Future preparedness : thematic and spatial issues for the environment and sustainability

Abstract

Why Future Preparedness and why even attempt to look into the future at a stage where the state of the environment is in such a constant rate of flux? Trying to understand what may come to pass tomorrow only takes a form when we know our present and how today is affected by our yesterday. Society is in transition and at a very rapid pace too. We cannot embrace one without the others and preparedness has never been more crucial. From understanding the diverse and contrasting social realities and the interactions between the environment, human capital and landuse to fathoming out the implications of legislative and operational tools on social cohesion, society faces major challenges. Challenges that can be understood through a dichotomy of interlinking activities: those purely based on scientific research and those striving for the implementation of on-the-ground operational processes. Th is publication seeks to help us understand such worlds and delves into a review of the past, describes the state of current knowledge whilst striving to help open for readers a window into future activities: through spatial descriptors. The publication is structured into three sections that help readers to understand the context within which such a publication is set: the first related to descriptors pertaining to the implementation of two major projects, the second section related to research that laid the groundwork for the present, whilst the final section looks forward on new societies and research challenges.