Challenges of Sustainability on Small Islands: Case Study of Weizhou Island, China

In a society where development choices are predominantly shaped by monetary economic values, the well-being of the natural environment is neglected. Realizing the so called 'economic progress' could destroy the foundation for all life, and understanding the importance of a healthy ecosystem could assist societies to make better decisions when confronting economic development, and to preserve what we value the most about our homes.

This thesis looks at the current tourist and industrial activities, as well as future tourism development plans, on a municipal-administered small island - Weizhou Island. It then seeks to explore the impacts of these activities, and to help us understand how the natural well-being entails the opening of a wider range of possibilities for the expression of human civilization.