Smith, Michael Harrison., Earthscan, 2005.

 

Working in the Mirvac School of Sustainable Development at Bond University one would think that most of the staff would know exactly what sustainability is. Well, this reviewer has struggled with the concept since the term came into vogue around 5 years ago. Finding a useful definition that offered a ready explanation to students covering many disciplines and applications remained elusive. That has now changed. The Natural Advantage of Nations edited by Karlson Hargroves and Michael H. Smith provides a comprehensive explanation of sustainability and much more. The book is a compilation of well-researched essays from a crosssection of mainly academic writers and many of the case studies and policy frameworks discussed are Australian. The book is of interest to anyone with an interest in infrastructure especially in the energy, transport and water industries which are the subject of separate chapters in this book.