This reference offers both a basic introduction and advanced technical details of available mathematical and computing methods for modeling sustainable development, closing an exisiting gap in this field, as well as illustrating their use through case studies and examples. The methods and case studies presented here are targetted at sustainable development, although they have a wide range of other applications, including economics, medicine and control systems.

Dynamic management of systems development is a precondition for the realization of sustainable system development. This approach allows for the usage of systems theory methods that take into consideration the interaction of decisions made over time and space. A characteristic feature of this kind of method is that the process of sophisticated object development over time is examined for optimal decision selection. This requires the application of modelling methods that represent properties of the developing objects, high speed calculation methods for the estimation of technical and economic characteristics, as well as effective optimization methods. Dynamic Management of Sustainable Development presents a concise summary of the authors’ research in the area of dynamic methods analysis of technical systems development. Along with systematic illustration of mathematical methods, considerable attention is drawn to practical realization and applications. Dynamic Management of Sustainable Development will be helpful for scientists involved in the mathematical modelling of large technical systems development and for engineers working in the area of large technical systems planning.

Nowadays, environmental issues including air and water pollution, climate change, overexploitation of marine ecosystems, exhaustion of fossil resources, conservation of biodiversity are receiving major attention from the public, stakeholders and scholars from the local to the planetary scales. It is now clearly recognized that human activities yield major ecological and envir- mental stresses with irreversible loss of species, destruction of habitat or c- matecatastrophesasthemostdramaticexamplesoftheire?ects.Infact,these anthropogenic activities impact not only the states and dynamics of natural resources and ecosystems but also alter human health, well-being, welfare and economic wealth since these resources are support features for human life. The numerous outputs furnished by nature include direct goods such as food, drugs, energy along with indirect services such as the carbon cycle, the water cycle and pollination, to cite but a few. Hence, the various ecological changes our world is undergoing draw into question our ability to sustain economic production, wealth and the evolution of technology by taking natural systems into account. The concept of “sustainable development” covers such concerns, although no universal consensus exists about this notion. Sustainable development - phasizes the need to organize and control the dynamics and the complex - teractions between man, production activities, and natural resources in order to promote their coexistence and their common evolution. It points out the importance of studying the interfaces between society and nature, and es- ciallythecouplingbetweeneconomicsandecology.Itinducesinterdisciplinary scienti?c research for the assessment, the conservation and the management of natural resources.

When working on problems of environment, for global scales or for more local smaller scales, one has to deal with deep questions of economics. Following the first volume of this series of "Curso de Verano", published as RMA 27, this volume presents some new results on the modelling and mathematical treatment of problems of Environment. Moreover it contains many original contributions devoted to the economics of Environment. This '-dual- or complementary approach of all problems of environment is fundamental. We hope that the publication of this volume will provide further insight and give incentives for young researchers to enter this promising field. The texts correspond to extended versions of lectures presented by the authors in the Curso de Verano de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Almeria, June 26 to July 3, 1992).

This edited volume focuses on how we can protect our environment and enhance environmental sustainability when faced with changes and pressures imposed by our expansive needs. The volume unites multiple subject areas within sustainability, enabling the techniques and philosophy in the chapters to be applied to research areas in environmental science, plant sciences, energy, biodiversity and conservation. The chapters from expert contributors cover topics such as mathematical modelling tools used to monitor diversity of plant species, and the stability of ecosystem services such as biogeochemical cycling. Empirical research presented here also brings together mathematical developments in the important fields of robotics including kinematics, dynamics, path planning, control, vision, and swarmanoids. Through this book readers will also discover about rainfall-runoff modelling which will give them a better idea of the effects of climate change on the sustainability of water resources at the watershed scale. Modelling approaches will also be examined that maximize readers insights into the global problem of energy transition, i.e. the switch to an energy production system using renewable resources only. Collective and discrete insights are made to assist with synergy which should progress well beyond this book. Insight is also given to assist policy formations, development and implementations. The book has a strong multi-disciplinary nature at its core, and will appeal to both generalist readers and specialists in information technology, mathematics, biology, physics, chemistry and environmental sciences.

In view of the current global scenario, which highlighted the importance of sustainable development and sustaining natural resources, the theme selected for the 2nd Regional ECOMOD 2007 Conference was indeed appropriate. This conference has generated overwhelming interest and I am sure the participants have focussed diligently on the serious issues concerning important environmental issues and steps needed to be taken towards a sustainable development and management of our natural resources and environment. As governments in the Asian region introduce new initiatives and development policies to rejuvenate and protect their environment and natural resources, it is imperative that universities and research institutions play a fundamental role in ensuring that the objectives of these policies are realized. Such institutions can complement government proposals by embarking on research that is relevant and valuable to the needs of respective nations and pursuing extensive research so that the outcome and technology generated can be transferred effectively to the end users. This concerted effort by all the researchers from different fields to improve and manage our natural resources should be lauded. I strongly believe that this conference is an extraordinary testimony to our capacity building at regional and local levels. I believe USM has something interesting to share with all of you in this area. Finally, on behalf of the Organizing Committee, I hope readers will find this book of proceedings useful, informative and stimulating.

This book has a dual objective: first to introduce the reader to some of the most important and widespread environmental issues of the day; and second to illustrate the vital role played by mathematical models in investigating these issues. The subjects covered are ground water contamination, air pollution, and hazardous materials emergencies. These issues are presented in their full real-world context and are used to develop important classical mathematical themes. The emphasis throughout is on fundamental principles and concepts, not on achieving technical mastery of state-of-the-art models.