Sustainability : if it's everything, is it nothing? / Heather M. Farley and Zachary A. Smith.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

A brief history : the early debates that shaped sustainability -- A brief history : international sustainable development events, agreements, and commitments -- Multidisciplinary influences in defining sustainability -- Government responses to the sustainability challenge -- Non-governmental institutions and sustainability -- Neo-sustainability.

"In this second edition, the authors present new developments in the sustainability discussion and argue that a new understanding of sustainability is needed if we are to truly serve future generations ecologically, economically, and equitably. Despite the great flurry of activity around sustainability, the concept itself remains highly contested. This book argues that a new conceptualization of sustainability is needed if we are to achieve a healthful and sustainable environment for the long term. The authors examine the uses, misuses, and abuses of sustainability, and provide case studies of faux-sustainability in practice. Seeking to redefine and clarify the concept and its application, they offer a new definition of sustainability - what they call neo-sustainability - to help guide policies and practices that respect the primacy of the environment, the natural limits of the environment, and the relationship between environmental, social, and economic systems. Offering a comprehensive view of sustainability, this text is essential reading for all students and scholars in the field. It will also be of interest to environmental professionals and activists"--