Sustainability

The pursuit of sustainability is entraining such an extraordinary flourishing of hopes, ideas, inventions and scams that it surely warrants its own World Expo in the near future. Fortunately, Saleem H. Ali has already gifted us what amounts to a catalog of what that Expo should have on display. He takes us on a critical tour of expected pavilions - nature’s services, circular systems, well-being metrics, tipping points, governance innovations and more. But he also introduces us to an eclectic selection of the people - scholars, activists, artists - who have helped to build those pavilions, to connect them, and so to foster today’s halting but real progress toward sustainable development. A must read, and an enjoyable one. * William C. Clark, Harvey Brooks Research Professor, Harvard University, Member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences *Sustainability science has come a long way, moving from integrated environmental science to social-ecological systems research for a prosperous and equitable future for people on planet Earth. The key insight is not that humanity faces potentially unmanageable environmental risks. It is that we have increasing evidence that sustainability is the only path to a healthier, more stable and modern future. Summarizing this journey and the state of knowledge is no small feat. Saleem Ali succeeds, in a must read for all who want to succeed in the future. * Johan Rockström, Professor in Earth system science, Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Winner of the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement *If you are beginning to explore the idea of sustainability, there is no better starting point than Ali’s tour. And even if you are an expert, Ali’s integrative view will help you connect diverse approaches and frameworks into a more comprehensive understanding. Sustainability itself is a complex topic and it immediately engages with other important concepts and approaches, including ecological economics, industrial ecology, life cycle analysis, planetary boundaries, tipping points, and many more. This short volume gives a coherent overview showing the links between key ideas while noting their history. * Thomas Dietz, University Distinguished Professor, Michigan State University, Member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, Author: Decisions for Sustainability *

Saleem H. Ali holds the Blue and Gold Distinguished Professorship in Geography and Spatial Sciences at the University of Delaware and is Honorary Professor at the University of Queensland. He is a National Geographic Explorer (having travelled for research to over 150 countries) and was chosen as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. He also served on the seven-member science panel of the Global Environment Facility (the world’s largest multilateraltrust fund for the environment, held in trusteeship by the World Bank). He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and the Royal Geographical Society in the United Kingdom, and serves on the boards of Adventure Scientists and Mediators Beyond Borders International. His books include Treasures of the Earth: Need Greed and a Sustainable Future, Environmental Diplomacy (OUP, 2014), and Earthly Order (OUP, 2022).