Sustainability : fundamentals and applications

Cover -- Title Page -- Copyright -- Contents -- Editor Biographies -- List of Contributors -- Preface -- Part I Fundamentals and Framework -- Chapter 1 Introduction to Sustainability and Sustainable Development -- 1.1 Background and Definition -- 1.2 Basic Concepts and Issues -- 1.3 Evolution of Sustainability and Sustainable Development -- 1.4 Challenges and Solutions -- 1.5 Adaptation and Resilience -- 1.6 Economic, Ecological, Social, Technological and Systems Perspectives -- 1.6.1 Economic Aspect -- 1.6.2 Ecological Aspect -- 1.6.3 Social Aspect -- 1.6.4 Technological Aspect -- 1.6.5 Systems Aspect -- 1.6.6 Integrated Aspect -- 1.7 Conclusions -- References -- Chapter 2 The Need, Role and Significance of Sustainability -- 2.1 Introduction -- 2.2 Three Pillars of Sustainability -- 2.2.1 Economic Development -- 2.2.2 Social Development -- 2.2.3 Environmental Protection -- 2.3 Primary Goals of Sustainability -- 2.3.1 Growth Revival -- 2.3.2 Quality of Growth -- 2.3.3 Essential Needs for Basic Necessities -- 2.3.4 Population Sustainability -- 2.3.5 Conservation and Enhancement of Resources -- 2.3.6 Sustainability of Science and Technology -- 2.3.7 Merging Economics with Environment -- 2.4 Significance of Sustainability -- 2.5 Challenges Toward Sustainability -- 2.5.1 Closing/Bridging Development Gap -- 2.5.2 Forward Steps for the Global World -- 2.5.3 Sustainable Toolkit for Companies -- 2.6 Sustainable Future -- 2.7 Conclusions -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Chapter 3 Sustainable Development: Dimensions, Intersections and Knowledge Platform -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 Understanding Complex Systems -- 3.2.1 The Limits to Growth -- 3.2.2 Global Consumption -- 3.2.3 Population and Environment: The IPAT Equation -- 3.2.4 Notions of Strong and Weak Sustainability -- 3.3 Dimensions of Sustainable Development: Economic Dimension.