History of the Sustainable
Development concept
Possible reaction to global challenges
1) Ignoring or downplaying
- attitude that the global issues (climate change, poverty,
biodiversity loss, etc.) is not worthy of concern
- it results in inactivity, and „business-as-usual“ behaviour
- it does not solve the issues, they exacerbate and become
more difficult to solve
Env. reasons of the Western Roman Empire fall
- highly increasing prosperity of the Roman society
- deforestation, excessive grazing, water overuse and salinisation
- the growth of urban population by the migration of peasants due to
taxes and hard work on the more and more degraded fields
- consequences: food and water shortages, illnesses → social
weakening
Env. reasons of the Western Roman Empire fall
- highly increasing prosperity of the Roman society
- deforestation, excessive grazing, water overuse and salinisation
- the growth of urban population by the migration of peasants due to
taxes and hard work on the more and more degraded fields
- consequences: food and water shortages, illnesses → social
weakening
Decreasing of positive energy balance
EROEI – Energy Return On
Energy Invested
• still increasing E-dependency
Today?
• agriculture
• resources extraction
• western lifestyle in general
2) Recognizing seriousness of the issue, but not solving it
- we are afraid of disaster, but do not believe that we can
change anything by ourselves
- we remain passive in the fear of what will come and hope
that „it will be resolved somehow"
- or the “flood after us” approach - grab what can be grabed
2) Recognizing seriousness of the issue, but not solving it
- we are afraid of disaster, but do not believe that we can
change anything by ourselves
- we remain passive in the fear of what will come and hope
that „it will be resolved somehow"
- or the “flood after us” approach - grab what can be grabed
„By postponing, simple
problems become complex,
and then difficult to solve"
General Ferdinand Foch
3) Recognizing seriousness of the issue, and
effort to solve it actively
- making an effort to stop and reverse adverse trends to avoid
or mitigate the anticipated consequences
- the concept of Sustainable Development is such an effort
that gives us a hope!
- We are not responsible
for the result, but for the
invested effort!
Sustainable Development – first ideas
The Constitution of the Iroquois Nations (circa 12. century)
Sustainable Development – first ideas
The Constitution of the Iroquois Nations (circa 12. century)
The Constitution of the Iroquois Nations
In all of your deliberations in the Confederate Council, in your efforts at law making,
in all your official acts, self interest shall be cast into oblivion. Cast not over your
shoulder behind you the warnings of the nephews and nieces should they chide you
for any error or wrong you may do, but return to the way of the Great Law which is
just and right. Look and listen for the welfare of the whole people and have always in
view not only the present but also the coming generations, even those whose faces are
yet beneath the surface of the ground -- the unborn of the future Nation."
1960 - 1972
The advent of the modern environmental movement
- influence on the revision of the development strategy
- actual development strategy - break free from life in poverty
Limits to Growth
- what are the limits of the Earth???
Limits to Growth
- what are the limits of the Earth??? 2009, 2015
1968 - Club of Rome
– group of intellectuals engaged in
global issues
Limits to Growth
- what are the limits of the Earth???
1968 - Club of Rome
– group of intellectuals engaged in
global issues
1972 – Limits to growth (Meadows et al.)
• Earth limits in perspective of the exponential growth
• World3 – a feedback model
• variables: population, industrial output,
food, pollution, resources consumption
Limits to Growth
- what are the limits of the Earth???
1968 - Club of Rome
– group of intellectuals engaged in
global issues
1972 – Limits to growth (Meadows et al.)
• Earth limits in perspective of the exponential growth
• World3 – a feedback model
• variables: population, industrial output,
food, pollution, resources consumption
2002 – Limits to growth - 30 year update
• update based on actual data
Limits to Growth
- what are the limits of the Earth???
Model WORLD3 – prognosis of development
Scenario 1 – without any changes
(Business-as-Usual)
Scenario 2 – change towards the
Sustainable Society
Reality x predictions of model WORLD3
Graham Turner (Global Environmental Change) 2008
A comparison of the Limits to Growth with 30 year reality, 2008
„The analysis shows that 30 years of historical data compares
favorably with key features of a business-as-usual scenario…“
December 7th.,1972
Apollo 17
December 7th.,1972
Apollo 17
1972 – Stockholm
UN Conference on the Human Environment
(UNCHE)
- world's first policy response to the global issues
- determination of global env. issues threatening the
existence of people on the Earth
1972 – Stockholm
UN Conference on the Human Environment
(UNCHE)
- world's first policy response to the global issues
- determination of global env. issues threatening the
existence of people on the Earth
1) production of hazardous gaseous, liquid or solid wastes in excess of the
acceptable level endangering human health and nature.
2) risks of disrupting life-giving planetary systems such as the hydrological
cycle, the O3 layer and the climate systems.
3) threatened by overexploitation and over-utilization of renewable and nonrenewable
resources
4) reduction of planet's biological richness - genetic basis of individual plant
and animal species, number of species, and diversity of ecosystems
1972 – Stockholm
- representatives from 113 countries, 19 intergov. agencies and
more than 400 NGOs were present – total >1200 delegates
- UNCHE called for immediate action to protect the environment
at both national and international level
1972 – Stockholm
- representatives from 113 countries, 19 intergov. agencies and
more than 400 NGOs were present – total >1200 delegates
- UNCHE called for immediate action to protect the environment
at both national and international level
- followed by the establishment of environmental ministries
- established UN Environment Programme – UNEP
1972 – Stockholm
1972 – Stockholm
- pointed out to the great contradiction in the view of the
developed vs. the developing countries
- „Poverty is the worst form of pollution“ Indira Gandhi
- if people deal with existential issues, then the concern for the
environment stands apart
- priority: to survive here and now
- concern for good environment,
biodiversity preservation, etc. is
a privilege especially in rich
countries that are no longer
addressing the poverty issues
- investment in roads, dams,
irrigation, infrastructure etc.
