Description
Book SynopsisMiami University in Oxford, Ohio offers a course entitled "Sustainability Perspectives," based on this text. The course was awarded "The Instructional Innovation Award" at the 1996 annual meeting of the Decision Sciences Institute, an association of Decision Science professionals headquartered at Georgia State University in Atlanta.
The 1990's have seen the development of important new approaches to sustaining corporate development and protecting the environment. Corporations are beginning to realize their responsibilities for a healthy environment. Sustainable development is viewed as an integrated, ecological, economic, and social system in which both economic growth and quality-of-life improvements can occur in a unified system complementary to the maintenance of natural capital. Sustainability Perspectives for Resources and Businesses shows the reader that a sound understanding of the concepts involved in sustainable development is beneficial to businesses, natural resources, and the population in general.
This textbook was written to help students and professionals involved in business, science, or engineering to understand the changes occurring in the workplace. It serves as a step toward understanding how business and science, as professional communities, are adapting to new information about risks to the environment. Various chapters are devoted to resources, values, and valuation systems. Each section develops principles such as resilience and integrity in the economy and the environment.
Trade Review"...The book bridges the gap between ecology/environmental science and economy. A blueprint for making good environmental and business decisions in the 21st century...describes how many issues can be resolved as win/win with a longer term perspective, dialogue, and education of all the stakeholders..."-Graham Mitchell, Director of the Ohio EPA
Table of ContentsThe Context of Sustainability
Introduction
Foundation in Ecology and Economics
Carrying Capacity and Sustainability
Social and Economic Views of Sustainability and Sustainable Development
Economic Growth and the Environment
Growth and the Environment: A Contrary View
Aggregated Determinants of Environmental Trends
Global Welfare Curve
A Unified Approach to Sustainability
Hierarchical Conceptualization of Sustainability
Three Sustainability Principles from Systems Thinking
Sustainability Principle One
Sustainability Principle Two
Sustainability Principle Three
Values and Process Principles
Conclusion
Endnotes
Natural Science Foundations of Sustainability
Introduction
Health and Integrity of Ecosystems and Economics
System Properties and the Measurements of "Integrity"
Sustainability Principle Four
Natural Capital and Its Conversion to Human Use
Naive Uses of Resources
Liquidation of Natural Assets for Financial Gain
The Sustainable Development Paradigm: Open Systems and Closed Loops
* Pollution Threats to Sustainability
Sustainability Principle Five
Naive Disposal of Waste
Sustainable Waste Disposal and Development
Ecologically Persistent Chemicals
Air, Water, and Bioadversity as Common Property Assets
Public-Private Partnerships as a Paradigm for Sustainability
Endnotes
Sustainability and Economic Well-Being
Introduction
The Economic Approach to Sustainability
The Economic Way of Thinking
Allocation Function
Distribution Function
Discounting
Stabilization Finction, Economic Growth, and Issues of Scale
Sustainability Principle Six
Measuring Aggregate Economic Well-Being
Sustainability Principle Seven
Toward Improved Measurement of Economic Well-Being
Conclusion
Endnotes
Natural Resource Conflicts and Sustainability
Introduction
Sustainability Principle Eight
Sustainability Principle Nine
Forest Resources
Forest Status: The Problem
Local and National Outcomes
Solutions: Steps Towards Sustainability
Fisheries
The Problem
Social Consequences
How to Achieve "Sustainable Development"
Sustaining Fresh Water
Use and Abuse of Water Resources
Implementing Sustainable Water Management
Air Resources
The Air Problem
Approaches for Solving Air Problems
Environmental Ethics and Corporate Decision Making for Sustainable Performance
Importance of Ethics
Sustainability Principle 10
Steps in Corporate Responses to Environmental and Ethical Issues
Sustainable Development: The Nexus of Environment, Economy, and Equity
Comparing Values from Three Worldviews
Sustainability Principle Eleven
Anthropcentrism, the Dominant Social Worldview
Deep Ecology as a Worldview
Sustainable Development, and Emerging Worldview
Integrity of Natural Systems: A Global Ethic for the Environment and Business
Holism
Scale
Compatibility
Responsibility
Commitment
Stewardship
The Need for Dialogue
Sustainability Principle Twelve
Conclusion
Endnotes
Valuation and Reporting
Introduction
Valuation
Different Meanings of Value
Valuation Methods
Direct Methods
Indirect Methods
Some Comparisons Among the Indirect Methods
Sustainability Principle Ten
Public Policy and Valuation Methods
Accounting and Reporting
Accounting Information Systems
Internal Aspects of Financial Reporting
Environmental Audit and Compliance Measures
Activity Based Costing
External Reporting on the Environment
Sustainability Principle Thirteen
Risk Assessment
Taxes and Environmental Reporting
Conclusion
Endnotes
Appendix I - Rubenstein's Environmental Trust Accounting
Sustainability and Business Management Systems
Introduction
Environmental Externalities and Government Regulation
Legal Remedies
Command-and-Control
Market-Based Incentives
* Government Regulation and Business Self-Regulation of Environmental Externalities
The Paradigm of Self-Regulation: Values and Value-Based Management
Environmental Management Systems and a Natural Resource-Based View of the Firm
Continuous Improvement Systems in Business
Total Quality Environmental Management
The History of Total Quality Management
TQM in Environmental Management
Examples of TQEM and Environmental Management Systems in Business
The Council of Great Lakes Industries and TQEM
Responsible Care and the Chemical Manufacturers Association
The CERES Principles
ISO 14000 International Environmental Standards
Characteristics of Self-Regulating Approaches
Conclusion
Making Business Decisions about the Environment: Integrating Scope and Values
Introduction
* Decision Option Analysis: Scoping the Steps to Sustainability
Scale and Globalization of Commerce
Sustainability Principle Fourteen
The Social Context of Sustainability Revisited
Trust and Consensus: Elements of Choosing
Sustainability as the Design of Win-Win Outcomes
The Safe Minimum Standard: Making All the Parts Work Better
Conclusion
