Mineral extraction is related to complex sustainable-development issues that are subject to international and local controversies. Debates and decisions need to be based on objective and comparative elements. Defining strong indicators for assessing impacts and performances of mining sites thus...

It is possible today, to construct a house of comparable cost to a conventional one that will gain all of its energy from renewable energy sources. However, there are very few examples of such houses. This paper argues that the slow take up of these ideas has a parallel with the development and...

It is possible today, to construct a house of comparable cost to a conventional one that will gain all of its energy from renewable energy sources. However, there are very few examples of such houses. This paper argues that the slow take up of these ideas has a parallel with the development and...

Citizen participation has become a commonly used term in political speeches in the last two decades, especially in relation to sustainable development and the environment. Indeed, several documents related to environmental management propose that the best alternative is through all citizens'...

A quantitative study was undertaken to calculate the potential sustainability of five residential blocks in Auckland, New Zealand (NZ) of differing physical densities. The main study considered five attributes of sustainability: domestic energy, transportation, carbon sequestration, food, and...

This paper summarises some of the challenges to science that are posed by the search for sustainability. These challenges are not only technical ones, such as more affordable or reliable equipment for health care, water quality control and refrigeration. There are also fundamental empirical and...

The harnessing of science and technology as forces for sustainable development depends on processes that will ensure the involvement of all appropriate scientific input and expertise in problem identification and response. Scientific excellence and integrity need to be combined with a close...

The transition to sustainability requires not only an understanding of the risks that society is facing but the development of pathways that will enable the shift towards sustainability. Such risks include not only resources and global warming but also established economic models and social...