Newsletter from Global Foresight Books

GENERAL OVERVIEWS.

Agriculture and Food: Feeding Nine Billion People (OECD, Oct 2010) warns that global food production must double by 2050 to feed a growing and more affluent population. The Feeding of the Nine Billion: Global Food Security for the 21st Century (Royal Institute of International Affairs briefing paper, Aug 2009), warns of rising food prices, turbulence, and uncertainty. Agricultural Outlook 2010 (OECD and FAO, July 2010) looks at market trends for main agricultural products and biofuels in the 2010-2019 period. Food Politics: What Everyone Needs to Know by Robert Paarlberg (Oxford UP, April 2010) explains important issues such as chronic hunger, green revolution controversies, farm subsidies, agribusiness, organic and local food, and GE food. America's Food by Harvey Blatt (MIT Press, Oct 2008) describes in great detail how the world of food production has changed, which chapters on farming practices, organic food, GM food, poultry, cattle, seafood, fruits and veggies, and food processing, The Coming Famine: The Global Food Crisis (U of California Press, Aug 2010) is a timely review of rising food prices, shortages of land and water, and increasing demand. Agriculture and Food in Crisis (Monthly Review Press, Nov 2010) explores long-term trends in food production and insecurity due to capitalism. The Meat Crisis: Developing More Sustainable Production and Consumption (Earthscan, Oct 2010) calls for eating less meat. State of the World 2011: Nourishing the Planet(Worldwatch Institute/W.W. Norton, Jan 2011) offers an overview of the global food crisis and agro-ecological innovations. The Atlas of World Hunger (U of Chicago Press, May 2010) explores the scope of global hunger among some 950 million people, its causes, and ways to end it. The World Food Problem: Toward Ending Undernutrition in the Third World (Lynne Rienner, 4^th edition, 2009) is a textbook on the world food crisis and policy approaches to undernutrition. Agriculture at a Crossroads: Synthesis Report (Island Press, Jan 2009) summarizes the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, a three-year collaborative effort by the World Bank and FAO involving >400 authors on options for the next 50 years. Toward Sustainable Agricultural Systems in the 21st Century (National Research Council, 2010) looks as strengths and weaknesses of different policy approaches for improving agriculture and reducing costs, with a focus on a systems approach and applications in different regional settings worldwide.

SPECIFIC ISSUES.

Climate Change and Agriculture is considered by Climate Change and Production (CABI, Aug 2010), Crop Stress Management and Global Climate Change(CABI, Nov 2010), Climate Change and Agriculture: Impacts, Adaptation, and Mitigation (OECD, July 2010), Food Security and Global Environmental Change (Earthscan, Nov 2010), Climate Change and Agriculture: An Economic Analysis of Global Impacts, Adaptation and Distributional Effects (Edward Elgar, Oct 2009), and The Biochar Solution: Carbon Farming and Climate Change (New Society, Oct 2010) on biochar as a carbon-negative energy source and a potent soil builder.

Opportunities for small-scale Urban Agriculture in an urbanizing world are explored in Public Produce: The New Urban Agriculture (Island Press, Jan 2009), Urban Agriculture: Diverse Activities and Benefits for Civil Society (Earthscan, March 2010), and Cities, Poverty and Food: Multi-Stakeholder Planning on Urban Agriculture (Practical Action Publishing/Stylus, Aug 2010).

Fisheries and Aquaculture, another promising but troubled pathway, are covered in Advancing the Aquaculture Agenda (OECD, Sept 2010), which notes that aquaculture now provides > 50% of the global supply of fisheries products, Globalization in Fisheries and Aquaculture: Opportunities and Challenges (OECD, May 2010), Four Fish: The Future of the Last Wild Food (Penguin Press, July 2010), Let Them Eat Shrimp (Island Press, Jan 2011) on the true costs of shrimp farming as mangrove forests are destroyed, From Hook to Plate: The State of Marine Fisheries(Commonwealth Secretariat/Stylus, Jan 2009), and Fisheries Subsidies, Sustainable Development and the WTO (UNEP/Earthscan, Sept 2010).

