Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Principles of Sustainable Development

Illia State University March 21, 2013 Tbilisi, Georgia Dr. Rob Melnick, Executive Dean and Presidential Professor Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability Arizona State University, U.S.A.

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

The power of population is indefinitely greater than the power in the earth to produce subsistence for man.

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Positive checks: hunger, disease, war

Preventive checks: abortion, birth control, prostitution, celibacy

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

overshoot and collapse of the global system by the mid to latter part of the 21st century.

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Technology will dissipate the threat of an energy crisis, reduce pollution, feed the world, and vastly improve the quality of life.

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Our current model of economic success is flawed. For the advanced economies prosperity without growth is a financial and ecological necessity.

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

The Anthropocene Era

The period in the Earths history when human activity is having a significant impact on global ecological, economic and social systems.

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Fossil Fuel CO2 Emissions: Top Emitters

Source: Global Carbon Project, 2012

1941

2004

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

It took the United States 300 years to reach 300 billion square feet of real estate. China will add 300 billion square feet of real estate in the next 20 years.

Source: Pegasus Capital Advisors

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Population growth

United Nations 2010

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

United Nations 2010

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

2 Earths?

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Current model of (world) development

Unsustainable! The planet cannot sustain present consumption patterns (especially of western, industrialized countries).

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Premier Wen Jiabao has been widely quoted as saying the Chinese economy is unbalanced, uncoordinated and unsustainable. Growth will be necessary to create jobs, opportunities, and wealth. What must happen is a redefinition of growthas Wen has pointed outensuring and improving peoples wellbeing as the starting point and goal
Can China Get Beyond Growth? Pamela Mar, Fung Global Institute, March, 2013

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Assumption of infinite, linear economic growth must evolve to new models of joint, interactive, non-linear social-economic-ecological systems.
Aggarwal 2012

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Can a Country Commit to Sustainable Development?

Sustainability Ambition
Tier 4 Core national value: change society

Tier 3

Sustainability integrated into growth strategies

Tier 2

Eco-efficiency

Tier 1

Minimal, if any

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Whats at stake?
Consequences of climate change Extreme poverty Energy supply Public health Security Civil society

Food security
Water supply

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

How do we bring about positive social and economic transformations while respecting critical planetary boundaries?

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Development: A process of evolution, from a lower to a higher state. Underdeveloped: Not yet fully actualized. Not on the same path of modernization as Western countries. Sustainable development: Trajectory where allocation of resources (natural, financial, human) indefinitely improves the quality of life without doing damage.

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Characteristics of sustainable development

Problem-driven Focuses on solutions Considers scale Acknowledges complexity Long-term perspective

Spans boundaries
Anticipates the future Engages stakeholders Values-driven Analyzes tradeoffs

Sustainable Development Isnt Easy

No simple solutions Solutions typically impact all sectors Competing goals Challenges are urgent Hard to develop policies for Hard to measure Spans boundaries
Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Big picture questions for sustainable development

How do we

design healthy cities? secure affordable energy for a growing population? make the best use of natural resources? ensure access to clean water? adapt to climate change?

create sustainable global development? understand social transformation? balance prosperity with social and environmental justice? determine which tradeoffs to make?

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Myths about sustainable development, #1

Sustainable development is only about protecting the environment

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Myths about sustainable development, #2

Sustainable development is just a preference for the natural over the artificial

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Myths about sustainable development, #3

Sustainability is a creation of liberals

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Myths about sustainable development, #4

Sustainable development will decrease quality of life

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Economic dynamism can be combined with environmental and social responsibility. High financial returns can go hand in hand with respect for human rights, and the preservation of the planets natural resources.
David Miliband, former UK Foreign Minister
(*Logo from the IESE Doing Good and Doing Well Conference)
Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

There are no passengers on spaceship earth. We are all crew.

Marshall McLuhan, Canadian Educator

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Sustainability Science a field defined by the problems it addresses rather than by the disciplines it employs, it advances both knowledge and action by creating a dynamic bridge between the two.
Adapted from Clark, Harvard University, 2007

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Risk matrix for unsustainable global development

Dire Predictions Correct Things may turn out okay
We Act

Dire Predictions Incorrect Expend lots of money and political capital for no reason

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

We Dont Act

Worldwide economic, environmental, social disasters

Things turn out okay and save lots of money and political capital

Meeting the needs of present generations, while not compromising the needs of future generations to meet their own needs.
United Nations Brundtland Commission

Treating the Earth as though we intend to stay.

Sir Crispin Tickell, Former British Ambassador

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Need to redefine what we mean by development. It is no longer relevant only for poor countries.

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Haves and have-nots: countries, regions, communities, families, individuals

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

My favorite definition of sustainability

Living together well.

Peter Senge, MIT

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Indicators of development: poverty/income, equality, liberty, condition of the environment, literacy, consumption, others.

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Concept of the future we want society, economy, environment.

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Interfaces Seven Faces of Mt. Sustainability

Eliminate Waste
Benign Emissions Renewable Energy Closed Loop Resource-Efficient Transportation Sensitizing Stakeholders

Redesign Commerce

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Sustainable development factors

Culture/History

Values/Norms

Political System

Demographics

Geography

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

We are seeing the birth of a new perspective of the world, where ecology and economics are two sides of the same coin.
Leif Johansson, Swedish CEO

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Use-inspired research that contributes to solutions to practical problems

Sustainability Science
Sustainable Development?

Focuses on humantechnology-environment interactions Focuses on utilization of knowledge Placed-based scale and global scale Core aim that cuts across all challenges: sustainability is the outcome

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

 Culture can be a the source of unsustainable practices. An unrestrained culture of consumption Culture can lead to sustainable development. A new culture of conservation Applying sustainabilty principles confronts issues of culture and values.
(Adapted from Cardenas, Golub, Hirt, McGregor 2012)

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Sustain what?
Why? For whos benefit?

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University

Global Institute of Sustainability/School of Sustainability/Arizona State University