Sustainable Development, Ecological Complexity, and Environmental Values
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Authors
Amezaga, Ibone M.
Arriolabengoa, M.
Ayestarán, Ignacio
Bermejo, Roberto
Casado-Arzuaga, Izaskun
Cearreta, Alejandro
Damas-Mollá, Laura
Ezcurra, Agustín
Fang, Xiao
García-Garmilla, Patxi
Issue Date
2013
Type
Book
Language
Keywords
Current Research Series
Alternative Title
Abstract
Description
Sustainable Development, Ecological Complexity, and Environmental Values contributes to expanding the idea of sustainability by integrating different thematic issues related to sustainable development in its threefold consideration (economic, social, and environmental) with regard to the case of the Basque Country. On the global scale, changes have clearly accelerated; ecological and social sustainability are two facets of the same changing reality. First, social sustainability depends on ecological sustainability. If we continue degrading nature's capacity to produce the ecosystems' services (water filtration, climate stabilization, etc) and resources (food, materials), both individuals and nations will be affected by growing pressures and increasing conflicts, as well as by threats to public health and personal safety. Second, ecological sustainability depends on social sustainability, a socially unjust and unfair system wiht an ever-increasing population that is not able to have its needs met will necessarily lead to environmental collapse. In addition, human behavior and the social dynamic often lie at the heart of social and ecological problems. It must be, therefore, assumed that there will not be sustainable development if sustainable societies do not first exist. A sustainable society has the challenge of developing human capital. In this book, these global questions are treated as they relate to specific place and context, the Basque Country and its modern institutions.