Supporting Life On Earth A Swiss Voice In Our Fragile World Challenges And Opportunities For Sustainable Development Forerunner To The Encyclopedia Of Life Support Systems Eolss

Introduction to Sustainable Development is a component of Encyclopedia of Development and Economic Sciences in the global Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), which is an integrated compendium of twenty one Encyclopedias. The Theme on “Introduction to Sustainable Development implies processes of fundamental change in our social systems and institutions. The thrust of this change [entails] … addressing the … new global awareness that the earth is finite, and all of the planet's life support systems – including social and economic systems – are globally interconnected and interdependent.” This volume is aimed at the following five major target audiences: University and College students Educators, Professional practitioners, Research personnel and Policy analysts, managers, and decision makers and NGOs.

When The Term Sustainability Is Used In Relation To Human Societies It Is Often Taken To Imply A Paradigm Shift, Requiring Societies To Consider Everything In Relation To Nature. This Transformative Use Of Sustainability In Social And Economic Terms Compares With An Emphasis On Stability , Balance And Conservation In The Natural Sciences. The Need To Incorporate A Concern With Sustainability Into Real-World Decision-Making Partly Accounts For The Interest In Sustainable Development. Stimulated Initially By The Brundtland Commission, Which Reported In 1987, And The Rio Earth Summit Five Years Later, Sustainable Development Began To Carry The Hopes And Aspirations Of Peoples And Governments. It Also Came To Accumulate More Conceptual And Political Baggage Than Had Encumbered Sustainability . Political Coalitions Have Grown, In The South As Well As The Industrialized Countries, That Cut Across Class, Gender And Ethnic Differences, To Advance The Goals Of Sustainable Development. This Has Become A Rallying Point For New Forms Of Social And Political Activity. Development Efforts In The Developing Countries Can Be Classified Into Three Categories Indigenous, Western, And A Hybrid Of Indigenous And Western. These Categories Are Obvious In The Agricultural, Economic, And Social Systems. The Strengths And Weaknesses Of These Systems Are Apparent In The Weaknesses Of These Systems Are Apparent In The Environmental Degradation That Accompanies Their Use. The Economic System Of Many Developing Nations Are Replete With Many Western Ideas; Often, The Western Methods Are Complemented By Indigenous Methods To Fit The Society, While, In Most Of The Rural Areas, It Is The Indigenous Ways That Prevail. The Three Types Of Economic Systems (Free Market, Controlled, And Indigenous) Have Their Advantages And Disadvantages, And Their Sustainability Depends Very Much On Their Acceptability And Benefits To The Societies. The Social Systems Of Developing Nations Of The World Have Been Enormously Influenced By Cultures Exogenous To Them. Those Influences Are Evident In The Ways Of Life In The Urban Centers And Capital Cities Of Developing Nations. This Is The Appropriate Time For A Collective Book That Would Bring Together A Multidisciplinary Group Of Scholars, Educators, Development Practitioners, International Experts, And Professionals Who Could Discuss The Issues Of Sustainable Development From A Holistic Perspective. If Development Is To Be Sustained For Any Length Of Time In The Developing Countries, It Must Be Done In A Systematic And Holistic Manner. The Characteristics Of The Strategy Must Come From Different Fields Of Study. The Interplay Of The Economic And Environmental Parameters Must Be Thoroughly Understood Hence, The Need For The Diverse Backgrounds Of The Contributors. This Book Is About The Importance Of The Integration Of The Natural Resource, Agricultural, Social, Financial And Environmental Aspect Of The Economy In The Overall Development Of Developing Countries. The Contributors Have Endeavored To Address The Issues That Relate To The Central Idea Of The Book. The Perspectives Presented In The Papers Are Combinations Of Practical, Applied, And Theoretical

Written by historians and scientists from all over the world as well as by former and active staff members, this publication gives an inside perspective on the role played by UNESCO in the history of international scienctific co-operation over the past six decades. It is divided into six sections under the headings of: setting the scene, 1945-1965; basic sciences and engineering; environmental sciences; science and society; overviews and analyses; and looking ahead. It also features a list of chronological milestones during this 60-year period.

An essential reference for anyone searching for ways to avoid or mitigate the problem of cotton stickiness.

"Part of this book adapted from "Introduction aux nanosciences et aux nanotechnologies" published in France by Hermes Science/Lavoisier in 2006."

While sustainability has become a buzzword in discussions about the environment and development, work on theories of sustainable development has received much less attention. However, theory is vital as understanding the origins and development of the concept is the key to achieving successful implementation of sustainability. This book offers an interdisciplinary collection of research articles on the theories of sustainable development, drawing on a wide range of subjects including history, politics, governance, complex systems, economics and philosophy. It advocates viewing sustainable development not only as the establishment of a permanent, globally practicable and future-capable mode of life and economics, but as a complex array of problems involving a wide range of social-scientific and humanistic disciplines. This innovative approach means that the book is oriented toward current problems, not toward the established academic boundaries, and it draws out lessons that are relevant for those studying and working in sustainability across the world. This book will be of great interest to researchers and students of sustainable development and environmental politics, as well as practitioners working with sustainable development in politics, business, administration, and civil society organizations.