Sustainable development, although a widely used phrase and idea, has many different meanings and therefore provokes many different responses. In broad terms, the concept of sustainable development is an attempt to combine growing concerns about a range of environmental issues with socio-economic issues. To aid understanding of these different policies this paper presents a classification and mapping of different trends of thought on sustainable development, their political and policy frameworks and their attitudes towards change and means of change. Sustainable development has the potential to address fundamental challenges for humanity, now and into the future.However, to do this, it needs more clarity of meaning, concentrating on sustainable livelihoods and well-being rather than well-having, and long term environmental sustainability, which requires a strong basis in principles that link the social and environmental to human equity. 3 Sustainable Development: Mapping Different Approaches Sustainable Development: A Challenging and Contested ConceptThe widespread rise of interest in, and support for, the concept of sustainable development is potentially an important shift in understanding relationships of humanity with nature and between people. It is in contrast to the dominant outlook of the last couple of hundred years, especially in the "North", that has been based on the view of the separation of the environment from socio-economic issues.For most of the last couple of hundred years the environment has been largely seen as external to humanity, mostly to be used and exploited, with a few special areas preserved as wilderness or parks. Environmental problems were viewed mainly as local. On the whole the relationship between people and the environment was conceived as humanity"s triumph over nature. This Promethean view (Dryzeck, 1997) was that human knowledge and technology could overcome all obstacles including natural and environmental. This view was linked with the development of capitalism, the industrial revolution and modern science. As Bacon, one of the founders of modern science put it "The world is made for man, not man for the world". Environmental management and concern amongst most businesses and governments, apart from local problems and wilderness conservation, was at best based on natural resource management. A key example was the ideas of 4 Pinchot in the USA (Dryzeck, 1997) which recognised that humans do need natural resources and that these resources should be managed, rather than rapidly exploited, in order to ensure maximum long-term use.

Sustainable development is a contested concept, with theories shaped by people's and organizations' different worldviews, which in turn influence how issues are formulated and actions proposed. It is usually presented as the intersection between environment, society and economy, which are conceived of as separate although connected entities. We would argue that these are not unified entities: rather they are fractured and multi-layered and can be considered at different spatial levels. The economy is often given priority in policies and the environment is viewed as apart from humans. They are interconnected, with the economy dependent on society and the environment while human existence and society are dependent on, and within the environment. The separation of environment, society and economy often leads to a narrow techno-scientific approach, while issues to do with society that are most likely to challenge the present socio-economic structure are often marginalized, in particular the sustainability of communities and the maintenance of cultural diversity. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment

No abstract

PurposeCoping with and adjusting to disruptive challenges has always been a characteristic of human development. Formalisation of this has led to the emergence of a number approaches addressing disruptive challenges. Often formalised practice has a narrow focus. Increasingly complex challenges require a refocus of formalised approaches. Drawing from these approaches, the purpose of this paper is to posit that a greater focus on preparedness through pre‐disaster planning is needed for a more holistic approach to disaster management.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reviews the evolution of disaster management thinking and practice and proposes that changes are needed to the dominant disaster management model. These changes are drawn from a number of alternative perspectives. Based on the uncertainties surrounding complex or “wicked” problems, for example, climate change and variability, this paper develops a more holistic approach.FindingsResponding to “wicked problems” requires a greater focus on preparedness. In terms of disaster risk reduction a greater emphasis on pre‐disaster planning is needed driven by social learning processes.Originality/valueFaced with an increasingly uncertain and complex future, current approaches to conceptualising disaster management are inadequate. This paper develops an approach that is likely to be more effective.

No abstract