Technology Issues and Opportunities are examined in such publications as Plant Resources for Food, Fuel, and Conservation (Earthscan, Feb 2010) on new an improved crops, Plant Genetic Resources and Food Security (Earthscan, April 2011) Biopesticides: Pest Management and Regulations (CABI, May 2010) on alternatives to chemical pesticides, Chemical Food Safety (CABI, Dec 2010) on problematic chemical compounds in food, Toxic Bodies: Hormone Disruptors and the Legacy of DES (Yale UP, March 2010) on use of synthetic chemicals in the food supply, Safety Assessments of Transgenic Organisms (OECD, Nov 2010) on GE crops, Rice Biofortification (Earthscan, Aug 2010), Combating Micronutrient Deficiencies: Food-Based Approaches (CABI, Feb 2011), The World According to Monsanto: Pollution, Corruption, and Control of Our Food Supply (New Press, Fall 2009), and FAO/WHO Expert Meeting on the Application of Nanotechnologies in the Food and Agriculture Sectors (WHO, Aug 2010) on enormous prospects for developing new products and potential food safety implications.

Food Critiques, mostly concerning large-scale industrialized agriculture, include Enough: Why the World's Poorest Starve in an Age of Plenty (Public Affairs, June 2009) on the squandered promise of the Green Revolution and how subsidies and food aid go awry, Food, Inc: How Industrial Food Is Making Us Sicker, Fatter, and Poorer (Public Affairs, March 2009), Waste: Uncovering the Global Food Scandal (W.W. Norton, Oct 2009) describing how 30-50% of food supplies are wasted by suppliers and consumers, Corporate Power in Global Agrifood Governance (MIT Press, June 2impacts of the US industrialized food system, Rebels for the Soil: The Rise of the Global Organic Food and Farming Movement (Earthscan, Aug 2010), The World of Organic Agriculture: Statistics and Emerging Trends (Earthscan, June 2008), Terra Madre: Forging a New Global Network of Sustainable Food Communities (Chelsea Green, March 2010) on local alliances of producers and consumers, A Nation of Farmers: Defeating the Food Crisis on American Soil (New Society, Spring 2010) on resilient local food systems, Diet for a Hot Planet: The Climate Crisis at the End of Your Fork (Bloomsbury, April 2011), and Free for All: Fixing School Food in America (U of California Press, Jan 2010) on changing to fresh and healthy food for all children.009) on the role of transnationals in the globally integrated food system, Food Justice (MIT Press, Oct 2010) on impacts of the US industrialized food system, Rebels for the Soil: The Rise of the Global Organic Food and Farming Movement (Earthscan, Aug 2010), The World of Organic Agriculture: Statistics and Emerging Trends (Earthscan, June 2008), Terra Madre: Forging a New Global Network of Sustainable Food Communities (Chelsea Green, March 2010) on local alliances of producers and consumers, A Nation of Farmers: Defeating the Food Crisis on American Soil (New Society, Spring 2010) on resilient local food systems, Diet for a Hot Planet: The Climate Crisis at the End of Your Fork (Bloomsbury, April 2011), and Free for All: Fixing School Food in America (U of California Press, Jan 2010) on changing to fresh and healthy food for all children.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, headquartered in Paris with a staff of 2,500, is celebrating its 50^th year in 2011, seeking "to improve economic and social well-being of people around the world," and to promote "a stronger, cleaner, fairer world economy." OECD serves as "a forum in which governments can work together to share experiences and seek solutions to common problems." It is guided by five Core Values: Objective ("independent and evidence-based analyses"), Open ("we encourage debate and a shared understanding of critical and global issues"), Bold ("we dare to challenge conventional wisdom"), Pioneering ("we identify and address emerging and long-term challenges") and Ethical ("we recommend policies designed to make the lives of ordinary people better"). Also see The OECD: A Study of Organizational Adaptation by Peter Carroll and Aynsley Kellow of the U of Tasmania (Edward Elgar, July 2011), on how OECD has spread its wings and become increasingly influential in global governance.

Several hundred reports are published by OECD every year. Some are specialized or quite technical, but about 100 reports per year ought to be of interest to anyone concerned about trends, forecasts, and innovative and effective policies. Abstracts of all OECD publications can be readily accessed through www.oecd-ilibrary.org, purchased in print (via Amazon.com) and, recently, often downloaded as PDFs. Remarkably, I have seen few if any OECD publications cited, which is unfortunate because many of them are very good and cutting-edge, based on the "laboratories" of 34 member countries to discover "what works" and doesn't work. (Four new members were added in 2010: Chile, Estonia, Israel, and Slovenia.) Experiences of other major global players such as Brazil, China, India, Russia, and South Africa are increasingly included.

