TREN 1F90 Introduction to Sustainability

courses/tren3p18 These notes available via the online course outline at:

TREN 1F90 Introduction to Sustainability u u Definitions – –environment – –policy – –scale – –jurisdiction u u Defining Sustainable Development u u About Interdisciplinarity

Definitions, tools and frameworks

en·vi·ron·ment in-'vI-r&(n)-m&nt, -'vI(-&)r(n)- [n] 1 : the circumstances, objects, or conditions by which one is surrounded [n] 1 : the circumstances, objects, or conditions by which one is surrounded 2 a : the complex of physical, chemical, and biotic factors (as climate, soil, and living things) that act upon an organism or an ecological community and ultimately determine its form and survival b : the aggregate of social and cultural conditions that influence the life of an individual or community. 2 a : the complex of physical, chemical, and biotic factors (as climate, soil, and living things) that act upon an organism or an ecological community and ultimately determine its form and survival b : the aggregate of social and cultural conditions that influence the life of an individual or community. - Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, 2004

environment [n] the totality of surrounding conditions. [n] the totality of surrounding conditions.

environmental effects … are felt, and modified, in 3 main ways - through the flows of: … are felt, and modified, in 3 main ways - through the flows of: MATERIALS MATERIALS ENERGY ENERGY INFORMATION INFORMATION -> fundamental ‘spheres of influence’ for sustainability -> fundamental ‘spheres of influence’ for sustainability

policy … a course or general plan of action to be adopted by a government, party, person, etc. … a course or general plan of action to be adopted by a government, party, person, etc. - Concise Oxford Dictionary

policy …a selected, planned line of conduct in the light of which individual decisions are made and coordination achieved …a selected, planned line of conduct in the light of which individual decisions are made and coordination achieved - Webster’s Encyclopedic Dictionary

ENVI conceptual tools

scale - an ordered series of graduated quantities, values, degrees, etc. - relative magnitude - Webster’s Encyclopedic Dictionary

scale may be: - physical / geographical - physical / geographical –ranking based upon size, dimension, geographical subunit, etc. - ecological - ecological –individual, deme, community, population - jurisdictional - jurisdictional –local, municipal, regional, federal, global

scale earthcontinentcountryprovinceregionmunicipalityneighbourhoodhouseholdindividual United Nations..governments.. ngos / community groups. individuals individuals GLOBAL / MACRO LOCAL / MICRO spatial jurisdictional / decision making jurisdictional / decision making

jurisdiction - the legal power to administer and enforce the law - the exercising of this power - the region within which this power is valid or in which a person has authority - authority - Webster’s Encyclopedic Dictionary

Defining Sustainable Development

Sustainable development: u 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

Elements of sustainability Environment EconomySociety - World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987

the sustainable development triangle

Elements of sustainability Environment EconomySociety - World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987

Elements of sustainability Environment - World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987 biodiversitybiodiversity materialsmaterials energyenergy biophysical interactionsbiophysical interactions

Elements of sustainability Economy - World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987 money and capitalmoney and capital employmentemployment technological growthtechnological growth investmentinvestment market forcesmarket forces

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

The ‘3 Es’ Model Ecology EconomyEquity

The Healthy Community Model SOCIETY ENVIRONMENT ECONOMY HEALTH

Sustainability: PROBLEMS u Depletion of finite resources –fuels, soil, minerals, species u Over-use of renewable resources –forests, fish & wildlife, fertility, public funds u Pollution –air, water, soil u Inequity –economic, political, social, gender u Species loss –endangered species and spaces - WCED, 1987

Sustainability: SOLUTIONS u Cyclical material use –emulate natural cycles; 3 R’s u Safe reliable energy –conservation, renewable energy, substitution, interim measures u Life-based interests –health, creativity, communication, coordination, appreciation, learning, intellectual and spiritual development

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

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

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

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

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 the idea of limitations (ecological, technological, and social) which affect the environment’s ability to meet present and future needs LIMITS TO GROWTH LIMITS TO GROWTH -WCED 1987

