This book covers a variety of topics regarding environmental practices
in our day-to-day lives, as well as topics concerning sustainable
development as a broader concept embracing ecological, social, and
economic aspects to improve the quality of life for people around the
world. Starting with the traditional controversy between the
neoclassical economy and sustainable economy, which may be overcome by
scientific progress due to more intensive scientific studies of the
sustainability paradigm, the book proceeds to discuss various problems
and challenges regarding environmental protection and sustainable
development in different countries and on different continents.
This includes analyses of recent, sometimes fatal mining disasters in
South and North America, challenges and opportunities for rural
development in Africa and Australia, an exploration of the role of women
for sustainable development in Palestine, water safety and water
security issues in Asia and Australia, the environmental exploitation of
popular tourism destinations like Acapulco, and deforestation in
Malaysia, suggesting innovative approaches to turn challenges into
opportunities to effectively tackle these problems. Other topics
addressed involve sustainable energy creation for future generations, a
research survey among Romanian students on sustainable consumption
behavior, validity testing for a heat transfer model in a greenhouse,
and a case study on sustainability risk management practices at
Malaysia's environmentally sensitive companies. The book closes with an
examination of highly digitalized Smart Cities as a potentially valuable
complement to conventional urban and rural lifestyles in connection with
achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
