SUSTAINABILITY Image from Wikipedia. Sustainable Development Image from Wikipedia.

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SUSTAINABILITY

Image from Wikipedia

Sustainable Development

Quote found in Groom et al. (2006)

“A sustainable society is one that ensures the health and vitality of human life and culture and of nature’s capital, for present and future generations. Such a society acts to stop the activities that serve to destroy human life and

culture and nature’s capital, and to encourage those activities that serve to conserve what exists, restore what has been damaged, and

prevent future harm.”

Stephen Viederman (1992)

United Nations Conference on theHuman Environment – Stockholm, 1972

Two ground-breaking reports resulted:

Our Common Future, a.k.a. the Brundtland Commission Report

(1987)

World Conservation Strategy(1980)

Photo of Brundtland from Wikipedia

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)

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"

Logo from www.eoearth.org

United Nations Conference on Environment &Development, a.k.a. Rio Earth Summit, 1992

(key objective = to develop national strategies for the conservation & sustainable use

of biodiversity)

Two major achievements:

Kyoto Protocol

Convention on Biological Diversity

(adopted 1997, Kyoto, Japan)

United Nations Conference on the HumanEnvironment, Johannesburg, 2002

Two important achievements:

Johannesburg Declaration onSustainable Development

Johannesburg Plan ofImplementation

These global efforts promote sustainable developmentas they advance the welfare of both humans & nature, while balancing

considerations for both

From Lubchenco et al. (1991)

Ecological Society of AmericaSustainable 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”

Modified from Groom et al. (2006)

Examples of what is to be sustained

Examples of what is to be developed

BiodiversityNatural habitats

EcosystemsEcosystem productivity

Ecosystem servicesEvolutionary potential

Natural resourcesClimate

Human cultureSignificant natural &

cultural heritageEtc…

Social equalityEconomic security

Food & water securityHome securityHuman health

Life expectancyEducation

Stabilized populationEtc…

Photo of Maathai from Wikipedia

“Protecting the global environment is directly related to securing peace”

Sustainable Development & World Peace

Wangari Muta Maathai(1940-2011)

Nobel Peace Prize (2004; 1st African woman) for“contribution to sustainable development, democracy & peace”

Photo of Maathai from Wikipedia

“The Norwegian Nobel Committee has challenged the world to broaden the understanding of peace: there can be no peace without equitable development;

there can be no development without sustainable management of the environment in a democratic and peaceful state.”

Wangari Muta Maathai(1940-2011)

Nobel Peace Prize (2004; 1st African woman) for“contribution to sustainable development, democracy & peace”

Images of the Persian Gulf War (1990-1991) from Wikipedia

Image of PowerPoint diagram that portrays the complexity of U.S. stratgey in Afghanistan from N. Y. Times

It’s a complex task, since human enterprise is complex & dynamic, just as nature is complex &dynamic

Orange:malnutrition

White:gender

violence

Light blue:child abuse;

slavery(incl. sexual)

Green:environmental

Purple:religious

intolerance

Images of examples of awareness ribbons from Wikipedia

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

Black:Sept. 11,

Map from Wikipedia

> 1 billion people suffer from malnutrition

~ 1 person dies every second from malnutrition

1 in 5 is a child

Sustainable Development & Social Equality

Recall Ch. 5, Groom et al. (2006) ; questions from Ch. 16, Groom et al. (2006)

Sustained growth (in terms of resource consumption) 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 non-sustainable economic growth?

Economic toolsE.g., charitable donations, foreign aid, boycotts, embargos, etc.

How can we achieve it?

Social pressureConsider 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 mechanismsConsider the policies we have discussed; see Ch. 17, Groom et al. (2006)

Etc…

Sustainable Development at LSU

LSU Recycling Web site

LSU Recycles

What about the other actions in the conservation mantra: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle?

LSU’s “Green Report Card”(LSU scores a C+)

Green Report Card Web site

“Crossing certain biophysical thresholds could have disastrousconsequences for humanity; Three of nine interlinked planetary

boundaries have already been overstepped”

Prospects for Global Sustainability

Figure from Rockstrom et al. (2009) Nature

SUSTAINABILITY Image from Wikipedia. Sustainable Development Image from Wikipedia.

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