Global Management of Global Management of Resource useResource use
Dr. Joachim H. Spangenberg
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research UFZ,Dept. Community Ecology, Halle, Germany
Dr. Joachim H. Spangenberg, Biodiversity and SPAC, Belgrade 9.10. 07
Presentation at the Presentation at the
European HighEuropean High--Level Conference on Rio +20: Level Conference on Rio +20:
“Achieving Global Justice in the Green “Achieving Global Justice in the Green
Economy”Economy”BrusselsBrussels, March 15, March 15thth 20122012
Dept. Community Ecology, Halle, Germany
The threat:The threat:
Our resource consumption
cannot be globalised
because this would be
Dr. Joachim H. Spangenberg, Biodiversity and SPAC, Belgrade 9.10. 07
because this would be
environmentally and/or socially
unsustainable
and thus pose a risk for peace.
Inhabitants with a per capita income above 200 US $/day consume most resources
Inhabitants with a per capita income below 1 US $ a day (total: 3.5 billion) suffer from
Dr. Joachim H. Spangenberg, Biodiversity and SPAC, Belgrade 9.10. 07
below 1 US $ a day (total: 3.5 billion) suffer from energy and resource poverty. This will not change as long as purchasing power decides about access.
A Green Economy A Green Economy in the conin the con--text of SDtext of SD (improving well(improving well--being in an being in an
inclusive way, while respecting the inclusive way, while respecting the
planetary boundaries) planetary boundaries) promises not promises not only a response to the multionly a response to the multi--
Dr. Joachim H. Spangenberg, Biodiversity and SPAC, Belgrade 9.10. 07
..crisiscrisis (climate, food, water, energy, (climate, food, water, energy,
biodiversity, economy, social), but biodiversity, economy, social), but promises an escape from a development promises an escape from a development path which path which produced or permitted such produced or permitted such crisescrises to oneto one proactively addressing and proactively addressing and
avoiding themavoiding them. . Will it deliver??Will it deliver??
““Sustainable Sustainable development is development is development development that that
meets the needs of the meets the needs of the present without present without compromising the compromising the ability of future ability of future generations to meet generations to meet
Dr. Joachim H. Spangenberg, Biodiversity and SPAC, Belgrade 9.10. 07
generations to meet generations to meet their own needs. Itheir own needs. It t contains within it contains within it two two key concepts: …key concepts: …
(definition cont.)1. The concept of “needs”,
in particular the essential
needs of the world’s poor, to
which overriding priority
should be given, and
2. The idea of limitations
Dr. Joachim H. Spangenberg, Biodiversity and SPAC, Belgrade 9.10. 07
2. The idea of limitations
imposed by the state of
technology and social
organisation on the
environment’s ability to meet
present and future needs.”(WCED 1987, (WCED 1987, p.43p.43))
Sustainable Development: Sustainable Development: thethe basicbasicconceptsconcepts areare justicejustice and and limitslimits: : No No justicejustice –– nono sustainabilitysustainability!!
Dr. Joachim H. Spangenberg, Biodiversity and SPAC, Belgrade 9.10. 07
Sustainable Development History Lessons: Sustainable Development History Lessons: Four optionsFour options for escaping the scarcity trapfor escaping the scarcity trap
Three opt for an expansionist paradigm
1. · The imperial optionThe imperial option
2. · The liberal optionThe liberal option
3. · The engineering optionThe engineering option
One opts for an adaptation paradigm
4. · The political sustainability optionThe political sustainability option incl. resource incl. resource
Dr. Joachim H. Spangenberg, Biodiversity and SPAC, Belgrade 9.10. 07
4. · The political sustainability optionThe political sustainability option incl. resource incl. resource
efficiency, consumption limits and social justice.efficiency, consumption limits and social justice.
Expansionist options have dominated in the past Expansionist options have dominated in the past ––and Europe and Europe (Raw (Raw Materials Materials Strategy) and Strategy) and the the
NATO NATO Member Member States seem prepared to try them States seem prepared to try them again. again. The Resource Efficiency StrategyThe Resource Efficiency Strategyis a first step out of this trap.is a first step out of this trap.
…including …including conservation conservation of landscape, of landscape, agriculture, agriculture, beauty & biodiversitybeauty & biodiversity
Dr. Joachim H. Spangenberg, Biodiversity and SPAC, Belgrade 9.10. 07
Resource efficiency means less demand, less supply conflicts,
Dr. Joachim H. Spangenberg, Biodiversity and SPAC, Belgrade 9.10. 07
supply conflicts, similar services, less waste and pollution, and often more jobs
Innovative environmental Innovative environmental
technologies technologies combining combining
emission reduction and emission reduction and
recycling are needed recycling are needed
but not really new but not really new
and insufficient.and insufficient.
Dr. Joachim H. Spangenberg, Biodiversity and SPAC, Belgrade 9.10. 07
E.g.: Metal dust recovery system, enforced by regional kings „to avoid damage to neighbouring fields and grazing grounds”.
Source: Agricola, G. (1556). De re metallica
and insufficient.and insufficient.
The The biggestbiggest marketmarket failurefailure everever: E.g. : E.g. •in the producing industry, in average ½ of the total
expenditure is for resources (3% for energy), 1/5 is for
personnel.
