ABSTRACT

The question of sustainability affects most areas of human activity. It is intrinsically complex and multi-disciplinary. Sustainable policies have to adapt to new knowledge and changing circumstances. Understanding sustainability and ways of achieving it have to involve an understanding of complex adaptive systems and general systems theory - a rapidly developing new branch of social studies.;This book provides an introduction and thorough explanation of this field, and shows its application in the social and economic management of sustainability. It is written for readers at an undergraduate level and should be useful for a wide range of undergraduate courses.

chapter |14 pages

Introduction

chapter 2|13 pages

General Systems Theory

chapter 3|21 pages

Complex Adaptive Systems

chapter 4|28 pages

Environmental Factors

chapter 5|29 pages

Ecosystem Economics

chapter 7|8 pages

Economic Policy Instruments

chapter 8|11 pages

Discounting and Investment

chapter 9|4 pages

The Levels of Sustainability

chapter 10|8 pages

Financing the Transition to Sustainability

chapter 11|22 pages

Economic Development and the Environment

chapter 12|16 pages

Socio-cultural Factors

chapter 14|13 pages

Assessing Sustainability

chapter 15|33 pages

Conclusions and Recommendations