Linking Methodologies to Theories in Sustainability Science Lennart Olsson & Barry Ness LUCSUS –...
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Transcript of Linking Methodologies to Theories in Sustainability Science Lennart Olsson & Barry Ness LUCSUS –...
Linking Methodologies to Theories in Sustainability Science
Lennart Olsson & Barry NessLUCSUS – Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies, Sweden
www.lucsus.lu.se
Hunger and malnutrition
Poverty and inequality
Violation of human rights
Lack of health services
Epidemic diseases
Corruption
Illiteracy Clim
ate
chan
ge
Def
ores
tatio
n
Dep
letio
n of
fish
sto
cks
Land
deg
rada
tion
Wat
er s
carc
ity
Bio
dive
rsity
loss
World View
From science to society
Scientific understanding
Goals
Strategies
Implementation
By accidentDeliberately
What is Sustainability Science?
A science that explores two voids:• between natural and social science• between science and the workings of society
A science that studies and contributes to sustainability transitions.
A science that seeks new solutions to wicked problems.
A science that seeks syntheses rather than specialisations.
The dominating belief underpinning science:
the piecemeal study of the real world.
biology
history
fluid mechanics
physical geography
chemistry
ethnology
philosophy
sociology
literature
pedagogics
epidemiology
law
theology
limnologylinguistics
business law
economic history
micro biology
orthopedics
economicshuman ecology
archeologyquarternary geology
political science
psychology
arts
nuclear physics
atomic physics
sociology of law
social anthropology
statistics
mathematics
electronicswater resources eng.
genetics
chemical engineering
business adm.
psychiatry
radiophysics
environmental engineering
informatics media and communication
geophysics
nutrition
social works gender studiessocial geography
economic geography
ecology
public health
innovation studies
Natural science doesn’t question its ontologySocial science constantly questions its ontology
Example 1.
Water is a bio-physical entity (H2O) that can exist in three forms – solid, liquid, and gas. It can be studied objectively.
Water-flows in nature are driven by gravity and thermodynamics.
Water is an economic good.
Water is primarily a source of conflict
Water is primarily a source of co-operation
Water-flows in society are driven by power relationships
Natural science doesn’t question its ontologySocial science constantly questions its ontology
Example 2.
Carbon is a bio-physical entity. In the form of CO2, it contributes to global warming. The cycling of CO2 can be studied by quantitative and objective methods
The cycling of carbon is embedded in almost all human activities. This cycling is determined by economic, political and social drivers.
Fig. 5. Global C cycle showing fossil C stock, CO2 emissions, and fate of CO2 in the 1990s. Carbon stocks are in units of Pg C; annualflows and changes in atmospheric CO2 are in PgC per year. Net annual absorption by terrestrial and ocean sinks is only roughly known(House et al., 2003; Houghton, 2003); values shown are from IPCC (2001a). Other sources include: IPCC (2000), Sundquist (1993) andRogner (2000). Janzen H.H.: 2005: Carbon cycling in earth systems—a soil science perspective. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment
Sustainability assessment
Indicators/indices
Product related assessments
Integrated assessment
Non-Integrated
Environmental Pressure Indicators
Regional flow assessments
Integrated
UNCSD 58
Input-Output Energy Analysis
Regional Emergy Analysis
Regional Exergy Analysis
Economy-wide Material Flow Analysis
Sustainable National Income
Genuine Progress Indicator and ISEW
Adjusted Net Savings (Genuine Savings)
Ecological Footprint
Wellbeing Index
Environmental Sustainability Index
Human Development Index
Conceptual Modelling
System Dynamics
Multi-Criteria Analysis
Risk Analysis
Uncertainty Analysis
Vulnerability Analysis
Cost Benefit Analysis
Impact assessment
Environmental Impact Assessment
Strategic Environmental Assessment
EU Sustainability Impact Assessment
Life Cycle Assessment
Product material flow analysis
Material Intensity Analysis
Substance Flow Analysis
Product energy analysis
Process Energy Analysis
Emergy Analysis
Exergy Analysis
Life cycle costing
Full Life Cycle Accounting
Life Cycle Cost Assessment
Assessment focus
ForecastingRetrospective
Ness, B., Urbel-Piirsalu, E., Anderberg, S., Olsson, L., 2007: Categorising tools for sustainability assessment. Ecological Economics. Vol 60, pp 498-508
www.lucsus.lu.se
Sustainability science needs to bridge these scientific gaps!
• Within universities
• Between universities
• Across world regions
… and contribute to social change towards sustainability transitions!