Book Review: Seeking Sustainability in an Age of Complexity

Abstract

Our future will not be best served by the kinds of simple, discipline-specific science and decision-making frameworks that have yielded the fruits of the Industrial Revolution but also their shadow legacy as humanity threatens to swamp the supportive capacity of the natural world. And so this book is a brave and welcome addition to a growing body of work seeking to synthesise practical guidance from the immense complexity of modern socio-ecological systems. As the title itself might suggest, it is not an easy read. However, Harris leads us through a range of interconnected themes that amplify the urgency and complexity associated with the management or restoration of multiple ‘capitals’ at scales appropriate to embody intergenerational equity, in the face of limited resources and information, and which must be delivered through effective market mechanisms that simultaneously ensure or restore trust in science and institutions. No simple feat; hence, no simple read!