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Sustainability’s Context

Sustainability’s Context. Sustainability – overarching framework “the ability to maintain a desired condition over time” Sustainable development – underpinning mechanism “a tool for achieving sustainability, not the desired goal”

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Sustainability’s Context

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  1. Sustainability’s Context • Sustainability – overarching framework • “the ability to maintain a desired condition over time” • Sustainable development – underpinning mechanism • “a tool for achieving sustainability, not the desired goal” (Commonwealth Department of Environment, Sport and Territories, 1994, 12)

  2. The issue of meaning • Sustainability • an abstract noun … thus • contested … but • kept constant by certain principles … and • made relevant to local contexts • Thinking ‘both and’ • Never permanently held as stable

  3. Principles of Sustainability (1) • Integration • Community involvement • Precaution • Equity • Continual improvement • Ecological integrity

  4. Refining the idea of integration a b c

  5. Principles of sustainability (2) • Integration • Community involvement • Precaution • Equity • Continual improvement • Ecological integrity

  6. Principles of sustainability (3) • Integration • Community involvement • Precaution • Equity • Continual improvement • Ecological integrity

  7. Principles of sustainability (4) • Integration • Community involvement • Precaution • Equity • Continual improvement • Ecological integrity

  8. Principles of sustainability (5) • Integration • Community involvement • Precaution • Equity • Continual improvement • Ecological integrity

  9. Principles of sustainability (6) • Integration • Community involvement • Precaution • Equity • Continual improvement • Ecological integrity

  10. Human ecosystem Social system Social institutions Health Justice Faith Commerce Education Leisure Government Sustenance Social cycles Physiological Individual Institutional Environmental Social order Identity Social norms Hierarchy Age Informal Wealth Gender Formal Power Class Status Caste Knowledge Clan Territory Critical resources Natural Energy Land & water Flora & fauna Materials & Nutrients Socio-economic Information Population Labour &Capital Cultural Organization Beliefs Myth

  11. Agenda 21 – What is it? • Global framework to enable more sustainable living • 172 signatories • 40 chapters based around certain programme areas • Basis for action • Objectives • Activities • Means of implementation

  12. Agenda 21 – Major Groups • Section I. Social and Economic Dimensions • Section II. Conservation and Management of Resources for Development • Section III. Strengthening The Role Of Major Groups • Section IV. Means of Implementation

  13. Agenda 21 - Participation 23.2 One of the fundamental prerequisites for the achievement of sustainable development is broad public participation in decision-making. Furthermore, in the more specific context of environment and development, the need for new forms of participation has emerged … Individuals, groups and organizations should have access to information relevant to environment and development … likely to have a significant impact …

  14. Local governments and Agenda 21 28.1 Because so many of the problems and solutions being addressed by Agenda 21 have their roots in local activities, the participation and cooperation of local authorities will be a determining factor in fulfilling its objectives. Local authorities construct, operate and maintain economic, social and environmental infrastructure, oversee planning processes, establish local environmental policies and regulations, and assist in implementing national and subnational environmental policies. As the level of governance closest to the people, they play a vital role in educating, mobilizing and responding to the public to promote sustainable development.

  15. Local Agenda 21 Defined Local Agenda 21is “a participatory multisectoral process to achieve thegoals of Agenda 21at thelocal levelthrough thepreparation and implementationof along-term strategic action planthat addresses prioritylocal sustainability concerns” (ICLEI, no date).

  16. Benefits • Meet statutory requirements • Enhance participation and citizenship • Improve intergovernmental relations • Improve relations with community • Plan for the long term • Integrate and coordinate policies and practices • Foster the exercise of leadership and initiative

  17. What’s not happening? • Ongoing participation • Meaningful, sustained and robust integration • Within councils • Beyond environmental issues • Slippage back in to short-termism • Inadequate resourcing • Lack of continuity • Turnover • Dispensibility • Training

  18. UN Habitat Sustainable cities • Sharing environment-development information and expertise • Understanding and accepting environment-development interaction • Building environmental planning and management capacities • Promoting system wide decision-making • Stakeholder based development prioritisation, strategy and action planning • Managing environmental resources and risks for achieving sustainable development • Leveraging resources for lasting change • Building inter-agency partnerships, facilitating global exchange of experiences and know-how

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