Sustainable Development

1
Sustainable Development
Image from Wikipedia
2
Announcement (4/14/09)
Final Exam May 5, 2009 (Tuesday of Finals
Week) 300 500 p.m. Room 210 Williams
3
Sustainable Development
A sustainable society is one that ensures the
health and vitality of human life and culture and
of natures capital, for present and future
generations. Such a society acts to stop the
activities that serve to destroy human life and
culture and natures capital, and to encourage
those activities that serve to conserve what
exists, restore what has been damaged, and
prevent future harm. Stephen Viederman (1992)
Quote found in Groom et al. (2006)
4
Sustainable Development
Image from Wikipedia
5
United Nations Conference on the Human
Environment, Stockholm, 1972
Two ground-breaking reports resulted
World Conservation Strategy
(1980)
Our Common Future, a.k.a. the Brundtland
Commission Report
(1987)
6
Sustainable Development
Gro Harlem Brundtland (b. 1939)
Prime Minister of Norway (1981, 1986-89, 1990-96
1st woman) Director General of World Health
Organization (1998-2003) Special Envoy on
Climate Change to U. N. Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon (since 2007)
Indira Gandhi Peace Prize (1988)
Photo of Brundtland from Wikipedia
7
Sustainable Development
Our Common Future, a.k.a. the Brundtland
Commission Report
(1987)
Sustainable development "meets the needs of the
present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs"
8
United Nations Conference on Environment
Development, a.k.a. Rio Earth Summit, 1992
Two major achievements
Kyoto Protocol
(adopted 1997, Kyoto, Japan)
Convention on Biological Diversity
(key objective to develop national strategies
for the conservation sustainable use of
biodiversity)
Logo from www.eoearth.org
9
United Nations Conference on the Human
Environment, Johannesburg, 2002
Two important achievements
Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable
Development
Johannesburg Plan of Implementation
These global efforts promote sustainable
development as they advance the welfare of both
humans nature, while balancing considerations
for both
10
Sustainable Development
Ecological Society of America Sustainable
Biosphere Initiative
(1991)
Sustainability includes management practices
that will not degrade the exploited system or
any adjacent system Requires consumption
standards that are within the bounds of
ecological possibility and to which all can
aspire
From Lubchenco et al. (1991)
11
Sustainable Development
Examples of what is to be sustained
Examples of what is to be developed
Biodiversity Natural habitats Ecosystems Ecosystem
productivity Ecosystem services Evolutionary
potential Natural resources Climate Human
culture Significant natural cultural heritage
Social equality Economic security Food water
security Home security Human health Life
expectancy Education Stabilized population Etc
Modified from Groom et al. (2006)
12
Sustainable Development World Peace
Wangari Muta Maathai (b. 1940)
Nobel Peace Prize (2004 1st African woman) for
contribution to sustainable development,
democracy peace
Protecting the global environment is directly
related to securing peace
Photo of Maathai from Wikipedia
13
Sustainable Development World Peace
Protecting the global environment is directly
related to securing peace
Images of the Persian Gulf War (1990-1991) from
Wikipedia
14
Sustainable Development Social Equality
Selected symbolism of some awareness ribbons
illustrates various interconnected improvements
to the Global Human Condition and Nature through
thoughtful Sustainable Development
Orange malnutrition
White gender violence
Light blue child abuse slavery (incl. sexual)
Green environmental abuse
Purple religious intolerance
Images of awareness ribbons from Wikipedia
15
Sustainable Development Social Equality
gt 1 billion people suffer from malnutrition
1 person dies every second from malnutrition
1 in 5 is a child
Map from Wikipedia
16
Sustainable Development
Sustainable growth is impossible, so sustainable
development seeks development without growth
Limits of space, food, waste disposal, energy,
etc. disallow sustained growth
Sustainable development makes qualitative
changes, without increasing quantitative demands
on natural populations ecosystems
How can we improve the quality of life for human
societies through qualitative changes to our
economy in ways that support healthy natural
environments?
How can we begin the move away from the current
agenda of nonsustainable economic growth?
Recall Ch. 5, Groom et al. (2006)

questions from Ch. 16, Groom et al. (2006)
17
Sustainable Development
How can we achieve it?
Economic tools E.g., charitable donations,
foreign aid, boycotts
Social pressure Consider your own example as you
think globally, act locally (quote used by
possibly originated with René Dubos advisor to
U. N. Conference on the Human Environment, 1972)
Policy mechanisms Consider the policies weve
discussed see Ch. 17, Groom et al. (2006) Etc