2007 marked the 20th anniversary of the G.H.Brundtland Commission report that broke new ground by addressing the issue of sustainable development as a means of avoiding an ecological catastrophe. This led to a multitude of political declarations, documents and scientific articles while Agenda 21 - adopted in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro - has been accepted by the governments of more than 100 countries. Sadly, however, this has not prevented certain recent dangerous trends, nor have the wider public, journalists, business circles or politicians grasped the urgency of the problem. It is therefore important to make humanity understand its real place in the natural environment and the gravity of the ecological threat before us.

The exclusive role of natural ecosystems is a key factor in the maintenance of the biospheric equilibrium. The current global crisis is largely caused by their dramatic decline by 43% in the past hundred years. Ignoring the immutable laws and limitations which determine the existence of all living things in the biosphere could lead humanity to an ecological catastrophe. This book presents the ecological, demographic, economic and socio-psychological manifestations of the global crisis and outlines the immutable laws and limitations which determine the existence of all living things in the biosphere.

Texte du rabat

It is over 15 years since Agenda 21 was adopted in Rio de Janeiro,
and over 100 countries have now espoused this code to use
sustainable development as a means of avoiding an ecological
catastrophe. However it is obvious that, even with this
commitment, there is still a significant lack of both understanding
and action.

Sustainable Development and the Limitation of Growth presents the
ecological, demographic, economic and socio-psychological
manifestations of the global crisis, and outlines the immutable
laws and limitations which determine the existence of all living
things in the biosphere. The book

contends that sustainability is achievable only on a global scale
and cannot be regionalized or isolated;
demonstrates the need to move to a new way of thinking;
shows humanity its real place in the natural environment;
highlights the importance of global environmental stability.

This unique work argues for a change in the sustainable
development paradigm, the strategic nucleus of which must be
the conservation of ecosystems, especially forests, still in existence
and the partial reconstruction of destroyed ecosystems, as well as
for an understanding of humanity's real place in the natural
environment and the gravity of the ecological threat before us.
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Contenu
PART 1 - CIVILIZATION IN CRISIS: ON THE EDGE OF AN ABYSS 1. GLOBAL ECOLOGICAL SITUATION, 2. CRITICALLY OVERPOPULATED PLANET,3. THE ECOLOGICAL EQUIVALENTS OF MODERN MAN PART 2. CIVILIZATION TEETERING OVER THE ABYSS OF CRISIS, 4. THE SOCIAL DIMENSION OF THE CRISIS, 5. THE ROLE OF THE CENTRALIZED AND MARKET ECONOMIES, 6. THE CRISIS OF VALUES AS THE MAIN CAUSE OF THE ECOLOGICAL CHALLENGE PART 3 - THE WORLD COMMUNITY: POLITICIANS AND SCIENTISTS IN SEARCH OF A SOLUTION, 7. THE MISSION OF THE CLUB OF ROME, 8. PROGRAMS FOR CHANGE: STOCKHOLM RIO JOHANNESBURG, 9. TOWARD A SYSTEMIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE BIOSPHERE, 10. THE CONSTANCY OF THE PLANETARY ENVIRONMENT IN LIGHT OF THE BIOTIC REGULATION MECHANISM PART 4 - SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: BETWEEN COMPLACENCY AND REALITY, 11. THE BASIS OF SUSTAINABILITY IN NATURE AND IN CIVILIZATION, 12. THE NATIONAL COLORS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, 13. CO-EVOLUTION OF NATURE AND SOCIETY: FACT OR FICTION? PART 5 - ON THE SCALE OF A SCIENTIFIC APPROACH, 14. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN RELATION TO THE CARRYING CAPACITY OF THE BIOSPHERE, 15. THE STARTING CONDITIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND THE PRESERVATION OF ECOSYSTEMS BY COUNTRY AND CONTINENT, 16. NAVIGATION DIRECTIONS: INDICATORS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PART 6 'IS THERE ENOUGH COMMUNITY, RESPONSIBILITY, DISCIPLINE AND LOVE?', 17. THE BARRICADES OF OLD THINKING IN THE WAY OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, 18. WHAT THE MARKET ECONOMY CAN AND CANNOT ACCOMPLISH, 19. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND THE 'REAL HUMAN CONDITION', 20. THE SOCIAL PREMISES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND THE GLOBALIZATION PROBLEM