The Complex World Victoria Robinson

What is Sustainable Development? Brundtland Commission's landmark definition, 1987: Sustainable development is “that which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”

Definition components Concept of “needs” - in particular the essential needs of the world's poor, to which overriding priority should be given; and Idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment's ability to meet present and future needs.

Environmental protection The three pillars Sustainability Environmental protection Social equality Economic growth

Social Sustainability The ability of a social system, such as a country, community, family, or organisation, to function at a defined level of social well being indefinitely. Issues: war, endemic poverty, widespread injustice & low education rates = socially unsustainable *Definition from Thwink.org

Environmental Sustainability The world’s greatest ACTUAL problem: The ability of the environment to support a defined level of environmental quality and natural resource extraction rates indefinitely. Effects not felt straight away – lower priority Become more important in the last 20 years USA & Europe are increasing use of renewable energy sources *Definition from Thwink.org

Economic Sustainability Since the Great Recession of 2008 this is the world's greatest APPARENT problem: The ability of an economy to support a defined level of economic production indefinitely Can endanger progress on the environmental sustainability problem. *Definition from Thwink.org

Elements of Sustainability Environmental Economic Social = SUSTAINABLE Bearable Viable Equitable Goodland, Robert. 1995. “The Concept of Environmental Sustainability.” Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 26: 1-24

Environmental limits? Environmental Social Economic

The Transition Generation Dr James Martin’s book: The Meaning of the 21st Century “This could be humanity's last century, or it could be the century in which civilization sets sail towards a far more spectacular future. Decisions that will lead to these wildly different conclusions have to be made soon. They depend upon our being able to understand the options of the 21st century, think logically about our future, and collectively take rational action.” “We live on a small, beautiful and totally isolated planet, but its population is becoming too large, and growing rapidly in its desire to consume products that need resources beyond what the earth can provide. Technology is becoming powerful enough to wreck the planet. We are traveling at breakneck speed into an age of extremes - extremes in wealth and poverty, extremes in technology and the experiments that scientists want to perform, extreme forces of globalism, weapons of mass destruction and terrorists acting in the name of religion. If we are to survive decently, we have to learn how to manage this situation.”

Mega-problems Climate Change / Global Warming Population growth Biodiversity loss Pollution Weakened terrestrial systems Water supply Poverty Inequality Debt Conflict Pandemics

What next? Preparatory materials Think and research Facilitation session What is your definition? Scales: International National Local Personal