สำนักงานราชบัณฑิตยสภา

โครงการศึ กษาเพื่ อประเด็ นใหม่สิ่ งแวดล้อมและความยั่ งยื น 100 The Journal of the Royal Institute of Thailand Vol. 38 No. 4 Oct-Dec 2013 Abstract Case Study on Emerging Environmental and Global Sustainability Issues Chongrak Polprasert Associate Fellow of the Academy of Science, The Royal Institute, Thailand Faculty of Engineering, Thammasat University, Thailand Suthirat Kittipongvises The University of Tokyo, Japan Environmental Research Institute, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand Pannawee Mekwichai Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand Takashi Mino The University of Tokyo, Japan Due to increased population growth and industrial development, there have been serious environmental problems, especially in less developed countries. Environmental pollution caused by waste discharges from domestic and industrial sources have contaminated water, air and soil resources and affecting human and animal health. Currently, almost half of the global population is still under poverty level and lacking access to safe water supply and adequate sanitation services. Some emerging environmental issues are global warming and climate change, which have resulted in natural disasters such as severe flooding, earthquake and tsunami. These environmental impacts are considered to be a threat to human sustainability and a major cause for damages to natural resources, economic and social development. To cope with these emerging environmental problems, there should be multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary academic programs which enable researchers from different disciplines to work together. These researchers can initiate joint research problems and work plans leading to new ideas which could solve the problems and strengthening global sustainability. A case study on transdisciplinary academic program is being carried out at the Graduate School of Frontier Science, the University of Tokyo in Japan. Under the Graduate Program on Sustainability Science-Global Leadership Initiative (GPSS-GLI), there is integration of academic disciplines from various Faculties, and the graduate students can conduct research on actual environmental/ sustainability issues with due consideration to systematic thinking and holistic paradigms. This transdisciplinary academic program is expected to produce graduates who are capable of solving complex environmental problems with leadership skills to further human sustainability. Keywords : Transdisciplinary Program, Sustainability, Environment, Multidisciplinary Program, Holistic Thinking