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![en·vi·ron·ment
in-'vI-r&(n)-m&nt, -'vI(-&)r(n)-
[n] 1 : the circumstances, objects, or
conditions by which one is surrounded
2 a : the complex of physical, chemical,
and biotic factors (as climate, soil, and
living things) that act upon an organism or
an ecological community and ultimately
determine its form and survival b : the
aggregate of social and cultural
conditions that influence the life of an
individual or community.
- Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, 2004](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/introductiontosustainability-copy-210822152838/85/Introduction-to-sustainability-copy-5-320.jpg)
![environment
[n] the totality of
surrounding conditions.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/introductiontosustainability-copy-210822152838/85/Introduction-to-sustainability-copy-6-320.jpg)
Uploaded byLeur Nedar
Introduction to sustainability copy
This document provides definitions and frameworks for key concepts in sustainability and sustainable development. It defines environment, policy, scale, and jurisdiction. It examines definitions of sustainable development from the World Commission on Environment and Development. It explores elements of sustainability related to environment, economy, and society. It discusses two key concepts - equity and limits to growth. It also looks at decision-making processes and provides examples of more integrated and anticipatory approaches.
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Introduction to sustainability copy
- 1.
- 2. http://www.brocku.ca/tren/ courses/tren3p18 These notes availablevia the online course outline at:
- 3. TREN 1F90 Introduction toSustainability Definitions – environment – policy – scale – jurisdiction Defining Sustainable Development About Interdisciplinarity
- 4.
- 5. en·vi·ron·ment in-'vI-r&(n)-m&nt, -'vI(-&)r(n)- [n] 1: the circumstances, objects, or conditions by which one is surrounded 2 a : the complex of physical, chemical, and biotic factors (as climate, soil, and living things) that act upon an organism or an ecological community and ultimately determine its form and survival b : the aggregate of social and cultural conditions that influence the life of an individual or community. - Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, 2004
- 6. environment [n] the totalityof surrounding conditions.
- 7. environmental effects …are felt, andmodified, in 3 main ways - through the flows of: MATERIALS ENERGY INFORMATION -> fundamental ‘spheres of influence’ for sustainability
- 8. policy …a course orgeneral plan of action to be adopted by a government, party, person, etc. - Concise Oxford Dictionary
- 9. policy …a selected, plannedline of conduct in the light of which individual decisions are made and coordination achieved - Webster’s Encyclopedic Dictionary
- 10. conceptual tools for understandingsustainability
- 11. scale - an orderedseries of graduated quantities, values, degrees, etc. - relative magnitude - Webster’s Encyclopedic Dictionary
- 12. scale may be: - physical/ geographical – ranking based upon size, dimension, geographical subunit, etc. - ecological – individual, deme, community, population - jurisdictional – local, municipal, regional, federal, global
- 13. scale earth continent country province region municipality neighbourhood household individual United Nations . . governments . . ngos /community groups . individuals GLOBAL / MACRO LOCAL / MICRO spatial jurisdictional / decision making
- 14. jurisdiction - the legalpower to administer and enforce the law - the exercising of this power - the region within which this power is valid or in which a person has authority - authority - Webster’s Encyclopedic Dictionary
- 15.
- 16. Sustainable development: meeting theneeds of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. – World Commission on Environment and Development (1987): Our Common Future
- 17. Elements of sustainability Environment EconomySociety - World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987
- 18.
