Comments on Chapter 1: Comments on Chapter 1: Sustainability Science and Sustainability Science and Sustainable DevelopmentSustainable Development

University of Minnesota StudentsSeptember 20, 2010

Human well-being as the Human well-being as the foundation of sustainability foundation of sustainability sciencescience

Motivation for Motivation for SustainabilitySustainability“A false positive diagnosis is an

inconvenience, but a false negative diagnosis can be catastrophic.”

-- “To What End,” EO Wilson

Environmentalists and exemptionalists

Ethic of Sustainable Ethic of Sustainable DevelopmentDevelopmentExpand resources, improve quality

of life for as many people with minimal prosthetic dependence

Inextricably linked to population growth

Measure of success: ecological footprint (per capita and total)

Path to Sustainable Path to Sustainable DevelopmentDevelopmentFull-cost accounting

◦Include environmental degradation as a COST

◦Natural world and human well-being must be included

Conservation ethic: anthropocentric protection of ecological world◦Take the rest of life with us as we

meet the environmental challenge

Need for Conservation Need for Conservation EthicEthicPreserve habitat as the most efficient

way to preserve biodiversityConsequence to not: end of the

Cenozoic Era (Age of Mammals) and beginning of Eremozoic Age (Age of Loneliness)

Necessity: More species higher productivity better resilience to environmental changes (which will become more frequent with climate change)

Anthropocentrism Anthropocentrism FrameworkFrameworkTo limit the sustainability debate,

focus on humanityAnthropocentrism still requires

ecocentrism, as natural ecosystems provide environments resilient to climate change, medicines, and the natural resources used to increase economic growth

Sustainable Sustainable Development: Varying Development: Varying ContextsContexts

Views of sustainabilityViews of sustainability

players and players and perspectivesperspectives

Players Views

IndividualsAcademia IndustryGovernmentsDeveloped nationsDeveloping nations International forums

Individuals Vs. SocietyNation Vs. WorldAcademia Vs. Industry Industry Vs. IndustryNation Vs. NationNation Vs. World

Industry viewsIndustry viewsVarying views of sustainability in

industry◦Dow Jones Sustainability Index◦Community Sustainability from Sustainable

Measures

New Framework: ‘Conditions, characteristics and indicators of sustainability’◦Triple Bottom Line◦Natural Step

Nation Vs. NationNation Vs. NationEnvironmental Kuznets Curve

idea

And the ControversyAnd the Controversy

ConvergenceConvergence

Optimal use of existing resources for a Sustainable Future◦The subject of this venture

Sustainable Development Sustainable Development vs. Sustainability Science vs. Sustainability Science RevisitedRevisited

Existing relationship between Existing relationship between sustainability science and sustainability science and sustainable development?sustainable development?

sustainability science

sustainable development

?

Optimal relationship between sustainability science and sustainable development (?)

Sustainable Development

Science

Who are sustainability Who are sustainability scientists?scientists?-Educated people-People who are interested enough in the ‘natural’ environment to want to study it -Do these often imply certain moral beliefs? -Are these moral beliefs necessary to practice sustainable development from an anthropocentric standpoint?

Who implements sustainable Who implements sustainable development?development?CitizensPoliticiansIndustrial and economic leadersNGOsSustainability scientists?Not all are educatedNot all are interested in the ‘natural’

environment (except insofar as they depend on it)

BUT ALL ARE REQUIRED TO BE ON BOARD FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT TO WORK!!

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Sustainable development: Sustainable development: poster child for “concilience”?poster child for “concilience”?

E.O. Wilson, Consilience

The notion and need for a unity of knowledge across traditional boundaries of knowledge is critical to sustainable development. At such intersections of knowledge we can discuss the difference between scientific and ethical uncertainty

With that in mind…With that in mind…

Pros of high SS-SD Pros of high SS-SD overlap:overlap:Efficiency – knowledge is directly

(and correctly!) transferred from science to practice

Encourages education: if knowledge of sustainability science is required to practice sustainable development, more people might be encouraged to educate themselves

Others?

Cons of high SS-SD Cons of high SS-SD overlapoverlapElitism – as SD, arguably society’s

greatest current challenge, becomes an elitist venture, participation and interest may decline

Skewed moral compass – if only those who are educated/interested in the ‘natural’ world can participate, the values of society at large are not represented and anthropocentrism is potentially undermined

Where, then, should the lines be Where, then, should the lines be drawn?drawn?

sustainability science

sustainable development

?