A Framework for Sustainability

Northern Great Lakes Visitor CenterMarch 19, 2007

JERRY HEMBD

Northern Center for Community and Economic Development

University of Wisconsin-SuperiorUniversity of Wisconsin-Extension

Beginning Notes

• A work in progress

• Indicative rather than definitive

• Questions and discussion at the end

Four Challenges Posed by the Transition to Sustainability

• We need more accurate models, metaphors, and measures to describe the human enterprise relative to the biosphere.

• It will require a marked improvement and creativity in the arts of citizenship and governance.

• The public’s discretion will need to be informed through greatly improved education.

• It will require learning how to recognize and solve divergent problems, which is to say a higher level of spiritual awareness.Source: David Orr. The Last Refuge: Patriotism, Politics, and the Environment in an Age of Terror. Washington, DC: Island Press, 2004.

The Three Waves of Community Economic

Development

Plus OneThree Waves Portion Derived from:

Blakely, Edward J., and Bradshaw, Ted K. Planning Local Economic Development: Theory and Practice. 3d ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2002.

Drabenstott, Mark. “Rethinking Federal Policy for Regional Economic Development.” Economic Review, Vol. 91, No. 1 (First Quarter 2006).

Eberts, Randall W. “Overview of State and Local Economic Development Policies and Practice in the United States.” In Local Governance for Promoting Employment—Comparing the Performance of Japan and Seven Countries, pp. 87-102. Edited by Sylvain Giguere, Yoshio Higuchi, and the Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training. Tokyo, Japan: The Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training, 2005.

Shaffer, Ron; Deller, Steve; and Marcouiller, Dave. “Rethinking Community Economic Development.” Economic Development Quarterly, February 2006.

First Wave

Industrial Recruiting1950s to early 1980s

Driver• Export base

Goal• Attract outside firms

Strategies• Financial incentives• Industrial parks

Keys to success• Government funds for

subsidies and tax breaks

• Industrial infrastructure

Second Wave

Cost CompetitionEarly 1980s to early 1990s

Driver• Efficiency and scale

economiesGoal• Retention and expansion

of existing firmsStrategies• Reduce taxes• Deregulation• Industry consolidation

and cost cutting

Keys to success• Health of existing firms• Training programs• Social and physical

resources

Third Wave

Regional CompetitivenessEarly 1990s to present

Driver• Innovation and

entrepreneurshipGoal• Enhance regional

resources to promote industrial clusters

Strategies• Entrepreneurship• Clusters• Building regional

collaboration

Keys to success• Distinct regional assets

such as– Human capital– Higher education– Amenities– Creative economy

• Leadership and development of quality environment

• Bridging economic and community development

Paradigm Change

• Death by a thousand cuts – Linear thinking– Reductionism– Economic growth

• Let a thousand flowers bloom– Systems thinking– Sustainability– Emergent properties

Fourth or “New” Wave

Sustainability Revolution and Paradigm ChangeEarly 1980s and still evolving

Drivers• Sustainable development

and systems thinkingGoal• SustainabilityEmerging Strategies• Eco-municipality

movement (The Natural Step)

• Localization

• Valuing ecosystem services (e.g., Millennium Ecosystem Assessment)

• Sustainable agriculture and local food systems

• Sustainable tourism• The “triple bottom line” of

business• Eco-industrial

development (industrial ecology)

“Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of

future generations to meet their own needs.”

Intergenerationalequity

Source: World Commission on Environment and Development. Our Common Future. The Brundtland Report. Oxford University Press, 1987, p. 43.

“It contains two key concepts: the concept of “needs,” in particular the essential needs of the world’s poor,

to which overriding priority should be given; and the idea of limitations

imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment’s ability to meet

present and future needs.”

Intragenerationalequity

Limits

Community Views and Contexts

From Circles to Systems

Economy Environment

Society

View of Community as Three Unconnected Circles “Silos” View

Economy Environment

Society

View of Community As Three Interconnected Circles “Linkages” View

PoliticalCapital

NaturalCapital

CulturalCapital

HumanCapital

Financial Capital

Built Capital

Social Capital

Healthy EcosystemVital Economy

Social Well-Being

Community Capitals Model

Source: Cornelia Butler Flora, North Central Regional Center for Rural Development, 2004

Economy

Environment

Society

View of Community as Three Concentric Circles “Systems” View

Systems Views and Contexts

From Empty to Full

What is a system?

Types of Systems – A Beginning

• Closed system– Imports and exports energy only; matter

circulates within the system

the Earth approximates such a system . . . energy flows through, material cycles within . . . finite, nongrowing

• Open system– Takes in and gives out both matter and energy

the economy is such a system . . . it can change in size

The natural world is “the envelope that contains, sustains and provisions the economy.”

Herman Daly

SolarEnergy

Energy

SourceFunctions

SinkFunctions

Resources

Finite Global Ecosystem

Waste Heat

Energy

Resources

RecycledMatter

Natural Capital (Ecosystem)

Manmade Capital (Economy)

Growing Economic Subsystem

Welfare

Economic service

Ecosystem service

Source: Daly, Herman. Ecological Economics. Island Press, 2004

Major Categories of Ecosystem Services

• Provisioning

• Regulating

• Cultural

• Supporting

Source: Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. 2003. Washington, DC: Island Press.

“Life Support” Functions of Ecosystem Services

• Food

• Water

• Pest control

• Flood control

• Climate regulation

• Recreation

Ehrlich-Holdren “IPAT” Equation

I = P * A * T

I = environmental impact of the economy

P = population growingA = average material standard of living growing rapidly (consumption)T = throughput (resource consumption, pollution, and ecosystem impacts) per unit of output technology term to compensate for P and A

Original Source: Ehrlich, P., and Holdren, J. 1971. “Impact of Population Growth.” Science 171: 1212-19.

