Current Debates On Sustainable Development

Growing literature on the green energy/capitalism, renewable/clean energy, and environmentally friendly production and consumption processes make sustainability concept more visible. Researches and studies about these concepts help to provide policy recommendations for the future. The book contributes to the growth and development literature by evaluating different development approaches. Additionally, given policy recommendations to support developing countries in the sustainable development process is another strength of this book.

Can there be a common definition of sustainable development? Views on sustainable development range from those of the mainstream economist to the hardened environmentalist – via many shades of green. This book offers a clear overview of the debates and sets out the various theories, providing an accessible introduction for all who now need to understand how sustainable development affects their working practices. The text is structured around key questions on the concept of sustainable development: Does it define a starting point, a process, or the end-goal? Can it provide a coherent theory? Is it a workable concept in practice? Is it ‘balanced’ or does ‘balance’ form part of the solution? Mark Mawhinney explores the various strands of thought that claim to define sustainable development - as a concept, a theory or as a set of principles. He also highlights gaps in understanding that often arise and attempts to break down the barriers to a common understanding - redefining current concepts in terms that will help to progress the debate on sustainable development.

The future of economic growth is one of the decisive questions of the twenty-first century. Alarmed by declining growth rates in industrialized countries, climate change, and rising socio-economic inequalities, among other challenges, more and more people demand to look for alternatives beyond growth. However, so far these current debates about sustainability, post-growth or degrowth lack a thorough historical perspective. This edited volume brings together original contributions on different aspects of the history of economic growth as a central and near-ubiquitous tenet of developmental strategies. The book addresses the origins and evolution of the growth paradigm from the seventeenth century up to the present day and also looks at sustainable development, sustainable growth, and degrowth as examples of alternative developmental models. By focusing on the mixed legacy of growth, both as a major source of expanded life expectancies and increased comfort, and as a destructive force harming personal livelihoods and threatening entire societies in the future, the editors seek to provide historical depth to the ongoing discussion on suitable principles of present and future global development. History of the Future of Economic Growth is aimed at students and academics in environmental, social, economic and international history, political science, environmental studies, and economics, as well as those interested in ongoing discussions about growth, sustainable development, degrowth, and, more generally, the future.

. . . this book gives a good overview of major challenges facing policy makers, researchers and ultimately humankind in dealing with climate change. . . The reader also gets a good understanding of how fragmented and transversal the issues of climate change and sustainable development are. Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture . . . a unified, useful and stimulating book which should act as a springboard for further work into what is a very topical and extremely important issue for everyone in the world, not just academics and policymakers. This book serves its intended audience but also deserves to be more widely read. World Entrepreneurship Society Too often, writings on climate change are placed into two categories: climate-change deniers, and climate-change supporters. What this timely and insightful collection of Mohamed Salih s does, is to problematise the issue; taking the debate to a level where it desperately needs to be; asking the thorny questions of how do the politics and international relations of climate impact upon the most vulnerable; the least-affluent; the dwellers of the majority world. In short, Salih challenges us: How did the climate change about climate-change . The responses of his contributors are salient, to-the-point sometimes disturbing but always thought-provoking. Timothy Doyle, Keele University, UK Editing the proceedings of a symposium into a cogent and coherent book is no easy task. This book, a tribute to Professor Opschoor is no exception; with disperse contributions of some highly acclaimed authors covering a wide spectrum of themes. It is a credit to Professor Salih s insight to string them together in the introductory chapter and entice the reader to read on. This book has food for thought on many fronts, reaching far beyond climate change, as did the oeuvre of Hans Opschoor. . . an instructive read. Paul Vlek, Center for Development Research (ZEF), Bonn, Germany It is difficult, if not impossible, to formulate and implement sustainable policy without first understanding the dynamic relationships between nature, society, economics and technology, and research plays a pivotal role in this regard. Climate Change and Sustainable Development is an important book which deals with these issues in the context of climate change and the changing global context of development. It alerts us to the relationship climate change has with two urgent tasks: poverty reduction and sustainable development, which require efforts that span countries, regions and communities. In this interdependent world, argue the authors, a shared vision and common effort are vital to sustaining our life support system. It is a must read. Jacqueline Cramer, The Netherlands Minister for Spatial Planning and the Environment This unique book provides cutting-edge knowledge and analyses of the consequences that climate change will have for sustainable development and poverty reduction within the context of global development. Exploring alternative resource management approaches including federal resource management governance, ecosystem services, digital dematerialization, ecological cities, biofuels versus food, and children and climate change, this innovative volume provides fresh insights on the human condition with regards to the current debates on climate change. The distinguished contributors examine climate change induced processes that present profound challenges to sustainable development and poverty reduction at the local, national and global levels. This groundbreaking study will be a welcome addition for graduate and post-graduate students in development and environmental studies. It will also have great appeal to scientists, policy-makers and researchers in these fields.