•20% of resource cost can be saved with a payback
time of less than 1 year, another 20% pays out in less
than 3 years.
Dr. Joachim H. Spangenberg, Biodiversity and SPAC, Belgrade 9.10. 07
than 3 years.
••The savings potential is equivalent to the total The savings potential is equivalent to the total
personnel costs, increasing productivity, profit and personnel costs, increasing productivity, profit and
competitiveness.competitiveness.
•On the macro level, an increase of energy and
material efficiency by 20% would create
up to 1 million new jobs in Germany.
Besides innovation, ex-novation is
urgently needed.
EU companies sell
unsustainable consumption
Dr. Joachim H. Spangenberg, Biodiversity and SPAC, Belgrade 9.10. 07
and EU
citizens benefit
…
The market lacksThe market lacks social sensitivity, social sensitivity,
dedication to development, environmental dedication to development, environmental
awareness and over all a long term view.awareness and over all a long term view.
For Development to be successful, For Development to be successful,
Government must not serve the Government must not serve the
Market failures must be correctedMarket failures must be corrected
Dr. Joachim H. Spangenberg, Biodiversity and SPAC, Belgrade 9.10. 07
Government must not serve the Government must not serve the market, but complement it, market, but complement it, providing social, developmental and providing social, developmental and
environmental guard rails, and a longenvironmental guard rails, and a long--
term visionterm vision
- distributional justice and social equality,
- gender justice, equity and non-
discrimination;
- good work (minimum standards for work
quality and salary levels, cooperation
Government is responsible for Government is responsible for
Dr. Joachim H. Spangenberg, Biodiversity and SPAC, Belgrade 9.10. 07
quality and salary levels, cooperation
with business and trade unions);
- poverty alleviation (hardly attractive for
business) and inclusiveness;
- compatibility with social,
cultural and political values
… to certain activities, in order to allow
replenishing of natural resources or natural
capital, justice and social equality.
The alternative is collapse (e.g. fisheries),
A really A really Green Economy Green Economy requires limitations ... requires limitations ...
Dr. Joachim H. Spangenberg, Biodiversity and SPAC, Belgrade 9.10. 07
The alternative is collapse (e.g. fisheries),
and with it a complete loss of jobs.
Green investments are generally more labour
intensive, and can have direct effects for
poverty reduction, in particular by improving
the agro-productivity of rural smallholders
But: for decreasing resource But: for decreasing resource consumption, efficiency is not enoughconsumption, efficiency is not enoughWhat we need is absolute decoupling of economic
development and resource consumption, not a relative one with increasing emissions and waste generation.
�Rebound effect: The money saved through efficiency (win-win solutions) is spent, consuming resources
Dr. Joachim H. Spangenberg, Biodiversity and SPAC, Belgrade 9.10. 07
(win-win solutions) is spent, consuming resources and compensating (part of) the efficiency gains.
�Jevons‘ Paradox: Efficiency decreases the relative cost of a resource, generating incentives to use more of it, and it stimulates growth and thus resource use.
∑ Conclusion: Efficiency without skimming off (part of) the gains may lead to perverseoutcomes.
A really long way to goA really long way to go• from low tech low resource societies • via low tech high consumption and high tech
high resources • to high tech low resource societies
Dr. Joachim H. Spangenberg, Biodiversity and SPAC, Belgrade 9.10. 07
Local resources for local use support income & jobs
but not world market & high tech production.
Re-domesticate he money, keep it local not national
reaching the MDGs (a frequent illusion),
but it offers opportunities to overcome the
failures of past market radicalism (too much
was deregulated trusting self-regulation)
A regulation example: feed-in tariffs
A Green Economy is not per seA Green Economy is not per se
Dr. Joachim H. Spangenberg, Biodiversity and SPAC, Belgrade 9.10. 07
A regulation example: feed-in tariffs
- strengthen local participation;
- allow for community & coop - ownership;
- has mobilised billions of private capital for
restoring and protecting
the public goods
… involves the emergence not only of a new
economy, but also of a new society. We
should shape it consciously, with justice a
key orientation: with limits to growth, (re-)
distribution becomes central.
A A Great Transition…Great Transition…
5 P’s on/off the agenda5 P’s on/off the agenda
Dr. Joachim H. Spangenberg, Biodiversity and SPAC, Belgrade 9.10. 07
Peace – what happened to the peace dividend?
Power – where has empowerment gone (Ag. 21)?
Planet – Resource efficiency is not enough
People – social cohesion is crumbling
Prosperity – for all, all profit for the few?
5 P’s on/off the agenda5 P’s on/off the agenda
The best
way to
explore the
future is to
Dr. Joachim H. Spangenberg, Biodiversity and SPAC, Belgrade 9.10. 07
future is to
invent it.
Do it.
Sustainably.
Thank you for your attentionThank you for your attentionFor the presentation and other papers seeFor the presentation and other papers see
Dr. Joachim H. Spangenberg, Biodiversity and SPAC, Belgrade 9.10. 07
Dr. Joachim H. SpangenbergDr. Joachim H. SpangenbergHelmholtz Helmholtz CentreCentre forfor Environmental Research UFZ, HalleEnvironmental Research UFZ, [email protected]@ufz.de
http://seri.academia.edu/JoachimHSpangenberghttp://seri.academia.edu/JoachimHSpangenberg
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