Change, uncertainty, and futures of sustainable development

摘要

As the scale of human activity within the biosphere continues to grow, it is becoming clear that the only viable future will be one based upon sustainable development. As problems such as climate change, species loss and water scarcity begin to be felt more acutely, more people are questioning society's established patterns of behavior. But how do we imagine better futures when the systems involved are complex and deeply interconnected? How do we plan for the future when the outcomes of our actions are highly uncertain?