Weak Versus Strong Sustainability

Weak Versus Strong Sustainability PDF

Author: Eric Neumayer

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

Published: 2010-01-01

Total Pages: 289

ISBN-13: 1849805431

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This third edition of an enduring and popular book has been fully updated and revised, exploring the two opposing paradigms of sustainability in an insightful and accessible way. Eric Neumayer contends that central to the debate on sustainable development is the question of whether natural capital can be substituted by other forms of capital. Proponents of weak sustainability maintain that such substitutability is possible, whilst followers of strong sustainability regard natural capital as non-substitutable. The author examines the availability of natural resources for the production of consumption goods and the environmental consequences of economic growth. He identifies the critical forms of natural capital in need of preservation given risk, uncertainty and ignorance about the future and opportunity costs of preservation. He goes on to provide a critical discussion of measures of sustainability. Indicators of weak sustainability such as Genuine Savings and the Index of Sustainable Economic Welfare also known as the Genuine Progress Indicator are analysed, as are indicators of strong sustainability, including ecological footprints, material flows and sustainability gaps. This book will prove essential reading for students, scholars and policymakers with an interest in ecological and environmental economics and sustainable development.

Strongly Sustainable Societies

Strongly Sustainable Societies PDF

Author: Karl Johan Bonnedahl

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2018-09-27

Total Pages: 340

ISBN-13: 1351173626

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The response of the international community to the pressing socio-ecological problems has been framed around the concept of ‘sustainable development’. The ecological pressure, however, has continued to rise and mainstream sustainability discourse has proven to be problematic. It contains an instrumental view of the world, a strong focus on technological solutions, and the premise that natural and human-made ‘capitals’ are substitutable. This trajectory, which is referred to as ‘weak sustainability’, reproduces inequalities, denies intrinsic values in nature, and jeopardises the wellbeing of humans as well as other beings. Based on the assumptions of strong sustainability, this edited book presents practical and theoretical alternatives to today’s unsustainable societies. It investigates and advances pathways for humanity that are ecologically realistic, ethically inclusive, and receptive to the task’s magnitude and urgency. The book challenges the traditional anthropocentric ethos and ontology, economic growth-dogma, and programmes of ecological modernisation. It discusses options with examples on different levels of analysis, from the individual to the global, addressing the economic system, key sectors of society, alternative lifestyles, and experiences of local communities. Examining key topics including human–nature relations and wealth and justice, this book will be of great interest to students and scholars of environmental and development studies, ecological economics, environmental governance and policy, sustainable business, and sustainability science.

Growing a Better America

Growing a Better America PDF

Author: Chuck Leavell

Publisher:

Published: 2011-03

Total Pages: 336

ISBN-13: 9780615434582

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Chuck and his co-writer, J. Marshall Craig have spent the better part of the last two years working on this important read. The theme here is "smart growth", and how we can deal with the pressures of America's growth pains that are already causing us concern. With a current population of some 310 million in the US and expected to reach 400 million by the year 2040, NOW is the time for us to think long and hard about how we are going to handle our growth going forward. Chuck has identified and exposed some great growth models in this book, and goes into subjects such as transportation, energy issues, home building and renovation, community design and much, much more. One chapter is dedicated to musicians, actors and other artists that are making a positive difference for our environment. An informative and fun read, it is sure to capture the attention of our country.

Sustainable Development - Relationships to Culture, Knowledge and Ethics

Sustainable Development - Relationships to Culture, Knowledge and Ethics PDF

Author: Ignacio Ayestaran

Publisher: KIT Scientific Publishing

Published: 2011

Total Pages: 232

ISBN-13: 3866446276

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The emergence of a global and technological world and its accelerating, dissemination before the beginning of the 21st century does not only give rise to technological, economic, social, environmental, political, and educational tasks. Significant philosophical questions, epistemic reflections, and cultural debates result. The aim of this book is to provide information about epistemic, ethical, and cultural implications of sustainable development on an interdisciplinary and international level.

