Springer Sustainable Development and the Limitation of Growth: Future Prospects for World Civilization (Springer Praxis Books)

It is important to make humanity understand the gravity of the ecological threat before us. This book presents the ecological, demographic, economic and socio-psychological manifestations of the global crisis we face. Review From the reviews: "This timely, well-organized book provides intriguing insights into the 21st-century plight of the human-built and natural worlds. Danilov-Danil’yan and Losev (both, Russian Academy of Sciences) and Reyf (German journalist) argue that the direct dependence of people on critical ecosystem services requires … social, psychological, and economic trends that underpin the problem. The book’s six parts aptly reveal the breath and depth of the analysis … . Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries." (P. R. Pinet, Choice, Vol. 46 (11), July, 2009) From the Back Cover It is over 15 years since Agenda 21 was adopted in Rio de Janeiro,and over 100 countries have now espoused this code to usesustainable development as a means of avoiding an ecologicalcatastrophe. However it is obvious that, even with thiscommitment, there is still a significant lack of both understandingand action. Sustainable Development and the Limitation of Growth presents theecological, demographic, economic and socio-psychologicalmanifestations of the global crisis, and outlines the immutablelaws and limitations which determine the existence of all livingthings in the biosphere. The book contends that sustainability is achievable only on a global scaleand cannot be regionalized or isolated; demonstrates the need to move to a new way of thinking; shows humanity its real place in the natural environment; highlights the importance of global environmental stability. This unique work argues for a change in the sustainabledevelopment paradigm, the strategic nucleus of which must bethe conservation of ecosystems, especially forests, still in existenceand the partial reconstruction of destroyed ecosystems, as well asfor an understanding of humanity’s real place in the naturalenvironment and the gravity of the ecological threat before us.1