World Population Since AD 1B

illi

on

Peo

ple

Tri

llio

n D

oll

ars

2003

Do

llar

sGross World Product

1950 - 2004

Gross World Product Per Person, 1950-2004

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

Source: Maddison, IMF

Do

llar

s (2

003

Do

llar

s)

Carbon Emissions from Fossil Fuel Burning, 1751-2004

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

1751

1776

1801

1826

1851

1876

1901

1926

1951

1976

2001

Source: UN, BP, DOE, IEA

Mil

lio

n T

on

s

US Energy Consumption1635 - 2000

Qu

adri

lio

n

BT

U

Growth Trends Summary: 1950 to 2000

• Population more than 2X• Economy 7X• Food consumption 3X• Water use 3X• Energy use 4X

SolarEnergy

GrowingEconomic

Subsystem

Energy Energy

SourceFunctions

SinkFunctions

Resources Resources

Finite Global Ecosystem

Waste Heat

RecycledMatter

Natural Capital (Ecosystem)

Manmade Capital (Economy)

Welfare

Economic service

Ecosystem service

Source: Daly, Herman. Ecological Economics. Island Press, 2004

Natural Capital (Ecosystem)

Manmade Capital (Economy)Source: Daly, Herman. Ecological Economics. Island Press, 2004

Finite Global Ecosystem

World’s Ecological Footprint1961 - 2001

Nu

mb

er o

f E

arth

s R

equ

ired

Source: WWF, UNEP, Global Footprint Network

The Natural Step Resource Funnel

Resource Availability and Ecosystem Ability to Provide Vital Services

Raw materials, ecosystem services, declining integrity and capacity of natural systems

SustainabilityMargin for

Action

Societal Demand for ResourcesGrowth in population, resource requirements as affluence increases, increased demands as technology spreads.

Source: Nattrass, Brian, and Altomare, Mary. The Natural Step for Business. New Society Publishers, 1999.

The Four System Conditions for Sustainability

In the sustainable society, nature is not subject to systematically increasing…

1. concentrations of substances extracted from the Earth’s crust;

2. concentrations of substances produced by society;

3. degradation by physical means;

and, in that society,

4. human needs are met worldwide.

The PP4SD Distinction

• Sustainability is a goal. It is the capacity for continuance into the long-term future.

• Sustainable development is the process of moving towards this ideal end-state. It is controversial because there is often disagreement on the best way to make progress - or even if we should try.

Economic Ecological

Social

Sustainability

Economic limits

Ecological limits

Social limits

Sustainable Development

Global Environment

Supply Chain Organization Customer ChainInputs

Supplies

Outputs

Product

Risk and Opportunity

Business Model

Global Environment

Supply Chain Organization Customer ChainInputs

Supplies

Outputs

Products

Reduction in material and energy flows

Sustainable Sourcing 100% Consumable

Renewable sources

Biodiversity

Factor reduction• World Business Council for Sustainable

Development

Safe edible outputs

Design for reuse

Reliable quality sources

Sustainable Business Model

Systems Thinking

Spheres of Concern and Influence

Sphere of concern

Sphere of influence

Freshwater Ecosystems Provide:

• Water supplies for irrigation, industries, cities, and homes;

• Fish, waterfowl, mussels and other foods for people and wildlife;

• Water purification and filtration of pollutants;• Flood mitigation;• Drought mitigation;• Groundwater recharge;• Water storage;• Provision of wildlife habitat and nursery

grounds

Freshwater Ecosystems Provide:

• Soil fertility maintenance;• Nutrient delivery to deltas and estuaries• Delivery of freshwater flows to maintain

estuaries salinity balances;• Aesthetic, cultural and spiritual values;• Recreational opportunities; and• Conservation of biodiversity, which preserves

resilience and options for the future

SOURCE: S. Postel, Liquid Assets: The Critical Need to Safeguard Freshwater Ecosystems (Washington, DC: Worldwatch Institute, 2005).

Some Underlying Questions

• Time frame

• Scale and throughput

• Growth – development

• Population – consumption• Equity

More and/or Better

• MORE

Economic growth/development

• BETTER

Community development

• DIFFERENT

Sustainable development

Concluding Notes

• Context matters• The force (of a paradigm

change) is with us• Education as a responsibility• Transformational education• Education for sustainability

and not education about the environment

• Content and process

Some things have to be

believed to be seen.

Livelihood is about quality of life; living standard is about quantity of material possessions.

Education aimed solely at raising living standards relates to concepts of employment, jobs and careers based on individualism and personal success. Education for livelihood is just the opposite. It is about relationships, mutuality, reciprocity, community, coherence, wholeness, and ecology.

Most schools and universities are dominated by materialist and consumerist goals. They have taken on the mission of literacy instead of meaning, information instead of transformation, and training instead of learning. Modern-day educators have become servants of the economy and they are oblivious to the catastrophic consequences for the people and the planet.

‘Education as usual’ is no longer an option.

Quoted from: Satish Kumar, “Education for Sustainability.” Resurgence 226 (September/October 2004): 3.

Northern Center for Community and Economic Development

Jerry Hembd, Director

University of Wisconsin-SuperiorBelknap & Catlin, PO Box 2000Superior, Wisconsin 54880Phone: 715-394-8208Fax: 715-394-8592E-mail: jhembd@uwsuper.eduWebsite: http://www.uwsuper.edu/ncced