Four reasons possible reasons for this neglect should be considered. First, the great majority of academics and graduate students are trained to follow the ideas of individual writers (especially academics) and do not consider institutional outputs, even if these publications are often superior in many respects. Secondly, many observers who are politically left of center may consider OECD as "the rich nation's club" and too "establishment." This view deserves to be questioned. Check out the OECD reports, cite them as a baseline if they are overly timid or narrow, and point out what they should be considering (they claim to be Open and Bold-and they often are). A third reason implicitly or explicitly held by American conservatives and perhaps others is that of "American exceptionalism"-that the US is better than other nations (increasingly not so on many measures) and in any event different (increasingly less so in a globalizing world of common problems where we can and should learn from each other). A final reason for neglect is that OECD issues a huge number of publications but does not provide a catalog to put it all together. Before the era of websites, access to OECD publications was often only through librarians, but today anyone can and should learn what they are up to-which is considerable.

Global Foresight Books has identified some 150 OECD reports, or about 6-7% of all items on the website. They can be seen together by clicking "Browse by Publisher" and then moving on to OECD. Admittedly this listing is still a hodge-podge that has yet to be sorted out. What follows, then, is an initial categorization and brief description of most of these 150 OECD titles to get a better grasp of what is available.

SECTORAL/REGIONAL OVERVIEWS. OECD publishes a number of annual "Outlooks" that bring together data and trend analysis on sectors and regions, e.g. OECD Employment Outlook 2010 (Nov 2010, 275p), OECD Information Technology Outlook 2010 (Nov 2010, 325p), OECD Science, Technology and Industry Outlook 2010 (Dec 2010, 150p), Global Development Outlook 2010 (Aug 2010, 200p), Development Co-operation Report 2010 (April 2010, 281p) on trends in international aid and progress toward the MDGs, African Economic Outlook 2010 (July 2010, 286p), Latin American Economic Outlook 2010 (Dec 2009, 253p), Agricultural Outlook 2010 (July 2010, 251p), World Energy Outlook 2010 (Nov 2010, 700p) published by the International Energy Agency arm of OECD and projecting supply and demand to 2035, and OECD Factbook 2010 (Aug 2010, 300p) on economic, environmental, and social statistics.

GOVERNANCE. Government at a Glance 2009 (Oct 2009, 163p), a new biennial publication, provides 31 indicators of government performance across OECD countries. Value for Money in Government: Public Administration after "New Public Management" (July 2010, 116p) looks at the new focus of reform based on quality of services. Why Is Administrative Simplification So Complicated? (Sept 2010, 138p) looks at successful efforts and common mistakes in cutting "red tape." Choosing a Broad Base-Low Rate Approach to Taxation (Oct 2010, 157p) explores the trade-of between raising taxes and broadening the tax base by ending or reducing exemptions (a trend for many countries over the past 30 years). Consumption Tax Trends 2010 (March 2011, 120p) finds that these taxes-two-thirds value added taxes-now account for 30% of all revenue among OECD governments; VAT is growing in use because it raises revenue in a neutral and transparent manner. Implementing the Tax Transparency Standards (July 2010, 223p) assists assessment teams in the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes. The Political Economy of Reform (Aug 2009, 501p) looks at what worked and did not work in 10 OECD countries. Lobbyists, Government and Public Trust: Increasing Transparency through Legislation (Dec 2009, 172p) reviews experience of six countries and lessons learned. Lobbyists, Government and Public Trust-Volume 2: Promoting Integrity through Self-Regulation (Aug 2010, 168p) reviews efforts of lobbyists to reform their reputation for undue influence. Post-Public Employment: Good Practices for Preventing Conflict of Interest (Feb 2010, 100p) reviews best practices and policies. Asset Declarations for Public Officials: A Tool to Prevent Corruption (March 2011, 135p) analyzes existing asset declaration practices, which vary greatly. Rethinking E-Government Services (Feb 2010, 221p) explains why adoption rates have been much lower than expected. Improving the Governance of Risk (April 2010, 251p) proposes a risk-based approach to design of regulation, with cases of five countries and four sectors. Better Regulation in Europe: Germany 2010 (May 2010, 166p) and United Kingdom 2010 (April 2010, 173p) both analyze effective regulatory management. Consumer Policy Toolkit (July 2010, 128p) advocates improved consumer policy making (standards, enforcement, accreditation, etc.) in that more choice and complexity in many markets make it increasingly difficult for consumers to assess value.

