Polluters, Poor People and Plastic Mountains

1. Polluters, Poor People and Plastic Mountains Johan Hattingh Unit for Environmental Ethics University of Stellenbosch

2. My brief was: To stir … • Worming away at dominant value assumptions about the generation and disposal of waste • For this purpose: • Lurked in the wings during the last three days • Observed and listened, and noticed many interesting and important things to throw into the cauldron that already burns and bubble on a hotbed of double toil and trouble • So, brace yourselves: By the pricking of my thumbs, (I think) something wicked this way comes Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

3. First observation • The sub-text of sustainable development running throughout the whole of the conference • Explicitly mentioned in about every paper in every session • Closely linked to concept of Integrated Waste Management (IWM), and the waste hierarchy • Selection of themes for workshops and sessions reflect contents of Agenda 21 Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

4. Agenda 21 • Ch 18: Protection of fresh water resources • Ch 19: Toxic chemicals • Ch 20: Hazardous waste • Ch 21: Solid waste and sewage • Ch 22: Radioactive wastes • Ch 7: Sustainable human settlements • Ch 6: Protecting human health • Ch 4: Changing consumption patterns Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

5. General points in these Chapters • Framework of a hierarchy of objectives • Minimizing wastes • Maximizing waste reuse and recycling • Promoting env sound disposal and treatment • Extending waste service coverage • Integration of actions and programmes • Supported by sound planning, capacity building, law, science and technology … Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

6. Address the root cause of our problem by attempting to change unsustainable patterns of consumption and production Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

7. Comment • This emphasis on sustainability and sustainable development should be welcomed • It is an ideal that is accepted now world-wide • And it provides a platform for debate between groups that were not able to speak to one another before Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

8. Comment • Many speakers pleaded: add clean production to the waste hierarchy • I heard little about patterns of consumption • What would happen if the waste industry added another tier to the waste hierarchy: that of changing consumption patterns? Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

9. Question • We could be highly efficient in waste prevention, minimization, reuse and recycling, treatment and disposal, in service delivery, at the cutting edge of science and technology in this regard, and by doing that, still fuel the flames under the cauldron of a runaway pattern of unsustainable consumption – making it easier to consume unsustainably Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

10. Comment • The first keynote speaker called for a paradigm shift from a technical to a human point of view • Available technology and infrastructure should not be our point of departure in our thinking about waste management, but the real needs of people Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

11. Question • When it comes to consumption, it is very difficult to know what the real needs of people are • More difficult to try to regulate or guide the preferences of autonomous people • May undercut our notions of freedom, human rights and democracy – of identity and self-realization • If we are really serious to reduce our mountains of waste, and to extend services, quality of life and dignity to the poorest of the poor, we may have to start thinking about alleviation of wealth Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

12. Second observation • Many papers reflected in varying degrees the dominant concept / model of SD • Without asking what the concept really entailed • Whether it is internally coherent • Or doing the job that we really wanted it to do for us • We tend to mention the word in passing, and then move on Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

13. The three spheres/pillars model Economic sphere Social-political Ecological sphere Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

14. Environ-ment Socio-political Economy Technology Governance Variation 1 Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

15. Variation 2 Environ-ment Socio-political Economy Technology Governance Legal framework Spirituality Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

16. Variation 3 Environ-mental Law Economy Techno-logy Political ???????? Social Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

17. Comments • Three separate spheres • Each with their own internal logic and dominant values (growth, wealth; quality of life, equity; protection, conservation) • Interacting and influencing one another • Lock us into a language of a balancing act • Entailing trade-offs; mitigation; intersubstituta-bility of resources; maintaining capital stock over time; nature merely a constraint Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

18. Example of the dominant model • Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs • Focus on the needs of the poor • The only constraints are the current state of technology and social organization Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

19. This is found in … • Our Common Future (Brundtland Report) p. 43 • Central definition of SD in NEMA Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

20. Another example • Accordingly, we assume a collective responsibility to advance and strengthen the interdependent and mutually reinforcing pillars of sustainable development — economic development, social development and environmental protection — at the local, national, regional and global levels. • Section 5 of the Johannesburg Declaration Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

21. And one more … • These efforts will also promote the integration of the three components of sustainable development — economic development, social development and environmental protection — as interdependent and mutually reinforcing pillars. • Plan of Implementation of the WSSD, p. 8 Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

22. Three pillars model … • Triple bottom line accounting • Certain forms of multi-criteria decision-making, comparing different “balance sheets” and loading them with different weights to create the right balance Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

23. Model of embedded spheres Ecological sphere Socio-political Economic sphere Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

24. Comments • Acknowledges spheres are embedded in and dependent upon wider spheres • Acknowledges that (smaller) spheres can disrupt wider spheres • Requires a language of prevention; safe minimum standards; precaution; non-negotiable thresholds; maintaining stock of natural capital over time Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

25. Examples • Not usually found in industry • Not usually found in government • Often found in the circles of civil society, NGOs and academics, at the margins of power • Johannesburg Memo (Heinrich Böll Foundation) • Bryan Norton’s environmental pragmatism Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

26. A different emphasis … • … fulfilling the ambition of Rio requires the effective response to the demand for equity arising from the South, but in a manner, which takes full account of the bio-physical limits of the Earth. (JM, p 18) • To put it in a nutshell, restraint …, reparation …, and rights … are the conceptual coordinates for framing a global deal (JM, p 69) Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

27. Preliminary conclusions • These two models represent two vastly different approaches to SD • Not different grades of the same thing • They function within different paradigms • In order to properly distinguish between them, a third visualization of SD is required Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

28. An cognitive visualization of SD Social Environmental Economic Financial Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

29. Comments • As humans, we frame the natural • We define what needs protection • We define political goals; set economic targets and ideals of self-realization • So, it is highly important to foreground what the interests, power relations and ideologies are that drive certain models and agendas of SD above other Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

30. Critical analysis of talk of SD • What is so important that we want to sustain it for ever? • Why is that something so important? • For the sake of whom or what do we embark on sustainable development? • How do we do it, with what knowledge? • Which criteria and indicators do we use to “measure” progress in SD? Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

31. A conservative model? • What is so important? Our resource base • For human survival; and quality of life • For this and future generations (of the rich?) • We use expert knowledge • Central criterion: maintain capital over time • Making only small adjustments Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

32. A radical model? • What is so important? The creative fabric of natural and cultural evolution • It enhances life in all of its forms • For every living being now and in the future – human and non-human • Indigenous and local knowledge to enhance technical & scientific knowledge • Central criterion: Maintained creativity Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

33. Question • How would you answer the critical value questions about sustainable development? • Do you ever ask these value questions? • Which model of SD do you sustain? • A conservative model that leaves the world pretty much as it is? • A radical model that really tries to address issues of justice, equity and environmental protection? Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

34. Concluding remarks • We will only start to make progress in implementing SD if we really engage in public and institutional debates with these critical value questions • We all give implicit answers to these questions; we usually to not foreground them and scrutinize them thoroughly Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

35. Unless we do so, SD will continue to mean anything to anyone, losing its critical, normative edge, having no power to do any meaningful work in our social, political and waste management debates • It will indeed become a concept full of sound and fury, but actually signifying nothing Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University

36. Thank you • jph2@sun.ac.za • www.sun.ac.za/philosophy • Go to Centre for Applied Ethics • Unit for Environmental Ethics Unit for Environmental Ethics Stellenbosch University