Sustainability Science A Multidisciplinary Approach

Sustainability Science A Multidisciplinary Approach Sustainability science is a new academic discipline that hasemerged in response to threats to the sustainability of the globalenvironment. The purpose of this discipline is to help build asustainable society by developing solutions to climate change, theexhaustion of resources, ecological destruction and otherenvironmental crises that threaten the future of humanity. Sustainability science demands a realignment of existingacademic disciplines. Whereas academia has moved inexorably in thedirection of fragmentation into discrete fields of in-depthspecialization, sustainability science seeks comprehensive,integrated solutions to complex problems and therefore requires arestructuring of education and research that spans multipledisciplines. This volume offers diverse approaches to thedevelopment of a transdisciplinary perspective that embraces thenatural, social and human sciences in the quest for a sustainablesociety. Sustainability science further demand the development ofpolicies that confront the preminent social issue of thetwenty-first century-the sustainability of the environment-in a waythat protects the natural and cultural diversity of differentregions of the planet and promotes the natural and culturaldiversity of different regions of the planet and promotes thephysical and economic health of their inhabitants. This volumestrives for a global perspective while incorporating the wisdom andexperience of societies on the local level. Contents Figures Tables Plate Box Contributors Preface Introduction The connections between existing sciences and sustainabilityscience Concepts of sustainability and sustainability science Tools and methods for sustainability science The redefinition of existing sciences in light of sustainabilityscience Education Conclusion Index Hiroshi Komiyama, Kazuhiko Takeuchi, Hideaki Shiroyama, Takashi Mino Hiroshi Komiyama is Chairman of Mitsubishi Res