Managing Complexity: Earth Systems and Strategies for the Future

Managing Complexity: Earth Systems and Strategies for the Future introduces and explores systems and complexity in relation to near-synchronous world and environmental problems. These relate to but are not limited to water, biological diversity, worldwide climate change, trade and conflict, global migration and the quest for sustainable development. Complemented by discussion of the new era of the Anthropocene, its many manifestations, and Earth system properties such as planetary boundaries and tipping points this book offers practical suggestions for how a sustainable future for humanity can be realised. Specifically discussed in Managing Complexity: Earth Systems and Strategies for the Future are innovation, education and capacity building, application of the natural and social sciences and new paths towards sustainability based on industrial development and engineering, as well as in diplomacy and foreign aid. The book's conclusions discuss the ambitious yet vital reforms the authors propose as routes to a sustainable existence. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of sustainability, sustainable development and complexity theory.

Walter R. Erdelen is an ecologist and biogeographer with extensive international experience. Development of vision, concepts and strategies, targeted capacity building and networking have been essentials of his policy-related scientific work. He was previously Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Jacques G. Richardson is an author and journalist concentrating on the sciences and engineering, and has also worked extensively in strategic analysis and planning. He spent 13 years at UNESCO as head of its Science and Society Section.

1. Introduction: setting the scene 2. The Anthropocene and Planetary Boundaries: conditioners of sustainable development 3. Foresight and innovation: searching for the right future 4. Education: towards universal understanding 5. Science: the complexity of searching the truth 6. Industry, engineering, further complexity: steam engines and more 7. Philosophia moralis: systems stretched to the breaking point 8. Water: simple matter of special complexity 9. Biological diversity: bountiful Mother Nature 10. Global climate change: humanity's supreme challenge 11. Diplomacy and foreign trade: weaving the web of international intercourse 12. The military: risk management-plus, not perversity 13. Migration: when exit becomes exodus 14. Sustainable development: Homos sapiens' Holy Grail 15. Risks, new departures, global solutions: challenges of a complex frontier