12.02, Wennersten — lecture on sustainable development

Sustainable Development

What´is the problem?

Department of Industrial
Ecology/KTH/Ronald Wennersten

Painting the future
• Dramatic increase in global population
• Population concentration in Mega cities
• Low birth rate/low death rate demographic state
• Increase in income
• Increased demand on services/resources
• Rapid societal transformation
• Dramatic environmental degradation
• Signs of dysfunctions in planetary processes
• Vigorous reliance on technology

http://www.nasa.org

Todays industrial system – a linear flow
of resources

Unlimited Material Production Consumption Unlimited Ecosystem
Resources extraction Waste damage

Problems
•Limitied resources
•Waste
•Environmental degradation
Powered by
•Conflicts cheap fossile fuels

From local effects


To regional
effects The Aral Sea


The Aral Sea


To global effects


Pollution affecting the earth
• The way we live influence the
planet.
Human activity makes a foot print
through change on earth.

Ecological footprint Ecology/KTH/Ronald Wennersten

Huge change since 1950s

Exponential growth of:
• Consumption
• CO2 emissions
• Technology
development

From Will Steffen’s presentation

Ecosystem services

• Ecosystem Services are the
processes by which the
environment produces resources
that we often take for granted such
as clean water, timber, and habitat
for fisheries, and pollination of
native and agricultural plants.

What is the carrying capacity?

Hazardous substances


The situation today
•Around 30 000 chemicals on the commercial
market

•Around 2 800 substances are produced in
volumes more than 1 000 tons/year

•Since 1993 around 5 substances in EU
has been “completely” been investigated
concerning risks for humans and environment


A growing hole in the earths ozone layer

We have started to realize that

The sky is the limit


1.Brundtland Commission, 1987
Safeguarding possibilities for future
generations

2. Rio Conference, UNCED, 1992
The 40 chapters in Agenda 21

3. The natural Step Foundation
Four systems conditions for
sustainable development

In 1987 the United Nations Commission on
Environment and Development ( the
Bruntland Commission) drew attention to
the fact that economic development often
leads to a deterioration, not an
improvement, in the quality of people's
lives. Just because it is new does not
mean that it is better - or at least not for
everybody!

The Commission therefore called for

a form of sustainable development
which meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own
needs

THE NATURAL STEP'S PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABILITY
The Natural Step's definition of sustainability includes four
scientific principles that lead to a sustainable society.

These principles, also known as quot;conditionsquot; that must be
met in order to have a sustainable society, are as follows:


Substances from the Earth's crust must not systematically
increase in the biosphere.
This means that in sustainable society, fossil fuels, metals and
other materials are not extracted at a faster pace than their
slow redeposit into the Earth;s crust.

Substances produced by society must not systematically
increase in nature.
This means that in a sustainable society, substances are not
produced at a faster pace than they can be broken down in
nature or into the Earth's crust.

The physical basis for the productivity and the diversity
of nature must not be systematically diminished.
This means that in a sustainable society, the productive surfaces of
nature are not diminished in quality or quantity, and we must not harvest
more from nature than can be recreated.

We must be fair and efficient in meeting basic human needs.
This means that in a sustainable society, basic human needs must be met
with the most resource-efficient methods possible, including a just resource
distribution. Department of Industrial

The dimensions of sustainability

Socio-Centric
Concerns
Technical and Social acceptance
Techno-Centric
Economical
Concerns
viability

Eco-Centric
Concerns

Carrying Capacity

The relation between Eco Centric, Techno Centric, and Socio Centric concern


The dimensions of sustainability
Moral

Socio-Centric
Concerns
Technical and Social acceptance
Techno-Centric
Economical
Concerns
viability

Eco-Centric
Concerns Time
Carrying Capacity

The relation between Eco Centric, Techno Centric, and Socio Centric concern


Global - Future

Global - Now

Local - Now


Is technology going to save the world?


We need science and
technology to solve
problems that have
been created by
science and
technology


Definition of technology
Technology is the technical means people use to improve
their surroundings. It is also a knowledge of using tools
and machines to do tasks efficiently.

We use technology to control the world in which we live.
Technology is people using knowledge, tools, and
systems to make their lives easier and better.
People use technology to imrove their ability to do work.

Through technology, people communicate better.
Technology allows them to make more and better
products. Our buildings are better through the use of
technology. We travel in more comfort and speed as a
result of technology. Yes, technology is everywhere and
can make life better.

But –
Are we becoming prisoners in the world of technology?


Is technology evil?


Who is controlling the development
of technology

•Individuals
•Authorities
•Politicians
•Companies
•NGOs


Reflections

Is technology good or bad?

Is technology the driving force for economic development?

Is there a given direction for development?

Who should control the development of technology (GMF)?

How can developing countries make a technology leap and
not get the technological and institutional lock in?


Four interacting parts
Economics
Technology

Interaction
Health Ecosystems


The root cause for the growing ecological
•

crisis is the massive and frequently
indiscriminate use of natural resources,
including energy carriers, land and water.

At the present time, worldwide use of natural
resources increases dramatically, in part due
to an increasing world population, but much
more pronounced because of economic
growth of emerging countries like China and
India.
www.factor10-institute.org/


If all people on earth should live
like we do in western Europé

We will need two more earths


On the average, more than 30 tons of non-
renewable natural resources are invested today
for every ton of goods, with increasing tendency.

In order to approach ecological sustainability, the
resource productivity in western countries has to
be increased by at least a Factor 10, compared to
today
A demateralization of this magnitude will also
dampen the energy demand by ca. 80% opening
completely new vistas for de-carbonization and for
supplying sufficient energy to the 2 billion poor of
this world.
www.factor10-institute.org/

MIPS stands for material input per
unit service (utility)


Use of material in products

While the amount of material in a
technical product has

flow per unit
decreased…

1970 1980 1990
2000
…the global use of material has
increased due to more wealthy
people.
global flow

1970 1980 1990 2000

An example for
energy

During the past 30 years the energy efficiency in the
aviation sector has increaed with 50%

The total fuel consumption for the aviation sector has
increased because the volume of flights has increased
faster than the increase in energy efficiency för


Are there technical solutions for a
sustainable society?

A technical solution can be defined as a
solutions demanding changes only in
technology based on natural sciences
without demands for changes in values,
ethics, moral etc.


When people get more money
they will spend it in a way that will
demand new resources

Decisions taken by individuals will be the best
decisions for society
Adam Smith, The Wealth of the Nations, 1776

By exploiting the commons for free individuals
and companies will profit mote than those who don´t
The Tragedy of the Commons
Garret Hardin, Science, 1968


The role of the consumer

o How can information to consumers be developed?

o Who is forming our visions of the future?

o How are our visions of the future affecting our behavior?

o Alternative lifestyles starting from health, religion or
voluntary simple ness


Reflections

Are there “Sustainable Technologies”

Can we create visions for a Sustainable Future?

Holistic concepts in research, education, planning


Are we creative
as engineers?


How are we educated?


What is a sustainable energy system?

http://www.nasa.org

12.02, Wennersten — lecture on sustainable development

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