A critical perspective of the complex issues surrounding disaster relief and development where decisions are driven by capitalist forces.

This book will challenge foresters, and other rural development professionals, to build new landscapes which provide a range of biomass products to local users. The authors encourage professionals to work with, rather than against, local people.

This volume first examines projected demographic changes that will affect the economic well-being of China's rural elderly over the next twenty years, taking into account both China's sharp demographic transition and the continued migration of young adults into cities. The projected old age dependency ratio of 34 percent in China's rural areas by 2030 suggests that support of the elderly is likely to be an increasing burden on China's families over the next twenty years. The book next documents the sources of financial support, poverty incidence and vulnerability of the rural elderly since...

Comprehensive reform of China's pension and social security system is an essential element of achieving its objectives of a harmonious society and sustainable development. Over the past few years, the Government has considered various options and initiated several significant measures. In 2009 the authorities established a national framework for rural pensions, the Rural Pension Pilot Program (RPPP) and in 2011 a Pilot Social Pension Insurance for Urban Residents announced. In this process, it has articulated principles for a reformed urban pension system (indicated by 12 Chinese characters )...