2. Environment
Convergence of three constituent
parts
Venn Diagram
Relationship between the “three
pillars of sustainability”
Equity
(Society)
Economy Environment Society
Economy
development for a more inclusive
governance
Nested circles
11. Discussion
S How should potential conflicts between trade agreements and environmental agreements
be addressed at an international level? Is international trade liberalization a positive force
for sustainable development?
S How powerful are states vs. other actors (business; civil society; subnational actors) in
GEG?
S How do business-led GEG initiatives gain legitimacy and authority?
S How do civil society actors affect the governance of environmental problems at the international
level?
S What are the key problems in current formulations of GEG? What elements are needed for
more effective GEG?
S How are trans boundary issues different from global commons issues and does this affect
the ability to address them internationally? Can the Basel Convention and Cartagena
Protocol be successful without the participation of the US?
Editor's Notes
Which reading is this? Frank Alcock.
The 2005 World Summit on Social Development identified sustainable development goals, such as economic development, social development and environmental protection.This view has been expressed as an illustration using three overlapping ellipses indicating that the three pillars of sustainability are not mutually exclusive and can be mutually reinforcing.
=> Understood in terms of environmental responsibility, social equity and economic health
2. A study from 2005 pointed out that environmental justice is as important as is sustainable development. Ecological economist Herman Daly. From this perspective, the economy is a subsystem of human society, which is itself a subsystem of the biosphere, and a gain in one sector is a loss from another.
Apart from misrepresenting the reality, the “three pillars” picture has encouraged people to say “we need a balance” between economic, social, and environmental. What that means in practice is that instead of pursuing sustainability, and forms of development which are sustainable, we get the pursuit of development which is semi-sustainable, to some extent aimed at keeping within environmental limits, but not doing so in any way which is really serious.
We should be aiming at development which combines economic, social, and environmental aims, not at development which compromises between them.
Basic pictures are important. The “sustainable development community” has lived with the three pillars for too long. Maybe that’s what constrains global governance? It is time to move on to a more realistic and inspiring view.
Supporting Material : confessions of an ecoterrorist (show trailer?)
Politics of radical environmentalism (film encouraged)
Earth First! => all leaders not organization, tired of compromising. Wilderness=natural home and when governments and big business invade your home you don’t compromise, you resist.
if political means don’t work try public protest, then civil disobedience and last resort= environmental sabotage (monkeywrenching)
acknowledge criminal being, promote illegality
is this a legitimate use of force?
Canadian government shamed by hoax at Copenhagen summit on climate change
Last days in Copenhagen (COP 15): Montreal honoured, Canada shamed (again)
Canada receives environment award of shame at Copenhagen climate change conference
Canada shamed at Fossil of the Year Awards five times
Link between national security and climate change studies said drought and man-made climate change may be among causes of Syria war.
Paris COP21 reach global deal to limit GHG = collaboration ‘essential meeting for humanity’ pm manuel valls
Maybe now leadders will come to realize the importance of divesting from fossil fuels amdist the rise of terrorism that partly depend on it. =>
Copenhagen failed partlt because leaders were reluctant to commit because of financial crisis doubt about costs related to climate action…
We need to change energy stop the flow of oil that rests in our cars and finances terrorism. Matter of geopolitics, energy, education, societies’ choices for the past 50 years.
Paris climate walks: focus on global negotiation which offer the world the first change at getting off path of unrestricted carbon pollution that would destroy modern civilization as we know it.
Framing as a security will push it forward in political agenda.
