We live in a material world; one with a rising population dependent upon a base of natural resources that is already seriously depleted and declining rapidly. This book considers the societal use of materials, historically, in the less-than-optimal present and aspirationally as a central thread in addressing wider sustainable development challenges. It accounts for linked chemical, physical and socio-economic consequences right through value chains, from raw material extraction through manufacture and use and onwards to post-use.

Author Mark Everard proposes that the four principal societal sectors – business, government, civil society organisations and knowledge-providers – though often currently often dissipating effort by working antagonistically, can optimally work symbiotically around co-created and consensual long-term sustainability goals to accelerate necessary progress. Practical examples of ‘baby steps’ towards constructive collaboration within and between societal sectors are recognised, and lessons are drawn for how they can shape more committed and intentional collaboration for sustainable development.

Seeking Societal Symbiosis touches upon many aspects of science from chemistry, chemical engineering and material science, through to construction/built environment, sustainability, regulatory science, resources economics and social science. It will be valuable reading for industry managers and executives, the European Commission and MEPs, national regulators and legislators, university students and lecturers, and NGOs.

Professor Mark Everard is a Visiting Professor at Bournemouth University, as well as an Associate Professor of Ecosystem Services at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol). He also works as a consultant, broadcaster and author.

Mark is Vice-President of the Institution of Environmental Sciences (IES), a Fellow of the Linnean Society, an Ambassador to the Angling Trust and to WaterHarvest, and a science advisor to WildFish (formerly Salmon &Trout Conservation UK), Tiger Water (India) and a range of other intergovernmental and national bodies. His work on sustainable development, ecosystem services, nature conservation and natural resource management has extended over a half-century and across five continents in both the developed and developing worlds.

Mark has worked directly on sustainability issues with the chemicals sector for over a quarter century, developing challenges and strategies in partnership with businesses and trade associations that have traction with both practice and policy. This advisory work in the chemicals sector with governments and businesses has taken him from America to Australia, Africa and Asia as well as Europe.

In addition to his work in academia, formerly in government, with businesses and in the NGO sector, Mark is also a communicator with a wide portfolio of systems and sustainable development activities across a range of media including written (43 books and over 140 peer-reviewed scientific papers to date), social media and with broadcasters including frequent contributions to television and radio.