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

Sustainable development... u implies limits Not predefined absolute limits, but limitations imposed by: 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

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 u Economic growth may be reduced or curtailed to meet limitations imposed by environment, technology, or society

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

materials and energy

Obsolescent “frontier” civilization: ENERGY CONVENTIONAL URBAN SYSTEM MATERIALS HEAT WASTE & TOXINS One-way flow of materials and energy CONSUMERSOCIETY NON-RENEWABLE and RENEWABLE HIGHTHROUGHPUT

CONSERVERSOCIETY Sustainable civilization: Cyclical flows of materialsCyclical flows of materials Appropriate energy usageAppropriate energy usage Energy Efficiency RENEWABLE Waste Minimization Toxics control LOWTHROUGHPUT ENERGY MATERIALS Low-quality Heat Energy Low-volumeNontoxicWasteMaterials

information and decision making

Sustainable development... u 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.

ECONOMY ENV’T SOCIETY TRADITIONAL DECISION MAKING

ECONOMY ENV’T SOCIETY TRADITIONAL DECISION MAKING NON-PARTICIPATORY NON-PARTICIPATORY FRAGMENTEDFRAGMENTED

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

SOCIETY ENVIRONMENT ECONOMY ECOSYSTEM-BASED DECISION MAKING PARTICIPATORY PARTICIPATORY INTEGRATED INTEGRATED ‘ECO-SYSTEMHEALTH’

Fragmented decision-making ISSUE federal / national municipal public private provincial / state regional otherinterests communitygroups - after Barrett and Kidd, 1991

Integrated decision-making regionalprovincial/ state municipalmunicipal privateprivate communitycommunity groups groups publicpublic other interests federal/ federal federal/ national national ISSUEISSUE - after Barrett and Kidd, 1991

decision making reactive reactive

decision making reactive reactive (‘end of pipe’) (‘end of pipe’)

decision making anticipatory anticipatory reactive reactive

decision making anticipatory anticipatory (planning for change) change) reactive reactive

decision making radical radical anticipatory anticipatory reactive reactive

decision making radical radical(fundamental; root causes) root causes) anticipatory anticipatory reactive reactive

decision making radical radical anticipatory anticipatory reactive reactive

radical radical anticipatory anticipatory reactive reactive Industry Industry change in demand change in demand - less consumption - less consumption - alternative consumption - alternative consumption change in process change in process - clean technology - clean technology - elimination of toxics - elimination of toxics sewage treatment plant sewage treatment plant - ‘end of pipe’ solution environment environment and and economy economy and and society society environment environmentandeconomy oreconomy

Northern Telecom u based in Canada u 42 plants in various countries u manufacturer of electronic components (telecommunications) u 1988: tonnes of CFCs per year u 1992: 0 tonnes of CFCs used per year Historical example:

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

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

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

radical radical anticipatory anticipatory reactive reactive

radical radical anticipatory anticipatory reactive reactive Industry Industry

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

radical radical anticipatory anticipatory reactive reactive Industry Industry change in change in demand for product demand for product change in change in industrial process industrial process sewage sewage treatment treatment plant for wastes plant for wastesBiodiversity apply landscape apply landscape ecology principles ecology principles to human activity to human activity establish national establish national parks (12%) parks (12%) to protect habitats to protect habitats zoo / seed bank for endangered species zoo / seed bank for endangered speciesTransportation

radical radical anticipatory anticipatory reactive reactive Industry Industry change in change in demand for product demand for product change in change in industrial process industrial process sewage sewage treatment treatment plant for wastes plant for wastesBiodiversity apply landscape apply landscape ecology principles ecology principles to human activity to human activity establish national establish national parks (12%) parks (12%) to protect habitats to protect habitats zoo / seed bank for endangered species zoo / seed bank for endangered speciesTransportation complete redesign of our cities complete redesign of our cities alternative alternative fuels for cars fuels for cars catalytic catalytic converters converters

