Title

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FOR THE 21st CENTURY: THE ROLE OF MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FOR THE 21st CENTURY: THE ROLE OF MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

Authorship

APELIAN, DIRAN

APELIAN, DIRAN

I am this author

DOI

10.5151/2594-5327-36947

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Abstract

By 2050 the world population will reach over 9 billion and “flattening of the world” will be an understatement. We anticipate burgeoning needs regarding energy resources, transportation, housing, food distribution/packaging for the masses, recycling, and health care/ health care delivery, not to mention climate change and environmental issues. The issues we face today will be insignificant to what we may expect if we (Global Society) do not act. World population is increasing at an average rate of 1.4%, and in contrast world energy consumption is increasing at an average rate of 1.7%. Such an imbalance is not sustainable and requires action. From a societal perspective, engineers have played a major role to enhance the quality of life in our world. Sustainable development in the 21st Century is perhaps the most critical issue we face. Resources are finite and it requires innovations as well as governmental policies. Inorganic materials are non-renewable; one would expect that appropriate design, life-cycle analysis, judicious material selection as well as recovery and recycling be the keystones of a new paradigm. The status quo is not sustainable. Solution paths – via Materials Science and Engineering- for a sustainable development in this Century will be presented and discussed.

By 2050 the world population will reach over 9 billion and “flattening of the world” will be an understatement. We anticipate burgeoning needs regarding energy resources, transportation, housing, food distribution/packaging for the masses, recycling, and health care/ health care delivery, not to mention climate change and environmental issues. The issues we face today will be insignificant to what we may expect if we (Global Society) do not act. World population is increasing at an average rate of 1.4%, and in contrast world energy consumption is increasing at an average rate of 1.7%. Such an imbalance is not sustainable and requires action. From a societal perspective, engineers have played a major role to enhance the quality of life in our world. Sustainable development in the 21st Century is perhaps the most critical issue we face. Resources are finite and it requires innovations as well as governmental policies. Inorganic materials are non-renewable; one would expect that appropriate design, life-cycle analysis, judicious material selection as well as recovery and recycling be the keystones of a new paradigm. The status quo is not sustainable. Solution paths – via Materials Science and Engineering- for a sustainable development in this Century will be presented and discussed.

Keywords

By 2050 the world

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