K. Uno - Böcker

CIM (computer integrated manufacturing) is an acronym that has become fairly well known in recent years in manufacturing and related engineering circles. The purpose of the CIM Project at IIASA is to close the widening gap between the pace of technological, economic, and social events, on the one hand, and the progress of understanding those events, on the other. The IIASA study has attempted, first, to define the existing world situation with regard to the underlying technologies of CIM, and the degrees to which technologies such as NC/CNC machine tools, robotics, and CAD/CAM are currently being used in metal products manufacturing. The methodology adopted in the study is eclectic. It is multiperspective and multidisciplinary, as well as multinational. It incorporates elements of both "bottom-up" and "top-down" approaches. Finally, it incorporates both historical analysis and "model" forecasts of the future, together with scenarios analyses. This fourth volume in the series focuses on the effects of CIM on society and the economy in both quantitative and qualitative terms.

In this study, the author constructs a statistical framework for studying the environment and technology, the economy and society, and performs a series of analyses of the impact of human activities on the environment. The topics analyzed include: energy consumption; resource use; water and air pollution; technology; recycling; and pollution prevention. It provides a model at the global level as well as at the level of individual industries, and for various social groups. Of equal significance, the framework also allows international linkages to be examined.

The global community is increasingly preoccupied with the concept of sustainability, to the extent that the traditional measure of gross domestic product (GDP) is sometimes giving way to a "green GDP". Many attempts have also been made to measure the degradation of the environment and the depletion of natural resources. This book presents a comprehensive picture of the research issues in the field, based on the experience of many countries with the introduction of integrated environmental and economic statistics, including physical accounting methods for material flows and spatial accounting for land use. Theories on the concept of sustainability are also discussed. The 20 chapters in the book have been written by representatives of international institutions, national statistical offices, research institutes and universities in Europe, the USA, Canada and Asia.

This volume is based on a policy simulation model linking 60 countries and regions at a detailed industrial level, covering 99.5 per cent of the world's economic activities. Country models are linked by trade matrices that explicitly describe annual trade flow among world regions. Energy demand and supply is explained in response to changing prices reflecting emission trading and other market-oriented policy instruments. The impact on global environment is gauged through CO2 emission. Simulation results to 2010 - with an explicit description of economy/energy/environment feedback under different scenarios - serve as an open platform for policy debate. Comparisons with results from other research works are provided, together with methodological comparisons.

The global community is increasingly preoccupied with the concept of sustainability, to the extent that the traditional measure of gross domestic product (GDP) is giving way to a 'green GDP'. Many attempts have also been made to measure the degradation of the environment and the depletion of natural resources. Environmental Accounting in Theory and Practice presents a comprehensive picture of the most modern research issues in the field, based on the experience of many countries with the introduction of integrated environmental and economic statistics, including physical accounting methods for material flows and spatial accounting for land use. Theoretical issues concerning the valuation of environmental goods and the concept of sustainability are also discussed. The 20 chapters in the book have been written by representatives of major international institutions, national statistical offices, research institutes and universities in Europe, the USA, Canada and Asia. Together with the comprehensive bibliography and the index, they form a state of the art report on the greening of the global economy.

The volume is based on a policy simulation model linking sixty countries and regions at a detailed industrial level, covering 99.5% of the world's economic activities. Country models are linked by trade matrices that explicitly describe annual trade flow among world regions. Energy demand and supply is explained in response to changing prices reflecting emission trading and other market-oriented policy instruments. The impact on global environment is gauged through CO2 emission. Simulation results to 2010 with an explicit description of economy-energy-environment feedback under different scenarios serve as an open platform for policy debate. Comparisons with results from other research works are provided, together with methodological comparisons. An annotated bibliography is also included.