JOBS AND LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. Organizing Local Economic Development: The Role of Development Agencies and Companies (Local Economic and Employment Development Series, April 2010, 497p) argues for public-private partnerships. Breaking Out of Policy Silos: Doing More with Less (LEED Series, Oct 2010, 136p) advises on how to better align policies and reduce duplication, based on analysis of 11 countries. Clusters, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (LEED Series, July 2009, 237p) explores success of major innovation clusters in OECD countries and lessons learned. Community Capacity Building: Creating a Better Future Together (LEED Series, Jan 2009, 280p) looks at social policies in OECD and non-OECD countries. Designing Local Skills Strategies (LEED Series, Jan 2009, 268p) looks at best-practice local and national strategies to attract and retain talent, and to upgrade skills. Off to a Good Start? Jobs for Youth (Dec 2010, 160p) addresses the youth job crisis and promoting smooth transition from school to work. Jobs for Youth: United States 2009 (Dec 2009, 194p) surveys main barriers to employing young people. OECD Employment Outlook 2009: Tackling the Jobs Crisis (Sept 2009, 288p) discusses which firms create and destroy jobs, helping workers to weather unemployment, and pathways onto and off of disability benefits. Sickness, Disability and Work: Breaking the Barriers (Oct 2010, 105p) argues that too many workers leave the labor market permanently due to health problems or disability-a social and economic tragedy common to nearly all OECD countries at a time when average health status is improving. The Future of International Migration to OECD Countries (Aug 2009, 285p) explores forces that encourage or discourage migration under five 2030 scenarios (in all scenarios, demand for migrants will persist).

SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENT. Interim Report of the Green Growth Strategy-Implementing Our Commitment for a Sustainable Future (Aug 2010, 94p) encourages greener economies, based on a mandate at a June 2009 meeting of ministers from 34 countries (free PDF at www.oecd.org/Greengrowth; synthesis report to be released in May 2011). Guidance on Sustainability Impact Assessment (July 2010, 35p) offers a general introduction to assist strategic planning to consider economic, environmental, and social impacts. Eco-Innovation in Industry: Enabling Green Growth (Jan 2010, 278p) calls for faster introduction of breakthrough technologies for sustainable production and corporate social responsibility, citing initiatives in 10 OECD countries. Better Policies to Support Eco-Innovation (March 2011, 304p) views such innovation as more important than ever and a major driver of Green Growth; case studies on combined heat and power, CCS, biopackaging, etc. Cities and Climate Change (Nov 2010, 276p) looks at vulnerabilities to climate change impacts and how cities can use energy more efficiently and contribute to a "Green Growth" model. Cities, Towns and Renewable Energy: Yes In My Front Yard (Dec 2009, 194p) urges expansion, upgrading, and replacement of energy infrastructure. Energy Technology Perspectives 2010: Scenarios and Strategies to 2050 (IEA/OECD, July 2010, 710p) examines costs and benefits of emerging energy technologies and policies to accelerate the switch to a more secure, low-carbon energy future, with "roadmaps" for spurring development. The IEA Technology Roadmaps Series offers six brief pamphlets (July 2010, 52p each) with 2050 goals for wind energy (2,000 GW), solar photovoltaic energy (11% of global energy production), broad deployment of concentrating solar power, electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (100 million by 2050), nuclear energy (almost 25% of global electricity by 2050), and carbon capture and storage (over 3,000 projects by 2050). Benefits of Investing in Water and Sanitation (March 2011) finds benefit-to-cost ratios as high as 7 to 1 for providing basic services in developing countries, with significant benefits for public health, the environment, and the economy. Paying for Biodiversity: Enhancing the Cost-Effectiveness of Payments for Ecosystem Services (Oct 2010, 196p) notes the worldwide proliferation of incentive-based PES mechanisms, with >300 programs in place today at national, regional, and local levels.

