Sustainability is about balancing the economic, social and environmental aspect of every human venture. Countries everywhere now have an obligation to achieve the SDGs. Higher education for sustainable development should lead. Why not start a positive impact career?

1. Martin J Ossewaarde, MSc
SD Author & Educator

3.  Safety & challenge
 Connect to real life &
issues in locality
 Carry out learning
tasks in groups of 3-4
 Establish reliability of
information
 Research special
interest in multi-
disciplinary groups
 Practise persuasive
presentations

4.  Basic facts and
processes
 Trade-offs
 Creative & critical
thinking
 Different human
perspectives
 Hands-on action
Education for Sustainable Development

5.  Problems as Warning Signs
 Sustainable Development & the SDGs
 People and Systems Need Change
 On Economics & Science
 Careers with a Difference

6.  Economic, social & environmental problems
draw our attention to ‘weaving faults’ in
relationships between groups of people,
and between humans and the planet
 LEARNING TASK: Discuss in groups of 3 or 4
which of these problems in your country
you are concerned about.

7. A type of development that meets the
needs of the present generation without
compromising the possibility for future
generations to meet their needs
World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987
The transition to SD is a deep social change process

9.  People – poverty in percentage terms is
lower than ever but the majority currently
do not benefit from GDP growth
 Wealth Creation – DC economies grow faster
than ICs, but ecological damage is up to
10%; of which climate change costs 1.6%
 The Planet – 60% of ecosystem services are
degraded or used unsustainably

10.  QUESTION: What might be (root) causes of
unsustainable choices in our society?
 Over-consumption
 Public policy failures, esp. perverse subsidies
 Development planning failures
 Market & technology failures
 High population growth

11.  Bio-environmentalist – strong norms to get human
impacts back within ecological limits
 Institutionalist – strengthen institutions to get
more inclusive, sustainable development
 Market-liberal – eliminate market & government
failure so that growth can bring prosperity
 Social Green – eliminate or change structures that
allow exploitation of people and nature by powerful
organised interests.
Source: Clapp & Dauvergne, Paths to a Green World, 2011

12.  Reinventing the economy
 Making society more inclusive
 Getting back within ecological limits
QUESTION:
 Which study fields at your university may
contribute to the transition?
 https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/?menu=1300

13. 1. Establish a Sense of Urgency
2. Form a Guiding Coalition
3. Formulate a Strong Vision & Strategy
4. Communicate them on Every Occasion
5. Enable the Organisation to Make the Change
6. Plan Short-term Gains
7. Reinforce Results & Keep the Change Going
8. Anchor the Change in the Organisation’s
Structures
Source: John Kotter, Leading Change, 1996

14.  What tasks exist to
get families,
businesses, and
communities to
change?
 What can your field
do to make a
difference?
http://www.scidev.net
Reed-insulated home in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

15.  Behaviour: enable green
choices and lifestyles
 Institutions: revise + renew
arrangements, organisations
and traditions
 Technology: replace +
adjust/develop new

16.  Rules & Regulations 
DOs and DON’Ts
 Economic Instruments 
material (dis)incentives
 Information & Persuasion
 appeals to values + the
desire to do the right thing

17.  Assumptions must reflect 21st century realities
 Better value the remaining natural wealth, esp.
Scarce, irreplaceable resources
 Contribute to Circular, Green Economy
 Payment for ecosystem services  win – win
 Enable transition to sustainable energy system
 Adapt business models to 21st century

18.  Analyse and integrate
 Appropriate solutions for common problems
 Avoid society’s lock-in to high energy and
material user patterns
 Enable transition to inclusive, sustainable
societies
 Responsible in every role (Rachel Carson)

19.  Who are your heroes?
 Why don’t you start a
positive impact career?
http://thefuturemakers.net/the-book/
Wangari Maathai

20. Sunita Narain
Director of CSE (Centre
For Science & Environment)
Sanjit Bunker Roy,
Founder of Barefoot College

21.  Become a learner of creation care & immediately put
into practice lessons learnt
 Start small changes at home or campus
 Share your results with several people
 Build coalitions to tackle bigger issues
 Celebrate successes in prayer and worship
 Question: What do you need from me to do these?

22. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also
Please send your feedback to:
ossewaardeESD@gmail.com
Thank you for
your attention!