Perspectives on Global Change
The TARGETS Approach

Describes the structure, assumptions, philosophy and innovative results of an advanced global integrated assessment model for all those involved in exploring a sustainable global future.

Jan Rotmans (Edited by), Bert de Vries (Edited by)

9780521621762, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 16 October 1997

479 pages, 145 b/w illus. 30 colour illus. 39 tables
24.1 x 16.1 x 3.4 cm, 1.15 kg

'The book will be of interest to a wide audience ranging from policy makers to students of all aspect of global change.' I. Colbeck, Water, Air and Soil Pollution

Human activity is undeniably affecting the rates of change of many parts of the global system. How this global change develops into the future is vitally important, but modelling these changes requires a complex, integrated assessment of a wide range of disciplines in science and social science. This book describes the structure, assumptions, philosophy and results of an advanced global integrated assessment model: TARGETS. For a number of future directions selected on the basis of divergent cultural perspectives, the model charts global implications in terms of population and health, energy, land- and water-use and biogeochemical cycles. This integrated assessment approach has led to innovative fresh insights into global change. The book will help policymakers formulate the strategies required for a sustainable global future. It will be of interest to a broad audience, from researchers and modellers of global change in science and social science, to policy analysts, decision makers and economists, and students of all aspects of global change.

1. Global change and sustainable development Rotmans, van Asselt, de Vries
2. Concepts Rotmans, van Asselt, de Vries
3. The TARGETS model Rotmans et al.
4. The population and health submodel Niessen and Hilderink
5. The energy submodel: TIME de Vries and Janssen
6. The water submodel: AQUA Hoekstra
7. The land and food submodel: TERRA Strengers, den Elzen and Köster
8. The biogeochemical submodel: CYCLES den Elzen et al.
9. Indicators for sustainable development Rotmans
10. Uncertainties in perspective van Asselt and Rotmans
11. Towards an integrated assessment of global change Rotmans et al.
12. Population and health in perspective Hilderink and van Asselt
13. Energy systems in transition de Vries, Beusen and Janssen
14. Water in crisis Hoekstra et al.
15. Food for the future Strengers et al.
16. Human disturbance of the global biogeochemical cycles den Elzen
17. The larger picture: Utopian futures de Vries
18. Uncertainty and risk: Dystopian futures de Vries
19. Global change: fresh insights, no simple answers de Vries et al.
References
Index.

Subject Areas: Social impact of environmental issues [RNT]