HEALTH CARE EFFICIENCY. Value for Money in Health Spending (Oct 2010, 200p) points to the inexorable rise in health costs and efforts to improve efficiency. Achieving Better Value for Money in Health Care (Feb 2010, 115p) looks at health system efficiency and policies to improve performance. Health Care Systems: Efficiency and Policy Settings (Nov 2010, 207p) shows how to systematically improve the health status of populations in a cost-effective manner, with international comparisons showing strengths and weaknesses for each country. Improving Health Care Efficiency: The Role of Information and Communication Technologies (June 2010, 156p) analyzes successes and failures in implementing ICTs, with case studies on what works where from six countries. Obesity and the Economics of Prevention: Fit Not Fat (WHO/OECD, Sept 2010, 268p) explores multiple dimensions of the obesity problem, future trends, the economics of prevention, and the need for a comprehensive strategy.

EDUCATION AND LEARNING. Trends Shaping Education 2010 (Sept 2010, 90p) focuses on the dynamics of globalization, evolving social challenges, the world of work, transformation of childhood, and ICTs. Education Today 2010 (Oct 2010, 86p) discusses early childhood education and care, innovation for effective learning, transitions beyond initial education, lifelong learning and adults, equality of opportunity, and innovation and knowledge management. The Nature of Learning: Using Research to Inspire Practice (Sept 2010, 342p) assembles ten "cornerstone findings" on learning environments, the role of motivation and emotion, developmental/biological perspectives, cooperative group learning, learning with technology, inquiry-based approaches, the community as resource, the effects of family, and implementing innovation. Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators (Sept 2010, 474p) enables countries to compare themselves to performance of other countries as to who participates, how much is spent, and how systems operate. Highlights from Education at a Glance 2010 (Sept 2010, 94p) provides easily accessible data on education levels, student numbers, economic and social benefits, spending, class size, hours of instruction, school choice, and parent voice, with each indicator presented on a two-page spread. PISA 2009 at a Glance (Dec 2010, 92p) summarizes the six-volume survey conducted by OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment on reading, math, and science attainments of 15-year-ollds, showing that school success is a function of school governance, favorable learning conditions, and disciplined climate. Are New Millennium Learners Making the Grade? Technology Use and Educational Performance in PISA (Feb 2010, 150p) finds emergence of a new form of digital divide between those who have the right skills and those who do not. Learning for Jobs (Sept 2010, 220p) focuses on Vocational Education and Training systems which have been "oddly neglected and marginalized" in policy discussions. Recognizing Non-Formal and Informal Learning (April 2010, 95p) draws on a review in 22 countries of policies and practices in recognizing learning outcomes outside of formal schooling. Higher Education to 2030 (Aug 2009, three volumes) looks at aging OECD populations with more immigrants, impacts of technology and possible opportunities, and effects of globalization.

MISCELLANEOUS. Doing Better for Children (Sept 2009, 475p) analyzes indicators of child well-being in six key areas: education, health and safety, material well-being, housing and environment, risk behaviors, and quality of school life, finding that "no one OECD country performs well in all areas" and that more can be done to improve children's lives. The Financial Crisis: Reform and Exit Strategies (Sept 2009, 103p) advises on existing from government bailout programs and emergency measures, reforming financial governance, and maximizing recovery from bad assets. Regional Development Policies in OECD Countries (Oct 2010, 384p) provides a comparative analysis of national policies, with 31 country profiles and an annex on urban-rural linkages. Radioactive Waste in Perspective (Sept 2010, 204p) contrasts features of radioactive and hazardous wastes, along with their management policies and strategies. Radioactive Waste Management Partnering for the Long-Term (March 2010, 134p) describes local arrangements for managing radioactive waste in 13 countries. The Impacts of Nanotechnology on Companies (Nov 2010, 108p) looks at growing public investment in nanotech R&D, in the hope of creating large markets and many new jobs; case studies point to challenges that companies face in funding, human resources, etc. The Space Economy at a Glace 2010 (Nov 2010, 100p) looks at the international space industry, service activities such as weather forecasts and global communications, R&D, and spin-offs from space spending. Atlas of Gender and Development (March 2010, 320p) describes the situation of women in 124 developing transition countries using a new composite measure of inequality-the Social the Social Institutions and Gender Index.