Umfang:
Online-Ressource (236 p)
ISBN:
9781138842526
Inhalt:
Decades of research and discussion have shown that the human population growth and our increased consumption of natural resources cannot continue - there are limits to growth. This volume demonstrates how we might modify and revise our economic systems using nature as a model. The book describes how nature uses three growth forms: biomass, information, and networks, resulting in improved overall ecosystem functioning and co-development. As biomass growth is limited by available resources, nature uses the two other growth forms to achieve higher resource use efficiency. Through a universal app
Anmerkung:
Description based upon print version of record
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Cover; Title; Copyright; CONTENTS; Preface; 1 Introduction; 1.1 Uncontrolled growth; 1.2 Different types of quantitative growth; 1.3 The content of the book; 2 Limits to growth; 2.1 The Club of Rome; 2.2 Doomsday or collapse; 2.3 We need to think in systems; 2.4 Limits to Growth is still not accepted politically; 2.5 Sustainable development; 2.6 How to shift from quantitative growth to qualitative development?; 3 How nature flourishes within limits; 3.1 Ecosystem theory; 3.2 Ecosystems conserve matter and energy and use growth regulations; 3.3 There are no trashcans in nature
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3.4 All processes result in degradation of work energy to energy that cannot do work3.5 All organisms use the same biochemical processes to a large extent; 3.6 Ecosystems are open systems; 3.7 Ecosystems grow and develop by using surplus energy to move further away from thermodynamic equilibrium; 3.8 Ecosystems apply three forms of growth and development; 3.9 Ecosystems select the pathways that yield the highest work energy of the system; 3.10 Ecosystems are organized hierarchically; 3.11 Ecosystems have a high diversity in all levels of the hierarchy
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3.12 Ecosystems resist (destructive) changes3.13 Ecosystems work together in networks that improve the resource use efficiency; 3.14 Ecosystems contain an enormous amount of information; 3.15 Ecosystems have emergent system properties; 3.16 Similarities between ecosystems and human societies; 3.17 Main differences between ecosystems and human societies; 4 How to adopt nature's properties in our society; 4.1 Introduction; 4.2 We need to reduce, reuse, and recycle; 4.3 We urgently need a transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources
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4.4 Shift from quantitative growth to qualitative development4.5 Changing the scope of economic growth from increase of GDP to social and natural capital; 4.6 Improving cooperation using the synergistic effect of networks; 4.7 Appreciating diversity and understanding that it gives society resistance toward disruptive changes; 4.8 More resources are needed for research, innovation, and education; 4.9 Human society is strongly dependent on ecosystem services; 4.10 Global agricultural policy; 4.11 How to realize the transition to a new economy; 5 Working with a global model; 5.1 Introduction
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5.2 An action plan is urgently needed5.3 The global model; 5.4 Global implementation of a needed action plan; 5.5 Examination of the effects of the six proposed changes, one-by-one; 5.6 Conclusions based on the model results; 6 To think like an ecosystem is key to win-win outcomes for humans and environment; 6.1 Introduction; 6.2 The proposed paradigm shift - to think like an ecosystem; 6.3 Boundaries and modeling strategies; 6.4 Real examples where win-win work; 6.5 Toward practical implementation of the presented theory; 6.6 Summary and conclusion; 7 Ecological footprint
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7.1 Growth and ecological footprints
Weitere Ausg.:
9781317552000
Weitere Ausg.:
Print version Flourishing Within Limits to Growth : Following nature's way
Sprache:
Englisch
Schlagwort(e):
Electronic books
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