1973
1973
Oil crisis
- OPEC sharply increases oil prices in the 1970s
- price of oil from Abu Dhabi - $ 2.54 (1972) x $ 36.56 (1981) per barrel
- sharp price increases and supply constraints as a result of support of
western countries to Israel in the Arab-Israeli conflict
1973
Oil crisis
- OPEC sharply increases oil prices in the 1970s
- price of oil from Abu Dhabi - $ 2.54 (1972) x $ 36.56 (1981) per barrel
- sharp price increases and supply constraints as a result of support of
western countries to Israel in the Arab-Israeli conflict
Consequences
- queues at petrol stations,
- panic among business investors
- recession and uncontrollable inflation
- USA severely affected
→ 1977 - 70% of oil imports from OPEC
- reassessing energy performance
- investment in energy savings
- increasing production efficiency
- investment in R&D of renewable sources
1983 - World Commission on Environment
and Development (WCED)
- founded by the UN decision based on finding
that people are increasingly deteriorating
life-essential environment and destroys resources
- the aim of this scientific commission:
„to find ways how to put global development on
the road sustainable until the 21st century “
- led by Norwegian prime minister
Gro Harlem Brundtland
(„Brundtland commission“)
- result:
1987 – report „Our common future“
- groundbreaking document in the env. protection
- SD concept defined here
Brundtland commision - 1987
- result:
1987 – report „Our common future“
- groundbreaking document in the env. protection
- SD concept defined here
„Sustainable development is development that meets the
needs of the present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs.
Brundtland commision - 1987
- result:
1987 – report „Our common future“
- groundbreaking document in the env. protection
- SD concept defined here
„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.
Brundtland commision - 1987
1992 – Rio de Janeiro
United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development (UNCED) – The Earth Summit
- representatives of 172 countries (108 presidents / prime
ministers), 2400 NGO representatives
- parallel NGO Global Forum - 17,000 participants
- UN seeks ways to support re-assessment of national
economic development and stop destruction of nonrenewable
resources and planetary pollution
1992 – Rio de Janeiro
- governments recognized the need to regulate national and
international plans where all economic decisions should
consider all environmental consequences
1992 – Rio de Janeiro
- governments recognized the need to regulate national and
international plans where all economic decisions should
consider all environmental consequences
UN expressed support to governments in the following areas:
•production patterns - reassessing the production of toxic substances
such as lead in gasoline and toxic waste
•alternative energy sources - to replace fossil fuels associated with
the development of climate change
•the public transport system - a method of reducing transport
emissions, congestion in cities and health problems from smog
•addressing the alarming increase in water scarcity
1992 – Rio de Janeiro
- accepted 5 important treaties:
- The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development
- Agenda 21
- Convention on Biological Diversity (B)
- UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (B)
- The Forest Principles
- established „The UN Commission on SD“
1992 – Rio de Janeiro
- accepted 5 important treaties:
- The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development
- Agenda 21
- Convention on Biological Diversity (B)
- UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (B)
- The Forest Principles
- established „The UN Commission on SD“
Take-home message of the Earth Summit
„To achieve the necessary changes needs nothing less than a
change in our attitudes and behaviour"
2000 – New York
Millennium Summit
- expressed support for the intention
of the international community to
"develop genuinely sustainable„
- respect for nature declared as a
fundamental value
2000 – New York
Millennium Summit
- expressed support for the intention
of the international community to
"develop genuinely sustainable„
- respect for nature declared as a
fundamental value
- 8 Millennium Development Goals
developed after the summit
- main focus is to eradicate poverty
and other ills of the world
2015 x 1990
2002 – Johannesburg
The World Summit on Sustainable Development
Five key topics of the conference:
1) globalization
2) harmonizing development and the environment protection
3) poverty and the MDGs
4) consumption and production models
5) protection of biodiversity and natural resources
- a critical assessment of the journey to SD was expected
- the result rather disappointing
- instead of confirming and supporting the SD, the delegates
went rather "Sustainable" way of discussions, statements
and commitment to the world's problems ;-(
2002 – Johannesburg
- main output: Plan of Implementation
-it contains goals and a timetable in the discussed SD areas
- support for SD by big multinational companies (NGOs in Rio)
Main achievement:
- global support to fulfilling of 8MDGs
2012 – Rio+20
UN Conference on
Sustainable Development (June 20-22, 2012)
- two main topics:
1) Institutional framework for SD
2) Green economy within the SD and poverty eradication
- ad 1) Institutional framework for SD
- UN Commission for sustainable development (CSD) as the
main body covering the issue of SD in the UN, has a very
weak mandate (abolish or replace it with a stronger one)
- as well as UNEP (env. pillar) - in comparison with ILO
(social pillar) or WTO (economic pillar) has a weak position
- it is "only" program
- ad 2) Green economy
„A green economy is low-carbon, resource efficient, and
socially inclusive.“
- measuring the success (now GDP) must be reassessed,
taking account of pollution, resource depletion, ecosystem
decline. services, and the effects of this on the poor
2015 - 2030
Sustainable development goals (SDG)
Smarter Global Targets to 2030