- 19. Elements of sustainability Environment EconomySociety - World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987
- 20. Elements of sustainability Environment -World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987 •biodiversity •materials •energy •biophysical interactions
- 21. Elements of sustainability Economy -World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987 •money and capital •employment •technological growth •investment •market forces
- 22. Elements of sustainability Society -World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987 •human diversity (cultural, linguistic, ethnic) •equity (dependence / independence) •quality of life •institutional structures and organization •political structures
- 23. The ‘3 Es’Model Ecology Economy Equity
- 24. The Healthy CommunityModel SOCIETY ENVIRONMENT ECONOMY HEALTH
- 25. Sustainability: PROBLEMS Depletionof finite resources – fuels, soil, minerals, species Over-use of renewable resources – forests, fish & wildlife, fertility, public funds Pollution – air, water, soil Inequity – economic, political, social, gender Species loss – endangered species and spaces - WCED, 1987
- 26. Sustainability: SOLUTIONS Cyclicalmaterial use – emulate natural cycles; 3 R’s Safe reliable energy – conservation, renewable energy, substitution, interim measures Life-based interests – health, creativity, communication, coordination, appreciation, learning, intellectual and spiritual development
- 27. Two key sustainabledevelopment concepts: EQUITY LIMITS TO GROWTH -WCED 1987
- 28. Two key sustainabledevelopment concepts: the concept of needs, particularly the essential needs of the world’s poor EQUITY -WCED 1987
- 29. Two key sustainabledevelopment concepts: EQUITY • the quality of being fair or impartial; fairness; impartiality • something that is fair and just. -dictionary.com
- 30. Contrast with: EQUALITY • thestate or quality of being equal; correspondence in quantity, degree, value, rank, or ability. • uniform character, as of motion or surface. -dictionary.com
- 31. Two key sustainabledevelopment concepts: the idea of limitations (ecological, technological, and social) which affect the environment’s ability to meet present and future needs LIMITS TO GROWTH -WCED 1987
- 32. Two key sustainabledevelopment concepts: LIMITS TO GROWTH - quantitative and qualitative limits - living within the regenerative and assimilative capacities of the planet -WCED 1987
- 33. Sustainable development... implieslimits Not predefined absolute limits, but limitations imposed by: – the ability of the biosphere to absorb the effects of human activities – adaptability of human social and political organization – technology
- 34. Sustainable development and economicgrowth Economic growth must be made: – less material intensive (‘dematerialization of the economy’) – less energy intensive – more equitable in its impacts Economic growth may be reduced or curtailed to meet limitations imposed by environment, technology, or society
- 35. Institutional gaps impeding sustainabledevelopment 2 major gaps: fragmented decision making – narrow mandates, jurisdictional rigidity, lack of communication and coordination lack of accountabiity – failure to make the bodies whose policy actions degrade the environment responsible for their actions
- 36.
- 37. Sustainable development... considersfuture and present needs when making decisions about: –resource and energy use –technological development –direction of investments –social, political & institutional change...etc. etc. etc.
- 38.
- 39.
- 40.
- 41. SOCIETY ENVIRONMENT ECONOMY ECOSYSTEM-BASED DECISION MAKING • PARTICIPATORY •INTEGRATED ‘ECO- SYSTEM HEALTH’
- 42. Fragmented decision-making ISSUE federal / national municipal public private provincial/ state regional other interests community groups - after Barrett and Kidd, 1991
- 43.
- 44.
- 45. decision making • reactive (‘endof pipe’)
- 46. decision making • anticipatory •reactive
- 47. decision making • anticipatory (planningfor change) • reactive
- 48. decision making • radical •anticipatory • reactive
- 49. decision making • radical (fundamental; rootcauses) • anticipatory • reactive
- 50. decision making • radical •anticipatory • reactive
- 51. • radical • anticipatory •reactive Industry • change in demand - less consumption - alternative consumption • change in process - clean technology - elimination of toxics • sewage treatment plant - ‘end of pipe’ solution • environment and economy and society • environment and economy • environment or economy
- 52. Northern Telecom based inCanada 42 plants in various countries manufacturer of electronic components (telecommunications) 1988: 1000+ tonnes of CFCs per year 1992: 0 tonnes of CFCs used per year Historical example:
- 53. Original Process 1) rawcomponents and grease 2) manufacturing and assembly process 3) clean off grease with CFCs 4) finished product
- 54. Revised process 1) rawcomponents, no grease 2) manufacturing and assembly process 3) no need to clean off grease with CFCs 4) finished product
- 55. • radical • anticipatory •reactive
- 56. • radical • anticipatory •reactive Industry
- 57. • radical • anticipatory •reactive Industry • change in demand for product • change in industrial process • sewage treatment plant for wastes
- 58. • radical • anticipatory •reactive Industry • change in • demand for product • change in • industrial process • sewage • treatment • plant for wastes Biodiversity • apply landscape ecology principles to human activity • establish national parks (12%) to protect habitats • zoo / seed bank for endangered species Transportation
