Achieving Global Sustainability : Policy Recommendations

The deterioration of global sustainability, caused in large part by climate change, is the most serious issue facing humanity. Solving this difficult problem requires a drastic redesign of all aspects of society--technological, economic, and social. This book looks at how to achieve a more secure level of global sustainability and offers a range of recommendations to that end. The book begins with a review of the current status of global sustainability. The relationship between globalization and sustainability is analyzed, together with arguments on the necessity of a paradigm shift in economic growth. The authors then discuss the need for major changes in socioeconomic development in terms of social common capital, contemporary social discipline, and economic valuation of the environment. They examine various strategies for achieving a sustainable society, including a basic strategy for mitigating climate change, a strategy of technology development toward global sustainability, and a post-2012 international policy framework. Finally, the book offers policy recommendations for achieving global sustainability.