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Sustainable development is based on the integration of four dimensions: the economic, the environmental, the social and the institutional. For the economic dimension in particular, growth has been considered an essential element of sustainable development. This paper discusses the relationship of social, environmental and institutional sustainability objectives to economic growth and derives social and environmental criteria for growth to be sustainable. One of the most sophisticated sustainability studies developed for Germany is introduced, demonstrating the need and the possibility to reconcile economic, social, environmental and institutional objectives. Integrated politics taking into account all four dimensions when drafting policy plans are a necessary precondition for this behalf. Based on two sustainability scenarios with a different emphasis (growth, integration) five core action zones for policy making are identified. The criteria derived can be used as yardsticks assessing policy proposals at an early stage regarding their impact on key sustainability objectives. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Human Development Index (HDI) introduced by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 1990 has helped facilitate widespread debate amongst development researchers, practitioners and policy makers. The HDI is an aggregate index, calculated on an annual basis by the UNDP and published in its Human Development Reports, comprising measures of three components deemed by them to be central to development: (i) income (the gross domestic product per capita), (ii) education (adult literacy rate) and (iii) health (life expectancy at birth). The results of calculating the HDI are typically presented as country/regional league tables, and provide a quick means for policy makers and others to judge performance. Perhaps partly because of the relative simplicity of the index, the HDI has managed to achieve a level of acceptance and use amongst politicians and policy makers that has yet to emerge with any indicator of sustainability. Indeed, despite its existence for 11 years, including nine years after the Rio Earth Summit, the HDI has not even been modified to take on board wider issues of sustainability. This paper will critically examine the potential for ‘greening’ the HDI so as to include environmental and resource-consumption dimensions. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Companies now recognise the need to identify and address the concerns of their stakeholders to ensure their decisions and business activities are more socially acceptable. However, despite stakeholder participation being widely accepted in the public sector and used to a limited extent within some business management processes, there is no accepted understanding of what stakeholder participation actually constitutes and certainly no systematic method for its application within companies and company decision-making. In order to support the development of such a method, stakeholder participation must first be defined in the ‘company’ context. Drawing from previous typologies of participation outlined in the literature, particularly relating to the public sector, this paper proposes a typology of stakeholder participation for companies, with particular relevance to environmental issues. It also outlines the needs and problems associated with developing a method of stakeholder participation for use in company decision-making. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bedu have lived for centuries in harmony with the environment in the Middle Eastern desert known as the Badia region. However, during the 20th century their environment was fragmented and divided to form parts of Jordan, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. This process restricted their movements and increased the pressure on the environment. In addition, economic growth and urbanization have also had an impact on their way of life. As a consequence, the Jordan Badia Research and Development Programme (BRDP) was established, during 1992, to improve the Bedu's quality of life and to ensure sustainable development and environmental protection in the Badia. This paper reviews the BRDP strategy as well as the deliverables thus far in terms of benefits to local communities, facilities, pioneered projects, main research outcomes and current research priorities. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, it is argued that the view of the economic sphere as a closed system cannot appropriately deal with the issue of sustainable development. Evolutionary economics is then presented as a fruitful alternative to apprehend the interactions between the economic, the human and the natural spheres. This emerging field offers both a firm theoretical basis (based upon recent developments in physics, biology, dynamic systems theory and the sciences of complexity) and practical, pragmatic answers to the implementation of a sustainable path of development. This is further illustrated with the presentation of the evolutionary logic of a multi-level common regime. Such a regime could be an institutional counterpart of social and environmental dynamics. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Nordic countries, housing is one of society's greatest users of resources. Making housing more sustainable will call for changes in buildings, management routines and residents' habits, each having its possibilities as well as a built in resistance against change. Households might play a key role in this change, directly as consumers, but also indirectly and jointly as pressure groups towards real estate owners, managers and local society. Making housing more sustainable can be seen as society's ‘sustainability challenge’ to the housing consumers. In this paper, the extent of this challenge is discussed for the households of the Nordic countries, for different types of ownership and building etc. Its realization is seen in a ten-year perspective and in relation to the acquisition, maintenance, operation and use of the dwellings. Preliminary results indicate that a move to a new dwelling will give the household an opportunity to influence many aspects of its environmental impacts, but that moving will have little direct effect on the environmental performance of the built environment as a whole. Furthermore, that the activities of daily living have a potential for improvement without the inertia of reconstructing the building stock. In the end, however, co-operation between households and other stakeholders of the building sector is often a prerequisite for change. