Sustainable development

1. Sustainable development

2. Sustainable development: • meeting the needs 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

3. Elements of sustainability Environment Economy Society - World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987

4. the sustainable development triangle

5. Elements of sustainability Environment Economy Society - World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987

6. Elements of sustainability Environment • biodiversity • materials • energy • biophysical interactions - World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987

7. Elements of sustainability • money and capital • employment • technological growth • investment • market forces Economy - World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987

8. Elements of sustainability • human diversity (cultural, linguistic, ethnic) • equity (dependence / independence) • quality of life • institutional structures and organization • political structures Society - World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987

9. The ‘3 Es’ Model Ecology Economy Equity

10. SOCIETY ECONOMY • HEALTH ENVIRONMENT The Healthy Community Model

11. Sustainability: PROBLEMS • Depletion of 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

12. Sustainability: SOLUTIONS • Cyclical material 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

13. Two key sustainable development concepts: • EQUITY • LIMITS TO GROWTH -WCED 1987

14. Two key sustainable development concepts: • the concept of needs, particularly the essential needs of the world’s poor • EQUITY -WCED 1987

15. Two key sustainable development concepts: • EQUITY • the quality of being fair or impartial; fairness; impartiality • something that is fair and just. -dictionary.com

16. Contrast with: • EQUALITY • the state or quality of being equal; correspondence in quantity, degree, value, rank, or ability. • uniform character, as of motion or surface. -dictionary.com

17. Two key sustainable development 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

18. Two key sustainable development concepts: • LIMITS TO GROWTH • - quantitative and qualitative limits • - living within the regenerative and assimilative capacities of the planet -WCED 1987

19. Sustainable development... • implies limits • 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

20. Sustainable development and economic growth 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

21. Institutional gaps impeding sustainable development 2 major gaps: • fragmented decision making • narrow mandates, jurisdictional rigidity, lack of communication and coordination • lack of accountability • failure to make the bodies whose policy actions degrade the environment responsible for their actions

22. materials and energy

23. Obsolescent “frontier” civilization: HEAT ENERGY HIGH THROUGHPUT NON-RENEWABLE and RENEWABLE CONSUMER SOCIETY CONVENTIONAL URBAN SYSTEM WASTE & TOXINS MATERIALS One-way flow of materials and energy

24. Sustainable civilization: Energy Efficiency Low-quality Heat Energy ENERGY LOW THROUGHPUT RENEWABLE CONSERVER SOCIETY Low-volume Nontoxic Waste Materials MATERIALS Waste Minimization Toxics control • Cyclical flows of materials • Appropriate energy usage

25. informationand decision making

26. Sustainable development... • considers future and present needs when making decisions about: • resource and energy use • technological development • direction of investments • social, political & institutional change...etc. etc. etc. Applied POLICY

27. ECONOMY ENV’T SOCIETY TRADITIONAL DECISION MAKING

28. ECONOMY ENV’T SOCIETY • NON-PARTICIPATORY • FRAGMENTED TRADITIONAL DECISION MAKING

29. ECONOMY ENV’T SOCIETY SOCIETY ECONOMY • ‘ECO- • SYSTEM • HEALTH’ ENVIRONMENT TRADITIONAL DECISION MAKING ECOSYSTEM-BASED DECISION MAKING

30. SOCIETY ECONOMY • ‘ECO- • SYSTEM • HEALTH’ • PARTICIPATORY • INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENT ECOSYSTEM-BASED DECISION MAKING

31. Fragmented decision-making private other interests public community groups federal / national ISSUE municipal provincial / state regional - after Barrett and Kidd, 1991

32. private private other other public public interests interests community community federal/ federal/ ISSUE ISSUE groups groups national national municipal provincial/ municipal provincial/ state state regional Integrated decision-making - after Barrett and Kidd, 1991

33. decision making • reactive

34. decision making • reactive • (‘end of pipe’)

35. decision making • anticipatory • reactive

36. decision making • anticipatory • (planning for • change) • reactive

37. decision making • radical • anticipatory • reactive

38. decision making • radical • (fundamental; • root causes) • anticipatory • reactive

39. radical • anticipatory • reactive decision making

40. 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 • radical • anticipatory • reactive

41. TOURISM EXAMPLE: Hotel sheet and towel policy Originally: • Hotel sheets & towels changed every day • Leads to eutrophication / water pollution

42. TOURISM EXAMPLE: Hotel sheet and towel policy Response: • Guests given choice • Most keep same sheets and towels • Fewer towels and sheets are laundered each day

43. TOURISM EXAMPLE: Hotel sheet and towel policy Result: • Reduced environmental impact • Hotel saves money, increases profits and (...?) keeps rates down • Guests feel like they are making a positive environmental contribution

44. EARLYEXAMPLE: Northern Telecom • based in Canada • 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

45. Original Process 1) raw components and grease 2) manufacturing and assembly process 3) clean off grease with CFCs 4) finished product

46. Revised process 1) raw components, no grease 2) manufacturing and assembly process 3) no need to clean off grease with CFCs 4) finished product

47. Environment AND Economy • $1 million to develop new process • $4 million savings in first year (no CFCs) • $50 million savings to year 2000 • international environmental prize -> great publicity • contract with Mexico for industrial innovation (very lucrative)

48. radical • anticipatory • reactive

49. Industry • radical • anticipatory • reactive

50. Industry • change in • demand for product • change in • industrial process • sewage • treatment • plant for wastes • radical • anticipatory • reactive