The methodology of Multi-Scale Integrated Analysis of Societal Metabolism (MSIASM) is applied to analyze the Chinese economy. This paper presents four tasks: (i) identifying a set of benchmarks that makes it possible to compare various characteristics of the Chinese economy with those of other...

This paper presents an outline of rationale and theory of the MuSIASEM scheme (Multi-Scale Integrated Analysis of Societal and Ecosystem Metabolism). First, three points of the rationale behind our MuSIASEM scheme are discussed: (i) endosomatic and exosomatic metabolism in relation to...

Sustainability requires the redefinition of the terms of reference for agricultural activities, which must be based on the recognition of multi-functional land use and the complex role that agriculture plays in society. The ability to renegotiate new terms of reference for agriculture, in turn,...

This paper presents two applications of the multi-scale integrated analysis of societal metabolism (MSIASM) approach. The first application shows that accounting the metabolism of a society in both economic and biophysical terms supports a better understanding of mechanisms determining...

Science for sustainability policy requires the handling of multi-dimensional and multi-scale analyses. Integrated assessment is about generating information relevant for decision-making. This generates a divide between two scientific paradigms: (1) ‘Post-Normal Science’ acknowledges the...

In assessing the sustainability of island tourism, the resident population size and yearly number of visitors are key factors. However, to assess the overall resource requirement and environmental impact on local ecosystems, we must also consider the metabolic rates and density of energy and...