RRP:
Soft cover $AUD49.95
(ISBN:1844073408) and Hardback £39.95
(ISBN 1844071219)
Title:
The Natural Advantage of Nations (Vol. I):
Business Opportunities, Innovation and Governance
in the 21st Century
Forewords: Amory
Lovins,William
McDonough, Alan
AtKisson, Hunter
Lovins, and Michael
Fairbanks
Lead Authors
and Editors: Karlson
‘Charlie’ Hargroves and Michael
H. Smith of The Natural Edge Project.
Citation:
Hargroves, K. and Smith, M. (2005) The Natural
Advantage of Nations: Business Opportunities,
Innovation and Governance in the 21st Century,
The Natural Edge Project, Earthscan, London.
Co-Authors and Contributors; Alan
AtKisson, Alan Pears, Alan Tate, Andrew Smith, Anna
MacKenzie, Bruce Paten, Cheryl Paten, Chika Saka,
Chris Ryan, Colin Butler, Craig Townsend, David
Dumaresq, Dexter Dunphy, Elizabeth Heij, Geoff McAlpine,
Gerry Gillespie, Hugh Forde, Hunter Lovins, Janis
Birkeland, Jaya Pillai, Jeff Kenworthy, Joe Herbertson,
Mark Diesendorf, Mike Krockenburger, Paul Weaver,
Peter Newman, Philip Sutton, Rob McLean, Rob Murray-Leach,
Roger Burritt, Sasha Courville, Shaun Mays, Stefan
Schaltegger, Stephen Dovers, Tobias Hahn, Tricia
Caswell, Valerie Brown, Walter Link, Wayne Wescott,
and Yolande Strengers. (See
information on the Co-authors)
Published: Earthscan/James
& James in January 2005 (1844071219)
TNEP
Education Coordinator Cheryl Paten.
Why
read The Natural Advantage of Nations?
On
the 4th of April 2005, former Governor General
Sir Ninian Stephen led the Australian launch of The
Natural Advantage of Nations to a full house
of business, government and civil society leaders
at the ‘National Business Leader's Forum for Sustainable
Development' in Melbourne. On the 6th of
July 2005, Alan AtKisson led the European launch
of the book at the Frontline
Club in London with publishers Earthscan/James&James.
Collated
and edited by a group of young Australian engineers
and scientists from a group called The
Natural Edge Project , this book is one
of the first to bring together leaders from business,
government, civil society, academia and NGOs to
demonstrate how it is possible and profitable to
achieve sustainable development in our lifetimes.
It
is increasingly recognised that we need to achieve
sustainable development (development that improves
not just the economic bottom line but the integrated
bottom line of economic, social and environmental
well being). As Western Australian premier Geoff
Gallop stated, 'for many years we pursued economic,
environmental and social goals in isolation from
each other. We have come to recognise that our long-term
well-being depends as much on the promotion of a
strong, vibrant society and the ongoing repair of
our environment as it does on the pursuit of economic
development. Indeed, it is becoming obvious that
these issues cannot be separated. The challenge
is to find new approaches to development that contribute
to our environment and society now without degrading
them over the longer term.'
With
over 30 authors and contributors, The Natural
Advantage of Nations pulls together a stunning
thesis showing for the first time that, wisely applied,
the pursuit of sustainable development can lead
to higher than business-as-usual economic growth,
increased employment, while also solving our social
and environmental problems. The book shows that
significant decoupling of economic growth with environmental
load on the planet is possible. This is a vitally
important book for the world, especially when, driven
by China, the world economy continues to grow rapidly
and pressure on the environment continues to increase.
This book draws a bold vision of an ecologically
sustainable future and tells us how to
get there by building on the lessons of competitive
advantage theory. It provides a remarkable synthesis
of the latest from the fields of sustainability,
economics, innovation, business and governance.
This
is not another book of nice ideas. The Natural
Advantage of Nations covers the latest most
significant developments in the actual day to day
practice of sustainable development by business,
government, institutions, civil society, universities,
research and development organisations, and educational
institutions from around the world.
Numerous
leading experts have lent their support to this
book because it shows that pursuing sustainable
development in any organisation and on any scale,
nationally and internationally, is no longer a walk
into the unknown. In fact, as this book shows, in
many cases the solutions already exist and are being
implemented by companies, governments, civil society
groups, churches, trade unions, universities, schools
and professional bodies around the world. The book
provides demonstrably relevant and successful solutions,
already being applied, of which its authors have
first hand experience. These are people who are
working at the ‘coal face' (or should we say ‘solar
face') of change, having been either a part of these
processes of reform within significant institutions
or advisors to them.
Nick
and Charlie with Bob Hawke and Blanche d'Alpuget
Imagine
if, as in the Netherlands, every government initiated
a program to work out how they could achieve a 90
percent plus reduction of their negative environmental
impacts over the next 50 years? Imagine if, as in
Western Australia, every state or regional government
worked with business, universities and civil society
in a spirit of partnership to develop a sustainability
strategy? Imagine if every state or regional government
committed to halving its ecological footprint over
the next 20 years like WA has? Imagine if, as in
Goa, a state in India, every nation's experts tackled
the challenge of how to create sustainable cities
cost effectively in 30 years?
The
lessons of these ground breaking programs are recounted
in this book so that any nation, any regional government
can learn from these programs and confidently set
their own ambitious targets.
Earthscan/James
& James, the largest publisher of sustainability
books in the world with over 4000 titles currently
in print, has stated that, 'coupled with a companion
website, the book The Natural Advantage of Nations
is nothing less than the most authoritative and
comprehensive guide to building the new sustainable
economy.' Earthscan/James & James have
demonstrated their belief in the book by choosing
it as one of the three to be promoted at the back
of the recently published 30 year update of the
classic sustainability text Limits to Growth
and have featured the book on their site homepage.
The book is currently the 6th bestseller of all
of Earthscan/James&James' 4000 titles.
Cheryl
Paten with Earthscan's Rob West at
the
Launch of 'The Natural Advantage of Nations' in
London.
The
breadth of scope of the book means that it truly
has something for anyone. Whatever your line of
work, whatever your organisation, this book and
its online companion gives you access to the latest
thinking to help you achieve sustainable development
in your own context. While written clearly for the
layperson it is also academically extremely rigorous
with over 1500 notes and references. In addition
there are over 500 freely downloadable references
on the book's companion web
site. Therefore this book will be a significant
asset to any student, teacher or researcher.
Finally
the book's publication is timely, as 2005 marks
the start of the United Nations Decade of Education
in Sustainable Development. The book will provide
a key resource for educational bodies seeking to
play their part to ensure all school, tertiary and
vocational education graduates have critical literacies
in sustainable development. Above all, the book
shows that Australia has truly world leading expertise
and capacity in this area. It shows, as Hunter Lovins
discussed at the National Press Club, that Australia
can indeed lead the next wave of innovation and
truly become a ‘sustainability superpower'.
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