CHAPTER ONE ABSTRACT

Chapter One Introduction to Achieving Sustainability, The Ultimate Human Challenge Abstract Chapter One introduces the topic, the goals, and contents of the book. The first part sets the scene. It describes the context and the reasons for developing a PhD thesis and writing a book on the topic of sustainability that also includes personal and professional experiences. The chapter defines the challenges facing us, particularly climate change and the environmental crises, as well as the interventions needed. The approach to and the research underpinning the book are explained including the outline of the wide spectrum of references utilised obtained from both academic, personal, and other sources. The second part of Chapter One outlines the content of the individual chapters. Each chapter examines a specific aspect of sustainability and its applicability starting with defining the essence of the construct, followed by issues related to the current political and economic paradigm. Profound societal changes in history are examined as well as current practical endeavours to implement sustainability. This includes three diverse case stories from the PhD thesis as well as recent events impacting the sustainability trajectory.