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The book is written in simple, systemic language so as to be accessible to the average reader, since without systemic thought it would be impossible to understand modern environmental law and to plan a policy of sustainable development. Nearly all new sciences, such as "earth science", "environmental science", "ecology", etc. are interdisciplinary applications of broader systemic science. But more generally still, for survival in a world which is constantly becoming more complex, the common man needs systemic reasoning, which is also the reasoning of sustainable development. .
Expressed in simple systemic language, then, the substance of the book can be put as follows: In contrast to ruthless development, sustainable development will be qualitative and controlled. The control will be a system of logical coherent rules (algorithms) whose purpose is to secure the natural basis for qualitative development, in other words the survival of the ecosystems. A further aim is the stable co-evolution of man-made systems and ecosystems. That will be the order of a sustainable society which will be stable and lasting.
* Thus, the first principle of public environmental order establishes the obligatory nature of this control system aimed at the evident general good not only of the present generation but those to come: sustainable development must not be abandoned to market forces but must be a responsibility of the state.
* The second principle of sustainability requires all public policies to be harmonised and.
prohibits any further reduction or degradation of natural, cultural and social capital, because even what has been left after ruthless development may well not be enough for survival.
* The third principle demands respect of the carrying capacity both of man-made systems and of ecosystems, to prevent the construction of still-born, hypertrophic man-made systems which drag ecosystems down towards their destruction.
