Editor's Note

Abstract

Dear Readers,

It is, as always, my absolute pleasure to bring you to the newest issue of Consilience: The Journal of Sustainable Development.

For our twelfth issue, we have decided to do something a little different. In addition to five excellent new pieces, we are highlighting and re-publishing a selection of articles from past issues that we believe demonstrate the very Best of Consilience.  As a journal, our foundational goal has been to promote interdisciplinary thinking and to expand the boundaries of sustainable development.

Each of the pieces we included in this new volume in some way challenges us to approach a topic we thought we understood in a new way, suggests alternative perspectives we may have failed to consider.  From ecological agriculture to health care policy to psychosocial approaches to poverty reduction, our authors have continually helped us reassess what pursuing sustainable development truly entails.

Our featured new pieces also promote unique and important perspectives on contemporary issues in sustainable development. Dr. Gumbo weighs the opportunties and challenges of using municipal solid waste for energy generation in South Africa.  Ho looks at the development patterns of the Mekong River Basin and determines that they are not sustainable and must be reevaluated.  Lempert questions the adequacy of the UN’s Milennium Development Goals and boldly espouses a new set of goals that may better represent the true values of the international community.  Ramirez analyzes our efforts to advance sustainable development from a project management perspective and provides useful insights for how such projects can be more effective going forward.  Finally, Schipani weighs in on the air pollution crisis in Beijing, helping to elucidate a topic that resists a simple interpretation.

I hope the new issue — both new and old pieces — stimulates and inspires you to think about these topics in a fresh and exciting way. While sustainable development can sometimes seem to focus on the problems our society faces, Consilience strives to advance perspectives and policy solutions that can point us towards a more hopeful, sustainable world.  Enjoy Issue XII.

Finally, it is also my great pleasure to officially pass on the role of Editor-in-Chief to Ryan Elivo, who will be guiding the journal for the next year.  I am very excited to see the Journal continue to progress under his and the rest of our new board’s excellent leadership.

Thank you all again for your continued support of Consilience.

Best regards,

Lucas Rehaut

Editor-in-Chief