valuesideologystrategies values, ideologies and strategies

interactions amongst values / ideologies / strategies values individual, cultural, social, spiritual, moral

interactions amongst values / ideologies / strategies values ideologies Definable sets of values constitute individual, cultural, social, spiritual, moral Short form summary of basic values that eliminates the need to engage in deep philosophical investigations every time action is required

interactions amongst values / ideologies / strategies values ideologies Definable sets of values constitute (e.g. Industrial Capitalism, Marxism, Christianity, Liberalism, Socialism, Conservatism, Judaism) individual, cultural, social, spiritual, moral

interactions amongst values / ideologies / strategies values ideologies strategies Definable sets of values constitute (e.g. Industrial Capitalism, Marxism, Christianity, Liberalism, Socialism, Conservatism, Judaism) …which give rise to practical applications of ideologically consistent ideas, actions, policies and programs individual, cultural, social, spiritual, moral

interactions amongst values / ideologies / strategies valuesideologystrategies

environmental values valuesideologystrategies holistic perspective holistic perspective everything is connected to everything else everything is connected to everything else parts can only be understood in the context parts can only be understood in the context of the whole of the whole nature as a living organism or system nature as a living organism or system (after Macdonald, D The Politics of Pollution. McClelland and Stewart, Toronto: p.33) McClelland and Stewart, Toronto: p.33)

environmental values valuesideologystrategies humans living within nature humans living within nature -> inherent value of other organisms and inanimate objects inanimate objects limits to growth limits to growth (after Macdonald, D The Politics of Pollution. McClelland and Stewart, Toronto: p.33) McClelland and Stewart, Toronto: p.33)

environmental values valuesideologystrategies appropriate technology appropriate technology matching the scope and scale of technology matching the scope and scale of technology to the task at hand to the task at hand principles of durability and efficiency principles of durability and efficiency recognition that new technology brings both recognition that new technology brings both benefits and problems benefits and problems

environmental values valuesideologystrategies appropriate scaleappropriate scale appropriate sizes for institutions, social appropriate sizes for institutions, social organizations, communities organizations, communities accessible and accountable decision-makingaccessible and accountable decision-making in public and private sectors in public and private sectors

interactions amongst values / ideologies / strategies valuesideologystrategies

environmental ideologies valuesideologystrategies technological optimism technological optimism sustainable development (Brundtland Commission) sustainable development (Brundtland Commission) social ecology (Murray Bookchin) social ecology (Murray Bookchin) deep ecology (Arne Naess) deep ecology (Arne Naess) ecofeminism (Françoise D’Eaubonne) ecofeminism (Françoise D’Eaubonne) various ‘green’ political parties various ‘green’ political parties many variants: e.g., alliances with socialism, feminism, peace movement, etc. examples of

interactions amongst values / ideologies / strategies valuesideologystrategies

reform environmentalism (traditional bureacracies and political action) reform environmentalism (traditional bureacracies and political action) direct action and intervention (e.g. Earth First!) direct action and intervention (e.g. Earth First!) single-issue lobbying / intervention groups (e.g., Save the Rouge Valley System) single-issue lobbying / intervention groups (e.g., Save the Rouge Valley System) permanent organizations (e.g., Greenpeace) permanent organizations (e.g., Greenpeace) alliances and coalitions (e.g., Canadian Coalition on Acid Rain) alliances and coalitions (e.g., Canadian Coalition on Acid Rain) round tables, forums (e.g., National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy) round tables, forums (e.g., National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy) environmental strategies and strategists

interactions amongst values / ideologies / strategies valuesideologystrategies

valuesideologystrategies feedback loop allows for reflection, feedback loop allows for reflection, re-evaluation, adaptive management re-evaluation, adaptive management

ideology interactions amongst values / ideologies / strategies valuesstrategies if no feedback loop: inflexible, unresponsive if no feedback loop: inflexible, unresponsive

ideology interactions amongst values / ideologies / strategies valuesstrategies dogma

valuesideologystrategies

Sustainability: How do we move from rhetoric to reality?

