Sustainable development is notoriously difficult to grasp for students and professionals. Multidimensional, encompassing social, ecological and economic theories, policies and practice, it can be a maze of complexity and contradiction.This powerful textbook, by a topic instructor in the field, is the first to unravel sustainable development and provide readers with a deep understanding so often missing from other texts. The book adopts a multi-perspective approach designed specifically to allow access to the topic from a wide range of educational and professional backgrounds and to develop understanding of a diversity of approaches and traditions at different levels. It features multiple entry points, explains jargon and explores controversies. It also provides wide-ranging boxed examples from the local to the global, extra readings and online material for course leaders, motivated students and self-learners.