- 59. • radical • anticipatory •reactive Industry • change in demand for product • change in industrial process • sewage treatment plant for wastes Biodiversity • apply landscape ecology principles to human activity • establish national parks (12%) to protect habitats • zoo / seed bank for endangered species Transportation • complete redesign of our cities • alternative fuels for cars • catalytic converters
- 60. values ideology strategies values,ideologies and strategies
- 61. interactions amongst values /ideologies / strategies values individual, cultural, social, spiritual, moral
- 62. interactions amongst values /ideologies / strategies values ideologies Definable sets of values constitute individual, cultural, social, spiritual, moral Short form summary of basic values that eliminates the need to engage in deep philosophical investigations every time action is required
- 63. interactions amongst values /ideologies / strategies values ideologies Definable sets of values constitute (e.g. Industrial Capitalism, Marxism, Christianity, Liberalism, Socialism, Conservatism, Judaism) individual, cultural, social, spiritual, moral
- 64. interactions amongst values /ideologies / strategies values ideologies strategies Definable sets of values constitute (e.g. Industrial Capitalism, Marxism, Christianity, Liberalism, Socialism, Conservatism, Judaism) …which give rise to practical applications of ideologically consistent ideas, actions, policies and programs individual, cultural, social, spiritual, moral
- 65. interactions amongst values /ideologies / strategies values ideology strategies
- 66. environmental values values ideologystrategies • holistic perspective • everything is connected to everything else • parts can only be understood in the context of the whole (after Macdonald, D. 1991. The Politics of Pollution. McClelland and Stewart, Toronto: p.33)
- 67. environmental values values ideologystrategies • humans living within nature -> inherent value of other organisms and inanimate objects (after Macdonald, D. 1991. The Politics of Pollution. McClelland and Stewart, Toronto: p.33)
- 68. environmental values values ideologystrategies • appropriate technology • matching the scope and scale of technology to the task at hand • principles of durability and efficiency • recognition that new technology brings both benefits and problems
- 69. environmental values values ideologystrategies •accessible and accountable decision-making in public and private sectors
- 70. interactions amongst values /ideologies / strategies values ideology strategies
- 71. environmental ideologies values ideologystrategies • technological optimism • sustainable development (Brundtland Commission) • social ecology (Murray Bookchin) • deep ecology (Arne Naess) • ecofeminism (Françoise D’Eaubonne) • various ‘green’ political parties many variants: e.g., alliances with socialism, feminism, peace movement, etc. examples of
- 72. interactions amongst values /ideologies / strategies values ideology strategies
- 73. • reform environmentalism(traditional bureacracies and political action) • direct action and intervention (e.g. Earth First!) • permanent organizations (e.g., Greenpeace) • alliances and coalitions (e.g., Canadian Coalition on Acid Rain) • round tables, forums (e.g., National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy) environmental strategies and strategists
- 74. interactions amongst values /ideologies / strategies values ideology strategies
- 75. interactions amongst values /ideologies / strategies values ideology strategies • feedback loop allows for reflection, re-evaluation, adaptive management
- 76. ideology interactions amongst values /ideologies / strategies values strategies • if no feedback loop: inflexible, unresponsive
- 77. ideology interactions amongst values /ideologies / strategies values strategies dogma
- 78. interactions amongst values /ideologies / strategies values ideology strategies
- 79. Sustainability: How do wemove from rhetoric to reality?
- 80.
- 81.
- 82.
- 83. To be useful,principles of sustainability must: be easily understood be applicable in many contexts be transferrable across scales translate well from fundamental values into applied policy and practical action identify possibilities for radical transformative change AND positive incremental change
- 84. Some Principles of Sustainability inthe literature: Our Common Future (WCED 1987) Principles defining sustainable development (OSEM 1989) Defining a sustainable society (Robinson et al . 1990,1996) Agenda 21 (1992) Six principles of sustainable development (ORTEE 1992) Guideposts for a sustainable future (Nickerson 1993) Framework for Sustainable Development (CIDA 1994) The Natural Step (Robert et al . 1994) Sustainability Principles (ORTEE 1994), etc.
- 85. Recent compilation of Principlesof Sustainability http://iisd1.iisd.ca/sd/principle.asp -IISD (Winnipeg)
- 86. Guideposts for Sustainability (afterNickerson, 1993) Activities are sustainable when they: 1. Use materials in continuous cycles. 2. Use continuously reliable sources of energy. 3. Encourage desirable human traits (equity; creativity; communication; coordination; appreciation; intellectual and spiritual development). One example:
- 87. Guideposts for Sustainability Activitiesare not sustainable when they: 4. Require continual inputs of non-renewable resources. 5. Use renewable resources faster than their rate of renewal. 6. Cause cumulative degradation of the environment. 7. Require resources in quantities that could never be available for people everywhere. 8. Lead to the extinction of other life forms.