Présentation de l’éditeur

In an age of climate and social emergencies, how should we think about the concept of sustainability? This interdisciplinary book explores this central question, shedding light on often unexpected pathways toward a just and realistic transition.

What if the concept of “sustainability” had become too vague to be effective? In an age of climate and social emergencies, this book offers a critical and multidisciplinary exploration of sustainability. Legal scholars, anthropologists, ecologists, and economists question its scope, its misuse, and its real-world applications—caught between idealism and opportunism. Born from an international symposium, the book delves into the tensions between the economic, social, and environmental pillars, and proposes new conceptual and practical tools to redefine sustainability in light of 21st-century challenges. Through case studies and theoretical insights, it sheds light on the often unexpected pathways toward a just and realistic transition.

Sommaire

Introduction  – Gwenaël Imfeld

Part 1 – Concepts and Measurements

Redefining sustainability as a legal concept: from an integration principle to a prioritisation principle  – Farah Jerrari

Sustainability from an anthropological perspective: a Critical, Comparative and Relational Approach – Ben Campbell

Applications of the interdisciplinary River Culture Concept for the sustainable management of urban hydrosystems – Karl M. Wantzen

The Landscape of Environmental Evaluation Methods: Measuring what Counts for Ruling what Matters – Jazmín Argüello, Jean-Michel Salles, Denis Couvet, Bruno Smets, Jean-Louis Weber, Ioan Negrutiu

Part 2 – Applied Sustainability

A framework for analysing sustainability trade-offs in the business sector. Focus and illustration at company level – Ioana Filipas, François Marmier, Nathalie Picard

Changing our trajectory towards greater sustainability of ecosystems: between scientific uncertainties and ecological urgencies. Legal perspectives  – Alexandra Langlais

Sustainability analysis and coming EU legislation for plants obtained by certain new genomic techniques (NGT) – Leire Escajedo San-Epifanio

Sustainability as Procedure. A Lesson from International Climate Change Law – Anna-Julia Saiger

In search of a framework for achieving a sustainable energy transition in France and beyond – Melis Aras