Global Sustainability: The Impact of Local Cultures

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.Content: Chapter 1 History and Mandate of Sustainability: From Local Forestry to Global Policy (pages 5–19): Prof. Dr. Gabriele Weber?Blaschke, Prof. Dr. Reinhard Mosandl and Prof. Dr. Martin FaulstichChapter 2 Sustainable Development: Exploring the Cross?Cultural Dimension (pages 21–41): Prof. Dr. Ortwin RennChapter 3 Sustainable Development and Cultural Diversity (pages 43–51): Prof. Dr. Hartmann LiebetruthChapter 4 Technological Progress in Different Cultures and Periods: Historical Evolution Projected into the Future (pages 53–64): Prof. Dr. Raoul WeilerChapter 5 Views of Sustainability: Elements of a Synthesis (pages 65–85): Dr. Dimitris KyriakouChapter 6 A New Way of Thinking about Sustainability, Risk and Environmental Decision?Making (pages 87–93): Prof. Dr. William E. Kastenberg, Gloria Hauser?Kastenberg and Dr. David NorrisChapter 7 Humility and Establishing the Sustainable Environment (pages 95–106): Prof. Dr. Edward D. SchroederChapter 8 Conflicts and Conflict?Solving as Chances to Make the Concept of Sustainable Development Work (pages 107–122): Prof. Dr. Armin GrunwaldChapter 9 Sustainability through Science?Technology?Society Education (pages 123–130): Prof. Dr. David Devraj KumarChapter 10 Sustainability and Consumption of Raw Materials in Germany (pages 131–140): Prof. Dr. Werner SchenkelChapter 11 Sustainability, Culture and Regional Scales: Some Remarks from Human Geography (pages 141–145): Prof. Dr. Horst KoppChapter 12 Sustainable Development in Asia: Traditional Ideas and Irreversible Processes (pages 147–155): Prof. Dr. Dietmar RothermundChapter 13 Sustainability of Development and Valuation of Non?renewable Resources: An Analysis in the Context of Local Cultures (pages 157–169): Prof. Dr. Michael von Hauff and Prof. Dr. Amitabh KunduChapter 14 Sustainability in Latin American Countries: Challenge and Opportunities for Argentina (pages 171–185): Prof. Dr. Monica RennerChapter 15 On the Roles Engineers May Play in the Attempt to Meet Basic Demands of Man and Nature (pages 187–199): Prof. i. R. Dr.?Ing. Dr. h. c. Peter A. Wilderer and Mirka C. WildererChapter 16 Integrating Cultural Aspects in the Implementation of Large Water Projects (pages 201–219): Dipl.?Ing Martin GrambowChapter 17 Sustainability from an Entrepreneurial Point of View Seen from the Particular Standpoint of a Company Active in the Water Industry (pages 221–226): Dipl.?Ing. Hans G. HuberChapter 18 Synthesis (pages 227–231): Prof. i. R. Dr.?Ing. Dr. h. c. Peter A. Wilderer, Prof. Dr. Edward D. Schroeder and Prof. Dr. Josef Bugl