Transitioning to Strong Partnerships for the Sustainable Development Goals

Transitioning to Strong Partnerships for the Sustainable Development Goals PDF

Author: Georg Von Schnurbein

Publisher:

Published: 2020-12

Total Pages: 206

ISBN-13: 9783038978824

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Transitioning to Strong Partnerships for the Sustainable Development Goals is an edited volume dedicated to current developments regarding SDG 17 "Partnerships for the Goals". This goal contains preconditions and systemic issues that will facilitate the success of the SDGs in general. Thus, the volume covers conditions, structures, and means to strengthen the SDGs from both the theoretical and practical perspective. Transitioning to Strong Partnerships for the Sustainable Development Goals has three main focal points: Theoretical approaches to sustainable partnerships, including public-private partnerships. Different structural aspects for sustainable partnerships, including financial deals with philanthropic initiatives and new financing models as well as new technologies to meet the logistical challenges of development aid. Systemic issues, especially institutional coherence, multi-stakeholder approaches, and challenges of statistics for development.

Sustainability Science for Strong Sustainability

Sustainability Science for Strong Sustainability PDF

Author: Tom Dedeurwaerdere

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

Published: 2014-09-26

Total Pages: 176

ISBN-13: 1783474564

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øThe dynamism of science has been catalytic for human prosperity in recent history. Conventional perspectives of the ivory tower model of modern science are, however, rivalled by the failure of humanity to tackle global crises of an economic, environme

Can Green Sustain Growth?

Can Green Sustain Growth? PDF

Author: John Zysman

Publisher: Stanford University Press

Published: 2013-11-27

Total Pages: 347

ISBN-13: 080478857X

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Green growth has proven to be politically popular, but economically elusive. Can Green Sustain Growth? asks how we can move from theoretical support to implementation, and argues that this leap will require radical experimentation. But systemic change is costly, and a sweeping shift cannot be accomplished without political support, not to mention large-scale cooperation between business and government. Insightful and timely, this book brings together eight original, international case studies to consider what we can learn from the implementation of green growth strategies to date. This analysis reveals that coalitions for green experimentation emerge and survive when they link climate solutions to specific problems with near-term benefits that appeal to both environmental and industrial interests. Based on these findings, the volume delivers concrete policy recommendations for the next steps in the necessary shift toward sustainable prosperity.

Sustainable Development

Sustainable Development PDF

Author: Susan Baker

Publisher: Psychology Press

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 264

ISBN-13: 041528211X

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Environment and Sustainable Development answers the need for an introductory, comprehensive, yet critical, book that explores the challenges involved in the implementation of sustainable development.

Sustainable Development: Concepts, Rationalities and Strategies

Sustainable Development: Concepts, Rationalities and Strategies PDF

Author: Sylvie Faucheux

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2013-03-14

Total Pages: 323

ISBN-13: 9401731888

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3 decision support techniques that do not depend exclusively on market incentives and monetary valuation. The World Conservation Strategy published by the mCN (1980) recognised the full dimensions of these problems, and introduced the concept of sustainable development, placing the emphasis on the exploitation of natural systems and the use of biological natural resources within limits so that the availability of these resources for use by future generations would not be jeopardised by the current use of them. At this time, the imposition of quotas and the definition of critical loads and environmental standards were suggested as the sorts of instruments necessary to cope with the problems of limited availability of environmental resources. Although the mCN publication did not obtain a high international profile, the idea of policy norms to respect critical loads has become quite widely accepted in the environmental policymaking of Western countries. This has often put the policy agencies in difficult situations. Polluting industries are inclined to argue that the critical loads are defined too restrictively. The complexity and time lags of ecological effects makes it hard to say exactly what constitutes a critical load beyond which there will be irreversible damage, and lobbying interests can play on these uncertainties to try and weaken the environmental standards. In addition, polluting industries can use the argument of negative impacts on "the economy" (particularly as regards employment and export prospects) to blackmail governments, regulatory agencies and the general public.

Only One Earth

Only One Earth PDF

Author: Felix Dodds

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2012-06-25

Total Pages: 338

ISBN-13: 1136261907

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Forty years after the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm, the goal of sustainable development continues via the Rio+20 conference in 2012. This book will enable a broad readership to understand what has been achieved in the past forty years and what hasn’t. It shows the continuing threat of our present way of living to the planet. It looks to the challenges that we face twenty years from the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, "The Earth Summit," in Rio, in particular in the areas of economics and governance and the role of stakeholders. It puts forward a set of recommendations that the international community must address now and in the the future. It reminds us of the planetary boundaries we must all live within and and what needs to be addressed in the next twenty years for democracy, equity and fairness to survive. Finally it proposes through the survival agenda a bare minimum of what needs to be done, arguing for a series of absolute minimum policy changes we need to move forward.