Sustainable development is capturing the attention of planners, politicians and business leaders. Within the academic sphere its study is increasingly breaching disciplinary boundaries to become a focus of attention for natural and social scientists alike. But in studying such a key concept, it is vital that there is a clear definition of what it means, how it is applied on the ground and the influence it exerts upon people’s perceptions of change in the physicial environment, economic activity and society. Exploring Sustainable Development is a major new text which provides a multifaceted introduction to key areas of study in this field, examining sustainability at the full range of spatial scales from the local to the global. Building on existing theory it demonstrates the unique contributions that thinking geographically about space, place and human-environment relationships can bring to the analysis of sustainable development. This book explores different interpretations of sustainable development in both theory and practice, in developed and developing countries, and in rural and urban areas. It pays particular attention to the local, national and international politics of implementation, the future of climate and energy, the role of business, and different conceptions of agricultural sustainability. Contents: Geography and sustainable development • the role of spatial scale and spatial interactions in sustainable development • linking the local to the global – can sustainable development work in practice? • forecasting urban futures – a systems analytical perspective on the development of sustainable urban regions • making cities more sustainable – people, plans and participation • business and sustainable economic development • sustainable agriculture for the 21st century • sustaining the flow – Japanese waterways and new paradigms of development • sustainable futures for the Artic North • climate change, energy and sustainable development • sustainable development and international relations • future perspectives – developing sustainable development.
ISBN: 1844071073
Publisher: EARTHSCAN
Subtitle: GEOGRAPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
Author: MARTIN PURVIS AND ALAN GRAINGER