ENCYCLOPEDIA OF LIFE SUPPORT
SYSTEMS (EOLSS)
(An Integrated Compendium of Twenty Encyclopedias)
Peer
reviewed body of state-of-the-art archival knowledge edited by hundreds of
subject experts with contributions from over 8000 reputed authors from more
than 100 countries
The
first Earth Summit of 1992, Rio de Janeiro, issued a document that is now
famous as Agenda 21 which refers to the Earth's Life Support Systems,
considering the whole of our planet as a grand intensive care unit supporting
all forms of life and human engineered systems. The EOLSS is based on this concept
and definition of 'Life Support Systems' and developed under the auspices of
the UNESCO and the direction of the UNESCO-EOLSS Joint Committee
It
is a nested 'Encyclopedia of Encyclopedias', presenting a wide range of
subjects from state-of-the-art panoramic overviews to in-depth presentations.
Subjects include: Earth and Atmospheric Sciences; Biological, Physiological and
Health sciences; Mathematical and Physical Sciences; Chemical Sciences; Water
Sciences and Engineering; Energy Sciences and Engineering; Biotechnology ;
Tropical Biology and Conservation Management ; Land Use, Land Cover and Soil
Sciences; Control Systems, Robotics and Automation; Environmental and
Ecological Sciences and Engineering; Food and Agricultural Sciences; Human
Resources Policy, Development, and Management; Natural Resources Policy;
Development and Economic Sciences; Ships and Offshore Structures; Regional
Sustainable Development; Social Sciences and Humanities; Institutional and
Infrastructural Resources.
Unlike
most encyclopedias, the contents of which are alphabetically arranged, EOLSS
body of knowledge is thematically organized. EOLSS is a convenient reference
for traditional disciplines and interdisciplinary subjects and provides a
holistic understanding of many current problems through transdisciplinary
pathways. It is rapidly becoming the most sought-after authoritative reference
in the world as it is accessible online from anywhere in the world with the
touch of a button. It is augmented and updated as often as every month making
the EOLSS as a virtual LIVING LIBRARY.
EOLSS body of knowledge is
also made available in the form of e-books in pdf format. Presently about 180
e-books (volumes) are ready and gradually this number will increase to
ultimately capture the entire EOLSS-online body of knowledge in about 600
volumes. Proposals are presently being studied for making the e-books
also available in some major languages in addition to the original set in
English in collaboration with the Universal Networking Digital Language (UNDL)
Foundation, Geneva, Switzerland.
