From the oil at the heart of the Persian Gulf crisis, to the U.S.’s reluctance to take action against global warming, to agricultural subsidies—you can’t truly understand today’s environmental issues until you untangle their complex underlying physical and human factors. That’s why Susan Cutter and William Renwick’s Fourth Edition of Exploitation, Conservation, Preservation: A Geographic Perspective on Natural Resource Use takes a geographic approach to natural resource management and conservation that integrates physical, economic, social, and political considerations. Written by two authors with contrasting scientific and philosophical views, the text presents a wide range of opinions and interpretations on the major environmental issues facing the world today, in the hope that they will provide both a balanced review and a basis for discussion. Features: - Offers a balanced and engaging examination of natural resource issues. - Takes a geographic approach to the environment and environmental policy that integrates physical, economic, social, and political factors. - Makes use of several global environmental databases. - Grounds discussions in data that are as factual and objective as possible. - Includes many maps, photos, and other visual materials to reinforce learning. - An accompanying Web site presents news items on important topics, links to other informative sites, and PowerPoints of illustrations from the text.