SUMMER 2014 31 Ecological processes that occur at global scales are among the most impressive natural phenomena on Earth; they link environments across the globe and capture the imagination of observers. For example, billions of North American birds, representing more than 400 species, migrate annually, often thousands of miles, frequently under the cover of darkness, between breeding and nonbr...

Ecological footprint analysis (EFA) can be used by cities to account for their on-going demands on global renewable resources. To date, EFA has not been fully implemented as an urban policy and planning tool in part due to limitations of local data availability. In this paper we focus on the material consumption component of the urban ecological footprint and identify the ̳component, solid wast...

After a critical review of conventional approaches to sustainability, this paper contrasts orthodox (neoclassical) economic theory with a political economy approach, arguing that such an approach focusing on the historically specific organizational form of production and the inherent characteristics of the capitalist mode of production is crucial for exploring the preconditions, the content and...

Claim of sustainability are virtually impossible to prove but enough is known about tropical forest ecology and silviculture to protect ecosystem functions and maintain biodiversity while still deriving financial profirs from logging . Rapid improvements in long-term forest production will derive from better planning of harvesting operations and stand improvement treatments. Lack of good manage...

1. The emergence of transdisciplinary research for sustainability 1.1 The constitution of discursive objects 1.2 The order of discourse 1.3 Structural levels of discourse 2. Process models for transdisciplinary research 2.1 A general model for research processes 2.2 The cognitive order of sustainability research 3. Problems the fountainhead of science 3.1 The conceptual world of problems 3.2 So...

Improving the sustainability of traditional resource-based cities in China has been a core issue and policy-priority for Chinese government to establish long-term ecological civilization, particularly for northeastern China which is recognized as a typical agglomeration area of resources cities. In this study, we establish a three-layer index system consisting of a comprehensive layer, systemic...

This paper discusses the importance of social responsibility as a base for sustainability and tries to provide an overview of this relationship in Brazil nowadays. It is recognized as necessary the existence of three classes of economical, ecological and social sustainability and the big challenge of reconciling these three elements. Are included the results and discussion of a research aiming ...

Introduction: Framing the Analysis This chapter is concerned with the long-term sustainability of cities. My starting premise is that because of accelerating global ecological change, cities everywhere are facing unprecedented challenges to their functional integrity and even survival. Unprecedented challenges require unprecedented solutions. In keeping with this reality, I depart from most urb...

Green infrastructure ameliorates the urban heat island effect, contributes positively to liveability and enables sustainability in higher density urban environments. Greenskins (living architectures) are a more specific form of green infrastructure, including green walls and green roofs, for dense urban areas. These offer a new approach for sustainable urban biophilia and some forms can be buil...