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Publisher's webpage www.routledge.com/9781032504650
ISBN Paperback: 978‑1‑032‑50465‑0; Hardback: 978‑1‑032‑50466‑7; eBook: 978‑1‑003‑39862‑2.
The fourth edition
The fourth edition of this book has been completely rewritten, so it is not an update of the third edition. At the same time as this English book, a new German and Dutch edition were also published. These are completely identical in content to the English edition, and can therefore be used side by side within classes.
> Quickly jump to
Table of Contents; Abstracts; Numbered Notes; Bibliography; Citations List; Presentations; List of Abbreviations; Index.
2005: 2010: 2012: 2015: 2015: 2020: 2021: 2021: 2025: 2025: 2025:
1st Dutch 2nd Dutch 1st English 3rd Dutch 2nd English 4th Dutch 1st German 3rd English 5th Dutch 2nd German 4th English
edition edition edition edition edition edition edition edition edition edition edition
Eleven editions in three languages in twenty years: the success story of the sustainability textbook, 2005 till present
> Tap or click on the image of the German or Dutch book to go to the corresponding page.
> Tap or click on the arrow at the top right to go to the next pages of the English book.
> Request a Free Inspection Copy at Routledge Publishers.
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Purpose of the educational method
The book offers a broad introduction to sustainable development from a people - planet - profit balanced prespective. A large number of themes are covered, not as separate topics but always in their interrelationship, with the aim of providing every professional or student with a solid foundation regarding the whole, interdisciplinary field of sustainable development with all its complex connections and feedbacks, from which they:
(1) build and apply their knowledge and expertise on sustainability in their own field, and
(2) can and want to collaborate transdisciplinarily on this with experts or students in other fields and with
all others who have an interest in their work.
The book offers a combination of theory and practical examples, enabling students from all types of academic and college disciplines to embed and apply sustainability in their own fields.
In addition, the book is an excellent reference work, with accessories (see below) such as the alphabetical index, the numbered notes, the abbreviations list and the bibliography provided with more than a thousand hyperlinks.
Students in all sectors of universities and colleges. The book is used in courses in economics & management; engineering; social studies; greenery; teacher training; etc.
Educators and administrators in all types of education, from primary school to university: continuing education for educational development and implementation.
Scientific researchers in every conceivable discipline. Indeed, the book is very regularly consulted and quoted in scientific books and articles.
Other professionals, in every industry: commercial companies, governments, health care institutions, etc., who are committed to sustainability in their work.
Accessories: overview
The complete teaching method consists of much more than just a book. Numerous resources can be downloaded or studied online. Together with the book, they form a very complete learning method, plus a reference work from which every expert can benefit.
> The pages can be accessed sequentially by repeatedly tapping or clicking the arrow (top right),
> Or directly through the links below.
Details and accessories of the English edition:
Introduction to the 4th edition by the Author
Table of Contents: Overview of the 12 chapters and their 12 x 4 sections
Abstracts by Chapter
Preview: a complete text from the book, with illustrations: section 12.2
List of Abbreviations, from AAA till WWF
Presentations by chapter: powerpoints that can be downloaded directly
Notes associated with the 857 numbers in the text
Index: Alphabetical list of key terms and names, with page numbers
SDGs, Targets and Indicators: a complete list, provided with additional notes and references
ISGs: Intrinsic Sustainability Goals, as proposed in the book
RESFIA+D: The assessment method for sustainability competences
LQ Test: The Leadership Quality Test
Accessories for each of the three language editions:
Bibliography: all literature references, with about a thousand links to the literature, so that every source can be found directly
Citations List: overview of books and articles in which the SD Textbook is cited
QR Codes (1): Weblinks, page 1: Chapters 1-6
QR Codes (2): Weblinks, page 2: Chapters 7-12
The Pledge: of the sustainably acting professional or student
Computer applications that are applied in the book:
PopSim: Population Simulation, see §4.2
EPU: Environmental Pollution Unit, see §9.1
Gravitating Money: simulation of the capitalist economy, in which money attracts money, see §10.3
Presentations by the author:
Video: Guest lecture (in English) for students of Miami Dade College, Florida
Video: Lecture (in Dutch) about sustainability competences and RESFIA+D
Powerpoint: Presentation (in English) in Sevilla, Spain, about inequality, for the European Football for Development Network (EFDN)
> See also the reviews in Dutch
Two decades after the Rio Earth Summit, the debate over sustainable development and how to achieve the necessary political, economic, social and technological change is as diverse but also as confusing as ever. Fundamentals of Sustainable Development makes clearer sense of our current situation, the difficulties and dilemmas faced by people all over the world, and the key strategies that offer hope for a more sustainable future.
Written in a clear and accessible style with compelling analysis of case studies, this is an invaluable learning resource for students in disciplines across the natural and social sciences.
Dr. Nigel Watson, Lecturer in Environmental Management, Lancaster University, UK
As the imperative for sustainable development increasingly comes into focus, so does the need for a new way of educating the next generation unshackled by the confines of traditional disciplines. ‘Fundamentals of Sustainable Development’ seamlessly moves from economics to ecology to political science, painting a realistic picture of intricate connections unbiased by the lens of any particular discipline.
