for food security, the contribution of subsistence farming to food security, the impacts of macro-economic variables on the South African biofuels industry, alternative marketing options for small-scale farmers and contracting arrangements in agribusiness procurement practices.

Economic History of Developing Regions

Print ISSN: 2078-0389 | Online ISSN: 2078-0397 Frequency: Two issues per year Taylor & Francis/Unisa Press co-published journal

Editor: Prof Johan Fourie Economic History of Developing Regions promotes the study of economic change in the developing South, including Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. It provides an innovative research forum that explores the influence of historical events on economic development beyond the industrialised North. The journal accepts papers based on purely quantitative or qualitative research methods, as well as any combination of the two. It seeks submissions with an economic history focus from disciplines such as general history, development economics, cliometrics, business history, labour history, financial history, development studies and others. Commonwealth Youth and Development
Print ISSN: 1727-7140 Frequency: Two issues per year Accredited

Editor: Prof Linda Cornwell Commonwealth Youth and Development promotes the empowerment of the youth to enable them to play a constructive role in the development of their communities.

It recognises the importance of the youth and youth workers in developing countries and seeks to promote the professionalisation of youth work. The journal publishes research by academics and practitioners, providing a platform for debate about policies, programmes and processes. African Journal of Herpetology
Print ISSN: 0441-6651 Online ISSN: 2153-3660 Frequency: Two issues per year Taylor & Francis/Unisa Pressco-published journal

Editor: Dr John Measey African Journal of Herpetology is an interdisciplinary journal that publishes from diverse fields and disciplines (e.g., systematics, genetics, physiology, ecology, behavioural ecology, ethology, and morphology) that pertain to African reptiles and amphibians. The aim of the journal is to serve as an outlet for original research on the biology of African amphibians and reptiles. African Journal of Herpetology publishes original research articles (including reviews), short communications, commentaries, and book and software reviews. Anecdotal life history notes, range extensions, faunal lists, and teratological notes are not suitable for publication in the journal. Faunal lists are only considered when they include a biogeographical interpretation and the results are of broad zoological interest.

Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa

Print ISSN: 0035-919X Frequency: Three issues per year Taylor & Francis/Unisa Press co-published journal

Editor: Prof John Skinner Founded in 1878 as Transactions of the South African Philosophical Society, the Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa, published on behalf of the Royal Society of South Africa since 1908, reflects a rich tome of original scientific research in and beyond South Africa. The journals strength lies in its multi- and interdisciplinary orientation, with all scientific disciplines being well represented, including astronomy, archaeology, botany, ethnology, meteorology and climatology, mineralogy and petrology, physics and engineering, geology, palaeontology, irrigation, mathematics, oceanography, physiology and zoology.

For more information please contact Unisa Press: www.unisa.ac.za/press General enquiries: +27 12 429-3081 Books orders & sales: +27 12 429 3448/3515 Journals subscriptions: +27 12 429-2953, also in conjunction with NISC http://www.nisc.co.za