This first book to focus on cultural diversity as a key element of sustainable development in the context of science and engineering provides cross-disciplinary information and assistance in understanding our world in transition. As such, it furnishes the global scientific community and decision makers in governmental and non-governmental institutions as well as in industry with much-needed information on how the various factors affecting sustainable development -- including culture -- depend on and interfere with each other. Featuring a contribution by the President of the Club of Rome, HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal, this is vital reading for all (natural) scientists, engineers, economists, ecologists, environmental organizations, and consultants.

This first book to focus on cultural diversity as a key element of sustainable development in the context of science and engineering provides cross-disciplinary information and assistance in understanding our world in transition. As such, it furnishes the global scientific community and decision makers in governmental and non-governmental institutions as well as in industry with much-needed information on how the various factors affecting sustainable development -- including culture -- depend on and interfere with each other.Featuring a contribution by the President of the Club of Rome, HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal, this is vital reading for all (natural) scientists, engineers, economists, ecologists, environmental organizations, and consultants.

PrefaceKey Note Address (His Royal Highness Prince El Hassan bin Talal)History and Mandate of Sustainability: From Local Forestry to Global Policy (Gabriele Weber-Blaschke, Reinhard Mosandl, and Martin Faulstich)Sustainable Development: Exploring the Cross-Cultural Dimension (Ortwin Renn)Sustainable Development and Cultural Diversity (Hartmann Liebetruth)Technological Progress in Different Cultures and Periods: Historical Evolution Projected into the Future (Raoul Weiler)Views of Sustainability: Elements of a Synthesis (Dimitris Kyriakou)A New Way of Thinking about Sustainability, Risk and Environmental Decision-Making (William E. Kastenberg, Gloria Hauser-Kastenberg, and David Norris)Humility and Establishing the Sustainable Environment (Edward D. Schroeder)Conflicts and Conflict-solving as Chances to make the Concept of Sustainable Development work (Armin Grunwald)Sustainability through Science-Technology-Society Education (David Devraj Kumar)Sustainability and Consumption of Raw Materials in Germany (Werner Schenkel)Sustainability, Culture and Regional Scales: Some Remarks from Human Geography (Horst Kopp)Sustainable Development in Asia: Traditional Ideas and Irreversible Processes (Dietmar Rothermund)Sustainability of Development and Valuation of Non-renewable Resources: An Analysis in the Context of Local Cultures (Michael von Hauff, Amitabh Kundu)Sustainability in Latin American Countries: Challenge and Opportunities for Argentina (Monica Renner)On the Roles Engineers May Play in the Attempt to Meet Basic Demands of Man and Nature (Peter A. Wilderer, Mirka C. Wilderer)Integrating Cultural Aspects in the Implementation of Large Water Projects (Martin Grambow)Sustainability from an Entrepreneurial Point of View seen from the Particular Standpoint of a Company Active in the Water Industry (Hans G. Huber)Synthesis (Peter A. Wilderer, Edward D. Schroeder, and Josef Bugl)