The World's Search for Sustainable Development
A Perspective from the Global South

This text explores the evolution of sustainable development and climate change within the framework of the United Nations.

Mukul Sanwal (Author)

9781107122666, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 5 November 2015

334 pages
24.4 x 17 x 1.9 cm, 0.73 kg

This text traces the evolution of sustainable development and climate change from the time it emerged in international consultations and agreements. The three sections of the book, focusing on the framework, climate change and sustainable development, seek to cover the essentials of the politics of natural resource usage at the global level. The book explores the evolution of sustainable development and climate change within the framework of the United Nations, and the way the concept has been defined through intergovernmental meetings, agreements and consensus within the multilateral system. It also explores the best ways of reducing the risk to the planet while enabling societies to pursue sustainable development paths. The challenges call for a transformation of social systems to facilitate a broadly acceptable change. The book also explores the adoption of low-carbon models different from the high-carbon socio-technical systems and related social practices.

Preface
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations
Introduction
1. Social dimension of sustainability
Part I. Consumption in an Unequal World: Framing International Cooperation: 2. Geopolitics of the global environment
3. Natural science - policy - institutions interface
4. Focus on developing countries
5. Limitations of multilateral environmental agreements
Part II. Climate Policy: Global to National: 6. Political origins of climate policy
7. Questions on the framework
8. Burden shifting rather than burden sharing
9. Development of a shared vision
10. The middle class and global ecological limits
11. The new climate regime
Part III. Sustainable Development: National to Global: 12. Conceptual and institutional foundation
13. Politics within the United Nations
14. Limitations of the building blocks of sustainability
15. Use of natural resources
16. Distribution of natural resources
Part III. Consumption in a More Equal World: Shaping Societal Functions: 17. Geoeconomics of human well-being
18. Social science - policy - society interface
19. Reframing the 'common concern' from a physical to a social problem
20. Developing a shared global vision
Part IV. Geopolitics to Geoeconomics: Rural-Urban Divide, Rather Than between Countries: 21. Urban areas: sustainable development and human well-being
22. Rural areas: climate change, fragile states and human security
23. Global sustainable development goals
24. Transformative impact of the re-emergence of China
Part V. The Asian Century: 25. Moving from ideas to reality will depend on how Asia structures its urban future
Index.

Subject Areas: Sustainability [RNU], Conservation of the environment [RNK], Political geography [RGCP], International relations [JPS], Globalization [JFFS]