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need to reconcile social and environmental goals for sustainable development still poses problems for policy makers in the richer parts of the world. Using the examples of domestic water and energy, this paper argues that the problems are reflected, and often magnified, in developing countries. They arise largely from conflicts between the short-term need to alleviate poverty and longer-term objectives for environmental sustainability. The dual nature of water and energy as both social and economic goods raises questions about the most appropriate forms of provision and allocation of the utilities. It is in no one's long-term interest for developing countries to repeat the environmentally damaging mistakes of the industrialized world. But an equitable distribution of the short-term costs attached to a more environmentally responsible use of resources demands new ways of thinking about global social justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing awareness of the health implications of environmental change in developing areas demands ongoing evaluation of the composition and context of unique human and environmental systems. The relationship between the ecology of emergent and resurgent infectious disease and land degradation is an uncertain aspect of environmental influences on human health that varies in different development contexts. An approach for examining a dynamic health and environment nexus is suggested based on combining ideas about health ecology with notions of sustainable development. The rationale is derived from the experience of research on changing diarrhoeal disease endemicity and epidemicity in central Mozambique, recent moves towards poverty reduction through food and livelihood security in Zambézia province, and the development of a geographic health information system to control malaria. Themes include analysing the influence of land degradation on incidence of infectious diseases, situating human health in land-based notions of sustainable development, and communality between environmental health care and land-based poverty reduction policies. The paper emphasizes that environmental health surveillance and care must be responsive to changing health ecologies in varying development landscapes and that common policy directives should be sought in avoiding both human ill-health and land degradation. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The propositions implicit in the Washington Consensus can be stated as follows: development is assimilated to limitless economic growth; the goal of social progress is reduced to a mere "trickle-down" effect; the widest possible engagement in international trade is seen as the fundamental prerequisite for development; the role of the state is subordinate to that of the market; in short, there exists, or so it is maintained, one single model of rational development. This paper is devoted to a preliminary discussion of the first of the above principles. It seeks first to show the extent to which growth is indeed the centre-piece of development strategies, setting out the arguments traditionally advanced in favour of its pre-eminence, with its concomitant requirement for limitless expansion of commodity output. However, growth on this scale clearly seems not to be sustainable in the longer term -- hence the need to rethink where economic growth fits into long-term development aims and strategies and to take fuller account of the arguments, of an economic, social, and ecological nature, being put forward against this view of growth as limitless. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problems of developing countries are well documented and they appear to be growing in magnitude. Although science and technology (S&T) offers a glimmer of hope in dealing with problems of developing countries, policy formulation and implementation have not yielded the desired results. The reasons advanced for the failure of S&T to aid in national development tend to be fragmented and are usually based on the mechanistic worldview. This tends to perpetuate mistakes in policy formulation and implementation. A systemic framework is thus advanced in this paper to enable us to understand the problems encountered in S&T policy formulation. It is hoped that the framework will enable us to start trying to solve the right problem rather than the wrong problems advanced by mechanistic thinkers. The systemic framework advances the following set of problems as critical: inappropriate norms of a nation, inappropriate worldview, and human behavioural constraints in managing complexity. These problems manifest themselves as Kenneth Boulding's (1966) pathologies of intellectual productivity—spurious saliency, unproductive emulation, and cultural lag—resulting in ineffective S&T policy. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While sustainable development is recognized as an essential requirement for achieving economic goals without degrading the environment, major problems arise in defining methods for formulating and implementing sustainable strategic actions at the macro-level, including islands. Bearing in mind this limitation, this research paper will attempt to present a strategic planning methodology for drawing up strategic issues for tourism development from the point of view of sustainability, which is particularly appropriate to islands. The authors first review existing literature on sustainable development with a view to defining a conceptual approach to sustainability and identifying particular areas for sustainable tourism development in the island context. A methodology for formulating strategic issues for sustainable tourism development in Gran Canaria is then drawn up. Sociocultural aspects, the environment