As the outcome of the seventh international congress, the papers in this volume cover a wide range of topics related to the main theme of the conference, titled “Current Debates in Social Sciences”, and basically focuses Sustainability in Architecture, Urban Design and Environmental Studies. In this context, the articles in the book draw attention to the different aspects and scales about design and planning processes including architecture, urban design and environment studies. We believe that these studies would contribute to the development of debates in social sciences and encourage interdisciplinary approaches.

This book goes beyond environmental protection and looks at sustainability by predominantly focusing on human and social sustainability and this focus is carried into sections of the book that discuss sustainable policies, media and gender. The book takes an academic and practitioner approach.

Environmental activists and academics alike are realizing that a sustainable society must be a just one. Environmental degradation is almost always linked to questions of human equality and quality of life. Throughout the world, those segments of the population that have the least political power and are the most marginalized are selectively victimized by environmental crises. This book argues that social and environmental justice within and between nations should be an integral part of the policies and agreements that promote sustainable development. The book addresses the links between environmental quality and human equality and between sustainability and environmental justice.

This book aims to provide the missing link in current debates around sustainability. The role of business, governments, NGOS and multilateral institutions are widely covered and many books discuss their possible actions, strategies and roles. But all of these organizations are made up of individuals. And it is individuals who will need to steer society and organizations toward a more just and equitable world.The book takes a holistic approach to sustainable development. The authors argue that this approach starts and ends with the human being. They believe that the personal dimension of sustainable development has been neglected and that it is clear that sustainable societies cannot be achieved without committed individuals who are convinced of the need to be part of the sustainability project.The authors frame their ideas around the Three Levels of Sustainability (TLS) framework which they argue addresses at least some of the weaknesses inherent in a fragmented approach to sustainability. Their approach encompasses societal, organizational and individual levels; and, by looking through the lens of how sustainability has evolved, provides a roadmap for producing the kind of leaders necessary for sustainable development in all of its dimensions – people, planet and profit. The focus on how the individual can contribute to these three dimensions is unique.To arrive at this multi-level and multi-dimensional framework, the book introduces and analyzes theories from sustainable development, corporate social responsibility and personal leadership and systemically looks for linkages between them that are useful for sustainability.This framework is placed firmly in its historical context. The authors are highly literate about the development and interpretations of sustainability and bring us to their current position via informed discussions on the history of economics, business-and-environment, social development, the corporation and the profit principle, CSR, and measurement and reporting.The book has been designed as both a text for students as well as those already in management and leadership positions in the private, public or non-profit sectors and will also prove invaluable to those wishing to familiarize themselves with sustainability.

Mining is a transformative activity which has numerous economic, social and environmental impacts. These impacts can be both positive and adverse, enhancing as well as disrupting economies, ecosystems and communities. The extractive industries have been criticised heavily for their adverse impacts and involvement in significant social and environmental scandals. More recently, these industries have sought to respond to negative perceptions and have embraced the core principles of sustainability. This sector could be regarded as a leader in sustainability initiatives, evident from the various developments and frameworks in mining and sustainability that have emerged over time. This book reviews current topical issues in mining and sustainable development. It addresses the changing role of minerals in society, the social acceptance of mining, due diligence in the mining industry, critical and contemporary debates such as mining and indigenous peoples and transit worker accommodation, corporate sustainability matters such as sustainability reporting and taxation, and sustainability solutions through an emphasis on renewable energy and shared-used infrastructure. Written by experts from Australia, Europe and North America, but including examples from both developed and developing countries, the chapters provide a contemporary understanding of sustainability opportunities and challenges in the mining industry. The book will be of interest to practitioners, government and civil society as well as scholars and students with interests in mining and sustainable development.