principles

principles policy

principles policy practice

To be useful, principles of sustainability must: u be easily understood u be applicable in many contexts u be transferrable across scales u translate well from fundamental values into applied policy and practical action u identify possibilities for radical transformative change AND positive incremental change positive incremental change

Some Principles of Sustainability in the literature: u Our Common Future (WCED 1987) u Principles defining sustainable development (OSEM 1989) u Defining a sustainable society (Robinson et al. 1990,1996) u Agenda 21 (1992) u Six principles of sustainable development (ORTEE 1992) u Guideposts for a sustainable future (Nickerson 1993) u Framework for Sustainable Development (CIDA 1994) u The Natural Step (Robert et al. 1994) u Sustainability Principles (ORTEE 1994), etc.

Recent compilation of Principles of Sustainability -IISD (Winnipeg) -IISD (Winnipeg)

Guideposts for Sustainability (after Nickerson, 1993) Activities are sustainable when they: 1.Use materials in continuous cycles. 2.Use continuously reliable sources of energy. 3.Encourage desirable human traits (equity; creativity; communication; coordination; appreciation; intellectual and spiritual development). One example:

Guideposts for Sustainability Activities are not sustainable when they: 4.Require continual inputs of non-renewable resources. 5.Use renewable resources faster than their rate of renewal. 6. Cause cumulative degradation of the environment. 7. Require resources in quantities that could never be available for people everywhere. 8. Lead to the extinction of other life forms.

About Interdisciplinarity

What do you answer if someone asks you, – – What is your major? – – What are your career goals? – – What is your ethnic origin?

career goals academic major ethnocultural identity Normativecategories

doctor lawyer police officer mechanic paramedic Normativecategories

literature psychology mathematics biology sociology Normativecategories “disciplines”

disciplinary disciplinary Multidisciplinary Interdisciplinary Transdisciplinary - what are the differences? Reference: Stefanovic, Ingrid Interdisciplinarity and Wholeness: Lessons from Eco-Research. and Wholeness: Lessons from Eco-Research. Environments 23(3): Environments 23(3):

Disciplinary: u of or pertaining to a discrete branch of learning u knowledge within generally accepted boundaries

Disciplinary: u often associated with discipline-specific vocabularies, methods, and assumptions u Examples of disciplines: sociology, philosophy, biology, political science, chemistry, economics, geography, mathematics... sociology, philosophy, biology, political science, chemistry, economics, geography, mathematics...

Multidisciplinary: u standard disciplinary approaches are applied to a common research question, problem or issue u insights achieved through an approach which is essentially additive rather than integrative

Multidisciplinary: u a spontaneous coalescence of these disparate approaches is anticipated u arguably the approach which produces the most substantive research results

ISSUE

discipline discipline discipline discipline discipline discipline discipline discipline

Interdisciplinary: u the issue, problem, or concern defines the disciplinary expertise which is brought to bear …arguably the most effective policy- oriented problem-solving approach

Interdisciplinary: u a level of integration which involves more than an additive analysis of the disciplinary perspectives u insights are achieved through an approach which is explicitly integrative -> an a priori attempt is made at synthesis across disciplinary boundaries

ISSUE

disciplinediscipline discipline discipline discipline discipline discipline discipline

sector sector ISSUE sector sector

Transdisciplinary: u recognizes the interconnectedness of all aspects of reality and knowledge u Goal: distinctions amongst disciplines are eliminated completely

Transdisciplinary: u “an attempt to transcend the dynamics of a dialectical synthesis to grasp the total dynamics of reality as a whole” u Examples of transdisciplinary endeavour: –general systems theory –phenomenology

disciplinediscipline ISSUE discipline discipline discipline discipline discipline discipline discipline discipline discipline discipline discipline discipline discipline disciplinediscipline discipline discipline discipline discipline discipline discipline