DOT POINT 4

1. DOT POINT 4 • Advantages and disadvantages of selected future scenarios, concerning, for example, environmental and social sustainability • Evaluate arguments and scenarios related to future social life in Australia • GLOSSARY • Environmental sustainability • Social sustainability

2. Quantitative data • This type of data results in numerical information on the ‘quantity’ or amount of what is being studied. • For example, how much of something or how frequently something occurs • Quantitative data is often used by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) to identify social trends by determining how many people feel a certain way about a particular issue.

3. Qualitative data • Main type of qualitative data collection includes: • interactive interviewing (people asked to verbally describe their experiences of phenomenon) • written descriptions by participants (people asked to write descriptions of their experiences of phenomenon) • observation (descriptive observations of verbal and non-verbal behaviour) • Qualitative data is often used to gauge public concern for the environment.

4. Sustainability • “Sustainability has always been linked to a core concept of human need so it is a fundamental contradiction to believe it can be achieved without improved social equity and social progress” (Adebowale 2001, p. 5)

5. Social sustainability • A socially sustainable society is one that is just, equitable, inclusive and democratic, and provides a decent quality of life for current and future generations. • Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (eg, combination of social, economic and environmental considerations). • Includes protection of human rights, labour rights and corporate governance.

6. Social sustainability • Read the article ‘Earth, wind and fire’. • Consider what Australia will be like for your grandchildren. Briefly describe what your grandchildren would look like, wear, think, do, etc then focus on social factors that they experience because of our actions today. • Read the Australian Social Trends article ‘Expanding links with China and India’ then answer the following questions. • Why has Australia increased involvement with the Asian region, particularly China and India? • Look at the graphs on page 1 and analyse the trends by explaining how they could impact on Australia. • Look at the first graph on page 2 and describe the trends shown. • Look at the bottom graph on page 3 and explain what impact increasing numbers of international students could have on Australian education. • Look at the graphs on page 5 and describe the difference between imports and exports between China and India.

7. Social sustainability • Benefits • Improved standard of living for future generations • Increased awareness of superannuation may avoid retirees relying on government welfare (e.g. pension) • Institutional access for all (e.g. schools, hospitals, transport) • Increase of multi-story apartments in the city reduces urban sprawl • Individual financial security through more affordable housing • Multicultural policies to reduce racism • Greater access to mental health services • Limitations • Natural sunlight/views limited within CBD radius due to multi-story apartments • Children have limited safe play-time in multi-story apartments • Short-term increase in costs to develop new energy forms • Four year federal government cycle limits long-term vision • Self-management approach

8. Environmental sustainability • Economic and social development that avoided pollution, conserved non-renewable energy forms, such as oil, and in general did not create future problems for which there were no easily available solutions. • Aka sustainable development.

9. Environmental sustainability • Choose one of the following activities to complete: • Read the ‘An introduction to climate change’ handout and ‘Save us from boatpeople, say Tiwi Islanders’. • Describe how globalisation has impacted on their environmental sustainability. • Read the article ‘Preserving old-growth forests is vital to saving the plant’. • Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of logging old-growth forests for woodchips in Australia.

10. Environmental sustainability • Benefits • Future generations have a planet to live on • Increased health (cleaner air, oxygen, water, etc) • Tourism maintained (e.g. Great Barrier Reef, penguin parade, etc) • Reduced likelihood species being threatened or becoming extinct • New cleaner industries introduced (e.g. wind power, solar power, water tanks, etc) • Individual choice to purchase “green” energy/products driving corporate change • Limitations • Not economically competitive on a global scale • Australian job losses as corporations move work offshore where environmental restrictions don’t apply • Possible power outages for Australians because of brown coal plant closures • Excessive cost of solar panels and water tanks limits uptake • Green solutions can be just as destructive (e.g. green bags) • Lower-income earners may be unable to afford green alternatives (e.g. hybrid cars)

11. Future scenarios • Predict some utopian and dystopian scenarios for Australia. • Utopia: an imagined idealised state in which everything is perfect • Dystopia: an imagined state in which everything is unpleasant or bad – such as the environment of governance • You may want to refer to the political cartoons and ‘As the globe warms up, a way of life is washed away’ article for ideas.