and the economy, with particular emphasis on tourism, are examined in order to identify major strategic issues for sustainable development in Gran Canaria. Copyright Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, many companies have responded publicly to pressure to improve their environmental performance. The paradigm within which these responses have been made, however, appears to be confused. This paper proposes the role that companies are best able to play in the societal progression towards sustainable development. We argue that the concept of sustainable development may only be properly applied at the global level; it follows that a ‘sustainably developed’ company or industry sector is not a practical objective. Nevertheless, the contribution which business can make within a sustainable development framework is recognized as being of the highest importance. We suggest that the nature of this contribution pivots around a distinction between environmental soundness (which concerns the interaction between the environment and economics) and sustainability (which adds a broad social element to the environmental and economic, and requires the consideration of time horizons). It is proposed that companies are well positioned to pursue effective environmentally sound corporate strategies. It is also argued that such strategies offer great potential to advance social justice, as environmental improvements are often disproportionately beneficial to poorer groups in society. In contrast, arguments are presented against companies attempting to move beyond environmental soundness to address those broad social elements demanded by sustainable development. A broad allocation of those responsibilities inherent in sustainable development to societal institutions is presented, placing the suggested role of business into context. In advocating the adoption of corporate strategies based on environmental soundness we do not seek to derogate the concept of sustainable development; we do aim to stem the apparent continuing erosion of its fundamental tenets and to identify responsibilities that are appropriate to business. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the world to move towards a more sustainable future greater understanding is required about the links between society, reality, business activity, the environment, technology and sustainable development (Welford, 199816). Technological development of the Internet offers the potential, if appropriately utilized, to be an enabler of a more sustainable future. On-line communications, via the Internet, is driving the evolution of cyber based communities in both domestic and commercial environments. Such changes in international communications are clearly at a relatively early stage of development, which raises many issues of fundamental interest but also concern. Security and control are issues of prime importance to all existing and future participants in cyberspace, due to the direct implications on both freedom and order. The Internet has evolved from a small specialist controlled environment, including both scientists and academic members, to on-line activity that is currently viewed by many as anarchic in nature. The more recent rise of the World Wide Web (WWW), driven by corporate acceptance and adoption, appears to be pushing towards formalization of both the Internet infrastructure and also applications. In exploring the role of on-line communities for sustainable development the paper addresses fundamental issues of importance. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relations between a firm and organizations in its political and economic environment are increasingly seen as crucial for the successful functioning of that firm, both in the narrow economic sense, and at the broader level of reaching sustainability. However, attention seems to be focused on the positive qualities of such networks of organizations. In this paper it is argued that networks of organizations have a dual nature, and do not just provide possibilities for collective learning and problem solving. At the same time, such networks consist of dependency relations that provoke power strategies, which result in outcomes reflecting the distribution of power rather than leading to an optimal result. By means of a case study, this dual nature is explored. It is shown that the actors involved in the process of developing an alternative to the disposable milk carton in the Netherlands are embedded in dependency relations. Several of these actors attempt to create problem solving networks, and succeed. However, the already existing dependency relations between the actors involved influence the direction, outcome, and timing within these networks. Using criteria for network performance, this dual nature of networks is assessed. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper shows how systems science can clarify the debate and outline the basic differences between technology and sustainability. Deconstruction is a process by which the various meanings of a concept are ascertained. It is used to draw the characteristics of technology and sustainability. Each of these two concepts is driven by imperatives which are in conflict with each other. The discussion infers how they can be reconciled. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable practices can be initiated or encouraged by governmental regulation and economic incentives. A major element to promote sustainability will be, however, the exploration and organization of discursive processes between and among different actors. Many analysts agree that sustainability will remain a highly desirable, but unrealistic option for development, if people do not feel a degree of ownership and identity with the goal of sustainability for their own life and a preference for its policy implications. Inviting the public to be part of the decision-making process from the beginning improves the likelihood that the resulting decision will be accepted. Participatory processes are needed that combine technical expertise, rational decision making, and public values and preferences. To accomplish such an integration, negotiation, mediation, and arbitration are potential solutions. Many different procedures and forms of mediation have been proposed and some tested. One major attempt of the authors has been the organization of round-table discourses among a wide variety of stakeholders to develop environmental policy goals or to design local and regional waste management plans. These discourses are based on the assumption that each participant can contribute to the common good if the setting of the discourse encourages the generation of shared values and discourages strategic reasoning. The emphasis of the paper will be on the model of cooperative discourse and first applications in Germany, Switzerland and the United States. