FOCUS Environmental Education – Learning to be Sustainable St.Pölten, Quality of life and sustainable development – a great couple? Dr. Ines Omann

Content A framework linking quality of life and sustainable development The inner and the outer context Methods to address the inner context Examples of projects Ines OmannESEE 20092

Why quality of life? Ines OmannESEE Quality of life has two determinants: -Objective: capabilities one person has to fulfill his/her needs -Subjective: perception of the fulfillment of these needs „Quality of life...defined as subjective well-being and personal growth in a healthy and prosperous environment“ (Lane 1996)

Back to the sources of SD “Sustainable development is a development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs“ What are needs? What is their link to well-being, capabilities, values, quality of life, …? Ines OmannESEE 20094

Ines OmannESEE Human Flourishing Sustainable Development Needs

Concept of needs Most fundamental dimension of human flourishing Actions to fulfill needs require no further reasoning Internal driving force: Non-negotiable Essential for health/well-being of individual Needs are universal in type, therefore abstract Needs are not (un) sustainable Examples: subsistence, participation, freedom Ines OmannESEE 20096

Ines OmannESEE Human Flourishing Sustainable Development Strategies Needs

What about you? What is it that you need right now? Subsistence, Protection, Affection, Understanding, Participation, Freedom, Leisure, Creation, Identity What can you do to meet your need? What are your strategies? Ines OmannESEE 20098

Strategies Strategies serve to fulfil one‘s needs They are chosen depending on values, culture, preferences, resources and chances for realisation (determine lifestyles) Basic (subsistence) needs ask rather for materialistic strategies other needs: also immaterial strategies possible choice of strategies can lead to (un)sustainable development Strategies are negotiable, concrete but not universal Ines OmannESEE 20099

List of needs and strategies (based on Max-Neef 1993) Ines OmannESEE NEEDS Being (Qualities) Having (Things)Doing (Actions)Interacting (Settings) Subsistence Physical and mental health Food, shelter, work Feed, clothes, rest, work Living environment, social setting Protection Care, adaptability, autonomy Social security, health systems, work Co-operate, plan, take care of, help Social environment Affection Understanding Participation Receptiveness, dedication, sense of humour Responsibilities, duties, work, rights Cooperate, dissent, express opinions Associations, parties, churches, neighbourhoods Freedom Autonomy, passion, self- esteem Equal rightsDissent, choose, run risks, develop awareness Anywhere Idleness Creation Identity Transcendence

Quality of life Ines OmannESEE Human Flourishing Resources Freedom to choose Strategies Capabilities Meaning of Life Sustainable Development Culture Values

Introducing capabilities and needs Characteristics: green, small, fast, expensive Capabilities: be seen, easy parking, rapidity, distinction Needs: protection, leisure, freedom, identity Needs are different from strategies (work, money, car) and from preferences (expressing the relative desirability of these strategies). Well-being: hedonic eudaimonic: - psychological - social 12

The capability approach (Sen) Capabilities determine the objective conditions, i.e. resources in human, social and material capital, and the freedom to choose which needs should be fulfilled and how. Focuses on what people are able to do and to be, on the quality of their life, and on removing obstacles in their life so that they have more freedom to live the kind of life which they find valuable.jn Ines OmannESEE

Ines OmannESEE Human Flourishing Sustainable Development Resources Freedom to choose Needs Capabilities Strategies Culture Values Meaning of Life

From resources to capabilities to needs Resources (material and non-material) are required for capabilities. Capabilities allow me to select a strategy in order to meet my needs. Strategies are negotiable, concrete, but not universal Behaviour is concrete and changeable. Needs are abstract dimensions of human flourishing. Values and culture influence the importance of specific needs and strategies. Needs relate to what is important in each and every life our dependency on nature and society Ines OmannESEE

Well-being Its hedonic part reflects the pleasure experienced and is linked to emotional well-being, Its eudaimonic part reflects the striving to realize one’s personal and social potential; it gives meaning Both can be seen as the subjective experience of one’s fulfillment of needs Ines OmannESEE

Ines OmannESEE Human Flourishing Needs Hedonic wellbeing Eudaimonic wellbeing Sustainable Development Resources Freedom to choose Capabilities Strategies Culture Values Flow of Life Meaning of Life

Thank you for your attention! This session: contributions focusing on capabilites and WB Afternoon session: Felix: Re-introducing Needs into Sustainable Development Johannes: Conceptualizing 'Mode-3 Science' Ines OmannESEE