The Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS)

Go to the UNESCO-EOLSS website.

Read an informative booklet on the UNESCO-ELOSS.

The Largest On-line Encyclopedia: A virtual dynamic library equivalent to 200 volumes

EOLSS presents a comprehensive, authoritative, and integrated body of knowledge of life support systems.

“A life support system is any natural or human-engineered (constructed or made ) system that furthers the life of the biosphere in a sustainable fashion. The fundamental attribute of life support systems is that together they provide all of the sustainable needs required for continuance of life. These needs go far beyond biological requirements. Thus life support systems encompass natural environmental systems as well as ancillary social systems required to foster societal harmony, safety, nutrition, medical care, economic standards, and the development of new technology. The one common thread in all of these systems is that they operate in partnership with the conservation of global natural resources.”

EOLSS is designed as a global guide to professional practice, education, and heightened social awareness of critical life support issues. "Natural and social sciences, humanities, engineering and technology, and management policies for sustainable use of life support systems are emphasized, together with issues of global change and their ecological, economic, social, ethical, cultural, and political dimensions. The EOLSS is intended to enhance the systematic development of knowledge that is essential for global stability, security, and peace. In particular, the EOLSS presents perspectives from worldwide regions and cultures, and is free from geographic, racial, cultural, political, gender, age, or religious bias."

EOLSS IS AN INTEGRATED COMPENDIUM OF SIXTEEN ENCYCLOPEDIAS

- Encyclopedia of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
- Encyclopedia of Mathematical Sciences
- Encyclopedia of Biological, Physiological AND HEALTH sciences
- Encyclopedia of Social Sciences and Humanities
- Encyclopedia of Physical Sciences, engineering and Technology Resources
- Encyclopedia of Chemical Sciences, Engineering and Technology Resources
- Encyclopedia of Water Sciences, Engineering and Technology Resources
- Encyclopedia of Energy Sciences, Engineering and Technology Resources
- Encyclopedia of Environmental and Ecological Sciences, Engineering and Technology Resources
- Encyclopedia of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Engineering and technology Resources
- Encyclopedia of Human Resources Policy and Management
- Encyclopedia of Natural Resources Policy and ManagemeNT
- Encyclopedia of Development and Economic Sciences
- Encyclopedia of Institutional and Infrastructural Resources
- Encyclopedia of Technology, Information, and Systems Management Resources
- Encyclopedia of REGIONAL SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT REVIEWS

Governing bodies.

The EOLSS project is coordinated by the UNESCO-EOLSS Joint Committee and sponsored by Eolss Publishers, which is based in Oxford, United Kingdom. The UNESCO-EOLSS Joint Committee was established (a) to seek, select, invit and appoint Honorary Theme Editors (HTEs) for each Theme, (b) to provide assistance to the HTEs, (c) to obtain appropriate contributions for the different levels of the Encyclopedia, and (d) monitoring the text development.

The EOLSS International Editorial Council is a 1000-strong editorial advisory body which includes Nobel and UN Kalinga Laureates, World Food Prize Laureates, and several fellows of academies of science and engineering of countries throughout the world. The Configuration Control Board is a high-level body with membership chosen from the International Editorial Council (IEC).