Ruth DeFries, Denning Professor of Sustainable Development, Columbia University, New York, USA
I have now used the book Fundamentals of sustainable development for a year on a course, Teaching and learning for sustainable development, and now I’m planning to use it on two other courses. The fact is that the students appreciate the book very much and so do I. I couldn´t have said it better.
Hans-Olof Höglund, Karlstad University, Sweden
Here is a lively and challenging resource book aimed at all who have an interest in sustainable development. It provides some excellent case studies and descriptions of the complex and diverse issues concerned with making this planet a safer and fairer place upon which we can all live. I can recommend it for undergraduates, for taught postgraduate students and their teachers, as well as the interested general reader who may be concerned with the future of humanity and our Earth
Dr. Hadrian Cook, Kingston University, London, UK
A recent monograph (via Routledge by Niko Roorda), Fundamentals of Sustainable Development strives to enable a global perspective for urgent discussions beyond academia. Its particular strength lies in bringing together issues of equity (among people) arising from insufficient recognition of ecology (around the planet) in the economy of growth (as irresponsible profits).
We strongly recommend careful reading — not just by federal and provincial bureaucrats and legislatures but also by organisations of employers and labour. Social activists will find much support for their advocacy agendas for local and provincial public action. Disagreements among the ‘haves and have-nots’ will arise, but it is the book’s strength to provoke informed contestation among those committed to a decent world for our children and their children. If the future does not matter, then human existence is indefensibly parasitical. The book provides a lot of material for even schools with good teachers.
Organised into eight chapters on not just what is but also what should and can be, the book presents numerous case studies across both the ‘developed and developing’ world. Those well-versed or just impatient can jump to the second part where solutions are discussed.
Dr. A. Ercelan and Muhammad Ali Shah, Pakistan
‘Fundamentals of Sustainable Development’ is unique and compelling with its focus on the triple bottom line of sustainability in a way that is both accessible and powerful for students and faculty. While many books claim to be about ‘sustainable development’, they invariably fall short in addressing social and ethical aspects. ‘Fundamentals’ uses case studies and systems thinking to avoid this pitfall while highlighting the challenges and opportunities in sustainable development in a realistic yet optimistic manner that transcends disciplines.
Mike Shriberg, PhD, Education Director, Graham Environmental Sustainability Institute, University of Michigan, USA
Aimed at a broad range of aspiring professionals, Fundamentals of Sustainable Development combines a penetrating critique of current unsustainable practices with a bracing survey of the “sources of vigor” that hold the potential to inform and energize a truly sustainable future. Humans must mobilize immediately, and on a grand scale, if we are to cope successfully with the problems triggered by our rising population and our swelling ecological footprint. Higher education has a critical role to play in preparing people to realize a society grounded in principles of justice and sustainability. Shifting deftly between essential theories and illuminating case studies, this accessible and well-balanced text will enable students in all fields to grasp the complicated interplay among people, planet, and prosperity. The book’s global scope helps underscore the planetary scale of the problems it describes and the solutions it proposes.
Andrew Wingfield, Associate Professor, Director, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA
There is an ever increasingly large number of books on the market dealing with sustainable development, so any new book has to offer something new. Fundamentals of Sustainable Development By Niko Roorda published under the Earthscan imprint by Routledge (2012) offers just that in a very innovative way. It goes against the trend of specialization within the area of sustainable development, which often creates inaccessible and to my mind overly confusingly complex views, but gives a fresh approach to understanding the problems and to some extent the solutions to the crisis facing us today. Roorda describes the crisis in the develop world as the triple crunch (i.e. climate change, economic crisis and oil depletion), which illustrates his no nonsense approach.
Based on case studies and littered with other examples and colour images, this is a fascinating book and is as complete a text as I think could have been achieved. It has numerous student questions which, with the support of an equally innovative and exciting website, makes this text very interactive.
The book really is interdisciplinary, and while challenging in places is truly accessible to readers of all backgrounds. The presentation of the book is excellent and the format makes this a very attractive paperback, and at 350 pages, it is not too big for students (and lecturers) to carry around. This is a colourful and intriguing textbook which I highly recommend. It is the sort of book you wish you had written yourself, but Niko Roorda has done just that and in the process added a remarkable edition to the sustainability library.
Nick Gray, Professor Environmental Sciences, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
Last year, I piloted an excellent publication called Fundamentals of Sustainable Development by Dutch author Niko Roorda, which my graduate students, some with substantial experience in the topic and others newcomers to the field, thoroughly praised for its breadth as well as its depth.
Supported by a myriad of case studies, photographs, and charts, Roorda’s book covers the concepts of intra- and intergenerational equity; the developments leading up to the Brundtland Commission’s definition of sustainable development; the triple bottom line (people, planet, and profit); linear versus systems thinking, including positive and negative feedback loops and their influences on stocks and flows; population growth and its impact on ecosystems; the relationship between economic imbalance, ecosystem destruction and poverty, violence, and warfare; the impact of climate change, including adaptation and mitigation efforts; the precautionary principle; recent geopolitical developments such as the ascent of China as an economic powerhouse; computer models projecting future growth scenarios; energy resources, including peak oil and renewable energy sources, global economic production lines and chain management; and corporate social responsibility and ethical standards.
Anouchka Rachelson, Miami Dade College, Florida, USA