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The issue of sustainability, its definition and measurement, is crucial to current debates in development policy and aid reform. But while all donors demand it few define it in operational terms. This poses serious methodological challenges for evaluators since there are no accepted and uncontested indicators of institutional sustainability. They therefore resort to using quantitative measures such as the calculation of a ‘sustainability rate’. This paper examines different views of institutional sustainability and identifies some of their shortcomings from the standpoint of programme evaluation. Institutional sustainability is seen as a capacity rather than a financial issue. It then suggests the need for qualitative indicators of sustainability and argues that the institution's capacity to learn—as reflected in the relative importance accorded to action and reflection, the way in which the institution deals with ‘discordant information’, and its capacity to conduct and use evaluations—is a key aspect of sustainability. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global Environmental Change is central to the debate on the relationship between environmental degradation and economic development. This paper examines the agreements signed at the Earth Summit held in Rio in 1992 and highlights some implications for developing countries. The interim mechanism for resource transfer under the Conventions is the Global Environmental Facility, but it appears that transfers on a scale necessary to bring about sustainable development as envisaged by Agenda 21 cannot be made through this mechanism alone. It is argued here that other mechanisms to promote development, such as debt relief, should not be ignored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While economic growth over the past year has increased and inflation rates have remained low, Australia still has an unemployment rate of 9.5 per cent (July 1994). As the recent White Paper on employment (Working Nation 1994) and the 1994-95 Budget Statements (1994) have emphasised, the key task for the federal government over the rest of this decade is to develop policies to sustain economic growth at rates which are sufficient to reduce the rate of unemployment. Hence, the focus of this article is a discussion of policy for sustaining economic growth for the rest of the decade in Australia. The next section will briefly outline current economic conditions in Australia. Following there is a review of the nature of sustainable economic growth; this includes an explanation as to why sustainable economic growth is required and a discussion of the recently announced policies for achieving sustainable economic growth. With respect to policies the discussion will concentrate upon the federal government's employment policy statements and the 1994-95 federal Budget. There is also a brief discussion of New Growth Theory and the Asian growth experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the requirements of papers submitted to the journal. It offers overview of the papers that are suitable for review that focused on food security and the role of agricultural technologies. It also mentions the manuscripts that are available for review regarding economic growth and sustainable development.

This paper attempts to explore dynamical behavior and mathematical properties of the three‐dimensional fractional‐order energy‐saving and emission‐reduction system. Theoretically, the conditions of local stability of fractional‐order system's equilibrium points are obtained. Numerical investigations on the dynamics of this system are carried out, and the existence of the asymptotically stable attractor is found. Combined with the fractional‐order subsystem, we discuss the relationship between energy‐saving and emission‐reduction and economic growth, and carbon emissions and economic growth. Furthermore, we discretize the fractional‐order system and give necessary and sufficient conditions of its stabilization. It is shown that the stability of the discretization system is impacted by the system's fractional parameter. Numerical simulations show the richer dynamical behavior of the fractional‐order system and verify the theoretical results. Recommendations for Resource Managers The impact of carbon emissions on economic growth is one of the main reasons for energy‐saving and emission‐reduction.Control measures on people's low‐carbon life through government intervention are required to protect the natural environment.New energy‐saving and emission‐reduction technologies should be implemented to achieve sustainable social and economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic growth and development, along with expanding population, place a continuing pressure on our basic necessities in a world with depleting natural resources, overharvested ecosystems, and volatile commodity markets. These factors pose a range of competing demands relating to: economic and population growth and demographic changes; food, energy and resources security; ecological regime shifts; and climate change mitigation and adaptation. Key indicators of the processes that underlie these competing demands point to continuing food insecurity in low-income countries, exploitation of ecosystems, and depletion of natural resources. This emphasises the need for productivity improvements combined with innovation in institutional and governance structures to help foster global sustainability and ensure food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]