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Sustainable Development in a global perspective

Everything or Nothing?

Per KnutssonHuman Ecology

School of Global StudiesUniversity of Gothenburg

per.knutsson@globalstudies.gu.se

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The outline of the lecture/seminar:

- Introduction and discussion of central aspects of sustainable development- Gothenburg as a case study

- Questions for joint discussion

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5 ways to understand sustainable development

• Definitions• Goals (time)• Indicators• Values• Practice

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The Brundtland Commission 1987"Sustainable development is development that meets the

needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It contains within it 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."

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We recognize that poverty eradication, changing consumption and production patterns and protecting and managing the natural resource base for economic and social development are overarching objectives of and essential requirements for sustainable development.

The Johannesburg Declaration 2002

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Globalization has added a new dimension to these challenges. The rapid integration of markets, mobility of capital and significant increases in investment flows around the world have opened new challenges and opportunities for the pursuit of sustainable development. But the benefits and costs of globalization are unevenly distributed, with developing countries facing special difficulties in meeting this challenge.

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unless we act in a manner that fundamentally changes their lives the poor of the world may lose confidence in their representatives and the democratic systems to which we remain committed, seeing their representatives as nothing more than sounding brass or tinkling cymbals. 

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Millenium Goals (2015)

1. End Povertyand Hunger

2 Universal Education

3. GenderEquality

4. ChildHealth

5 MaternalHealth

6. CombatHIV/AIDS

7. Environmental Sustainability

8. Global Partnership

http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/

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The World Business Council for Sustainable Development wants to:

• Be a leading business advocate on sustainable development;

• Participate in policy development to create the right framework conditions for business to make an effective contribution to sustainable human progress;

• Develop and promote the business case for sustainable development;

• Demonstrate the business contribution to sustainable development solutions and share leading edge practices among members;

• Contribute to a sustainable future for developing nations and nations in transition.

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Rockström et al. 2009. Nature Vol. 461

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Socio-Ecological Resillience

• Interplay between disturbance, reorganization, sustaining and developing

• Adaptive capacity, transformability, learning, innovation

• Cross-scale interactions

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Retreat? Defend? Attack?

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Seminar discussion:• Think about the city/area you live in (or a city/area you know well).• How would you define sustainable development, in the context of

your city/area?• What are the key environmental, social, economic concerns?• What interlinkages between environmental, social and economic

concerns can you see in your city/area?• Are there any conflicts of interest between environmental, social

and economic goals?• How is development being planned? Which time scale?• Are there any policies/programs for SD?• In what ways is the development in your city/area linked to global

development, or development in other parts of the world?