Environmental Literacy in Science and Society: From Knowledge to Decisions
Cambridge University Press, 7/21/2011
EAN 9780521183338, ISBN10: 0521183332
Paperback, 656 pages, 24.6 x 18.9 x 3.8 cm
Language: English
In an era where humans affect virtually all of the earth's processes, questions arise about whether we have sufficient knowledge of human-environment interactions. How can we sustain the Earth's ecosystems to prevent collapses and what roles should practitioners and scientists play in this process? These are the issues central to the concept of environmental literacy. This unique book provides a comprehensive review and analysis of environmental literacy within the context of environmental science and sustainable development. Approaching the topic from multiple perspectives, it explores the development of human understanding of the environment and human-environment interactions in the fields of biology, psychology, sociology, economics and industrial ecology. The discussion emphasises the importance of knowledge integration and transdisciplinary processes as key strategies for understanding complex human-environment systems (HES). In addition, the author defines the HES framework as a template for investigating sustainably coupled human-environment systems in the 21st century.
List of boxes
Overview
Roadmap to environmental literacy
Part I. Invention of the Environment
Origins, Transdisciplinarity, and Theory of Science Perspectives
1. What knowledge about what environment?
2. From environmental literacy to transdisciplinarity
3. Basic epistemological assumptions
Part II. History of Biological Knowledge
4. Emerging knowledge on morphology, ecology, and evolution
5. From molecular structures to ecosystems
Part III. Contributions of Psychology
6. Psychological approaches to human-environment interactions
7. Drivers of individual behavior and action
Part IV. Contributions of Sociology
8. Traditional sociological approaches to human-environment interactions
9. Modern sociological approaches to human-environment interactions
Part V. Contributions of Economics
10. Origins of economic thinking and the environment
11. Contemporary economic theories dealing with the environment
Part VI. Contributions of Industrial Ecology
12. The emergence of industrial ecology
13. Industrial agents and global biogeochemical dynamics
Part VII. Beyond Disciplines and Sciences
14. Integrated systems modeling of complex human-environment systems Roland W. Scholz, Justus Gallati, Quang Bao Le and Roman Seidl
15. Transdisciplinarity – a tool for environmental literacy
Part VIII. A Framework for Investigating Human-Environment Systems (HES)
16. The HES postulates
17. The HES framework Roland W. Scholz, Claudia R. Binder and Daniel J. Lang
18. Applying the HES framework Roland W. Scholz, Claudia R. Binder, Daniel J. Lang, Timo Smieszek and Michael Stauffacher
19. Comparing the HES framework with alternative approaches Roland W. Scholz and Fridolin Brand
Part IX. Perspectives for Environmental Literacy
20. New horizons
environmental and sustainability sciences
Glossary
References
Index.
'Roland Scholz has written a visionary book that for the first time comprehensively approaches modern sustainability challenges by recognizing the critical role of integrated human, natural, and built domains in the complex systems that characterize the Anthropocene. It is an important step forward in our ability to understand, and respond ethically and rationally to the demands of environment, technology, and society in a context of complexity that is increasingly beyond traditional disciplinary and policy approaches for linking theory and practice.' Braden Allenby, Lincoln Professor of Engineering and Ethics, Arizona State University