BoundariesBoundaries

Peter GuthriePeter Guthrie

CambridgeCambridge

Boundaries provide Boundaries provide securitysecurity

Engineering for Sustainable Engineering for Sustainable DevelopmentDevelopment

Boundaries needed to LIMIT the taskBoundaries needed to LIMIT the task Wherever boundaries are drawn Wherever boundaries are drawn

limitations are imposedlimitations are imposed Because sustainable development is Because sustainable development is

global in reach, this presents a global in reach, this presents a difficulty of definitiondifficulty of definition

Dibden Bay ProposalDibden Bay Proposal

European scale European scale facilityfacility

National National importanceimportance

Local adverse Local adverse impactimpact

Dibden Bay ProposalDibden Bay Proposal

Scheme set in the CONTEXT of Scheme set in the CONTEXT of national and European policiesnational and European policies

Proposal does not challenge, for Proposal does not challenge, for example, the role of shipping in UK example, the role of shipping in UK trade positiontrade position

Boundary around road traffic impacts Boundary around road traffic impacts is narrowly drawnis narrowly drawn

Eden ProjectEden Project

Set up as sustainable Set up as sustainable development icondevelopment icon

Exhaustive in testing its Exhaustive in testing its sustainable development sustainable development performanceperformance

Does not fully address Does not fully address sustainability of car travel sustainability of car travel from all over UKfrom all over UK

West Coast Mainline Route West Coast Mainline Route ModernisationModernisation

Looked at many individual rail Looked at many individual rail improvement projectsimprovement projects

Impacts almost all negativeImpacts almost all negative Changed boundaries and looked at Changed boundaries and looked at

whole schemewhole scheme Positive impacts includedPositive impacts included

Boundaries Boundaries

Choice can determine outcomeChoice can determine outcome Change of boundaries can change Change of boundaries can change

outcomeoutcome Determination of boundaries is Determination of boundaries is

susceptible to manipulation susceptible to manipulation

Boundaries Boundaries

SpaceSpace

Time Time

Zones of (dis)comfortZones of (dis)comfortGlobalGlobal

My cityMy city

MeMe

NowNow 100 yrs100 yrs EternityEternity

Sustainable Development Sustainable Development

Characterised byCharacterised by•ComplexityComplexity •Need for multi-party Need for multi-party

engagementengagement •Boundaries of responsibilityBoundaries of responsibility

Challenges for ProfessionalsChallenges for Professionals

How far can the context be How far can the context be questioned?questioned?

How secure is the existence of How secure is the existence of context / setting of limits a valid context / setting of limits a valid defence?defence?

What are the limits of professional What are the limits of professional responsibility?responsibility?

And the Institutions…And the Institutions…

Must lead the way in influencing Must lead the way in influencing policy, qualifying members, acting as policy, qualifying members, acting as learned societylearned society

Cannot be a trade association or a Cannot be a trade association or a workers’ cooperative if it is to be a workers’ cooperative if it is to be a professional organisationprofessional organisation

Must have resources to fulfil these Must have resources to fulfil these functionsfunctions