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A Question of Ethics

A Question of Ethics. Michael Donnelly (Realeyes Sustainability) Patricia Mackey (Sustainable NI). Why sustainability matters. What is Sustainable Development?. Securing the Future, UK's Sustainable Development Strategy, HM Government 2005.

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A Question of Ethics

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  1. A Question of Ethics Michael Donnelly (Realeyes Sustainability) Patricia Mackey (Sustainable NI)

  2. Why sustainability matters

  3. What is Sustainable Development? Securing the Future, UK's Sustainable Development Strategy, HM Government 2005 “To enable all people throughout the world to satisfy their basic needs & to enjoy a better quality of life… …without compromising the quality of life of future generations”

  4. Why sustainability matters: living within environmental limits Clean air & water, Stable climate Viable forests & fisheries, Biodiversity Population increase from 6 to 9 bn Consumption per head increases 4 - 6x Source: The Natural Step

  5. An alternative view of development Aim = Quality of Life for All 1. ENVIRONMENT 2. SOCIETY 3. ECONOMY Where we need to be Aim = Growth 3. ENVIRONMENT 2. SOCIETY 1. ECONOMY Where we are now….

  6. Five principles of sustainable development • Living within environmental limits: • Respect limits of environment, resources & biodiversity • Ensure natural resources to support life remain unimpaired • Ensuring a strong, healthy & just society: • Meeting diverse needs of all • Promote personal wellbeing, social cohesion & inclusion • Create equal opportunity • Achieving a sustainable economy: • Strength, stability, prosperity & equal opportunity • Polluter Pays • Efficient resource use • Promoting good governance: • Participative governance across society • Engage people’s creativity, energy & diversity • Using sound science responsibly: • Policies developed & implemented according to sound science • Precautionary Principle • Public attitudes & values reflected Source: Securing the Future, UK's Sustainable Development Strategy, HM Government 2005

  7. Beyond the environment: the triple bottom line Living within environmental limits: Ensure natural resources to support life remain unimpaired BIODIVERSITY & RESOURCES CLIMATE EMPLOYMENT Ensuring a strong, healthy & just society: Meet diverse needs of all; promote wellbeing, inclusion & equal opportunity LABOUR RIGHTS WATER SHORTAGES WASTE Achieving a sustainable economy: Strong, stable, efficient & fair GROWTH & REGENERATION POLLUTION HEALTH

  8. Global Challenges

  9. Climate Change: Why it’s happening • Without heat trapping “Greenhouse gases” Earth would be 25C cooler • Human activity is increasing levels of greenhouse gases in atmosphere • CO2 has increased from 280 to 380 ppm • Rising between 2 and 3 ppm/year • Main source is fossil fuel combustion for energy and transport • Average surface warming of 1 to 6C expected

  10. What’s at stake: projected global risks Monbiot: 90% cut by 2030 Tyndall: 90% cut by 2050 UK Gov: 60% cut by 2050 • Rice yields fall 15% • Increasing extreme weather events • Indian Ocean coral dies • 400m extra in water stress • 5m extra in hunger • 18% species loss • Greenland icecap melts • 97% coral reefs bleach • Arctic summer sea ice melts • 2.3-3bn water shortage • 200m more at risk from malaria • Ecosystem collapse • Major city flood risk • >50% species loss • “Runaway” climate change • - Forest die-back • - Permafrost melt • - Carbon release from soils • Human cost? 1oC 2oC >2oC

  11. We already have the solutions Public Transport Passive Design Energy Efficiency Renewables Emissions Trading

  12. Pollution: damaging health and the environment • “UK air pollution more dangerous than Chernobyll” • 24,000 premature deaths per year (Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution) • Over 100,000 man-made chemicals exist • Only 3,500 have been adequately tested for health and environmental impacts • Over 300 man-made chemicals can be found in the average European’s blood • With globalisation, Europe is exporting its pollution overseas Upstream prevention is cheaper than downstream clean up

  13. Waste: our throwaway economy 10 x 10 x CONVERT EXTRACT USE DISCARD 10,000 kg raw materials 1000 kg finished product 100 kg long-term durables Manufacture 6 months Consumption should not be an end in itself: need to rethink value and efficiency

  14. Global Inequality

  15. Poverty: an ever widening gap UK average high street coffee price $2 20% of world survives on less than $2 per day

  16. Biodiversity: the sixth extinction • Up to 50% of species could be wiped out by climate change • Widespread decline in wildlife populations • Habitat destruction and loss of wilderness • Over-harvesting of timber, fisheries • Falling fertility from pollution • Invasion of alien species

  17. The goal: One planet living 1.8 gha 2.2 gha 5.6 gha • Ecological footprint = equivalent area of land required to meet an individual’s needs • Food, fibre, waste, energy, space • Measured in “Global hectares per capita” (gha) “Equal sustainable share” = “Global average footprint” = “UK average” =

  18. Coffee Cup Exercise Work as groups First map out the lifecycle of a cup of coffee: From raw materials to disposal! Identify impacts Social, environmental and economic How can this be improved? Group Exercise 30 mins

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