Seeking Sustainability in an Age of Complexity

Harris weaves together a unique story of the complexity of global and regional sustainability.

Graham Harris (Author)

9780521695329, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 14 June 2007

376 pages, 1 table
24.4 x 17 x 2 cm, 0.6 kg

'We have to be ready with the right ideas and proposals when the time comes and Harris provides a useful and timely synthesis of many of those ideas.' Trends in Ecology and Evolution

Seeking Sustainability in an Age of Complexity explains the difficulties of sustainability and why 'collapse' can occur. In the last twenty years the theory of complexity has been developed - complex systems science (CSS) speaks to natural systems and particularly to ecological, social and economic systems and their interaction. Due to the growing concern over the huge changes occurring in the global environment, such as climate change, deforestation, habitat fragmentation and loss of biodiversity, Graham Harris sets out what has been learned in an attempt to understand the implications of these changes and suggests ways to move forward. This book discusses a number of emerging tools for the management of 'unruly' complexity which facilitate stronger regional dialogues about knowledge and values, which will be of interest to ecologists, sociologists, economists, natural resource managers and scientists in State and local governments and those involved in water and landscape management.

Preface
Dedication
Acknowledgements
1. Preamble: the world we are in
2. Complex systems
3. New science, new tools, new challenges
4. The complexity of ecology
5. The generation of complexity
6. Micro interactions and macro constraints
7. A changing sense of place
8. Complexity in created landscapes
9. Catchment form and function
10. Catchment loads - ecosystem impacts
11. Change detection, monitoring and prediction
12. Evidence, uncertainty and risk
13. Modified landscapes: biodiversity
14. Function in modified landscapes
15. Environmental flows
16. Evidence for global change
17. Values and beliefs
18. Managing environmental, social and economic systems
19. Linking multiple capitals
20. Community, capacity, leadership and collaboration
21. A new environmental paradigm
22. Emergent problems and emerging solutions
23. Avoiding collapse.

Subject Areas: Sustainability [RNU], Conservation of the environment [RNK], Environmental management [RNF], Environmental economics [KCN]