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Sustainability and Contextuality: History and Sustainable Development Symposium, DVDO/DHO Utrecht, 23 May 2003 Prof Dr J

Sustainability and Contextuality: History and Sustainable Development Symposium, DVDO/DHO Utrecht, 23 May 2003 Prof Dr J.B Opschoor, Institute of Social Studies, The Hague http://www.iss.nl. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT is a process of change in which: - the exploitation of resources,

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Sustainability and Contextuality: History and Sustainable Development Symposium, DVDO/DHO Utrecht, 23 May 2003 Prof Dr J

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  1. Sustainability and Contextuality: History and Sustainable Development Symposium, DVDO/DHO Utrecht, 23 May 2003 Prof Dr J.B Opschoor, Institute of Social Studies, The Hague http://www.iss.nl

  2. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT is a process of change in which: - the exploitation of resources, - the direction of investments, - the orientation of technological development, and - institutional change are all compatible (“in harmony”) and enhance both current and future potential to meet human needs and aspirations. (after) WCED 1987:46

  3. Sustainability: origins of the notion From “sustainable use” to “sustainable development” Recent roots: WCED 1987 (“Our common future”, WCS 1980 (“World Conservation Strategy”) International context: - Stockholm 1972 (UN Conf on Human Environment) and Founex, - Rio 1992 (UN Conference on Environment and Development), - Johannesburg 2002 (World Summit on Sustainable Development). History: Van Zon-study (“immerwahrende Nutzung”, “nachhaltige Wirtschaft”, etc)

  4. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT in Economics (1) (i.a.:) 1. Environmental Pressure as Externality (Mishan, Marshall, Pigou) 2. Environmental Pressure and Income per capita (“Environmental Kuznets Curve”) 3. Sustainable Income and Capital Development - produced, human and natural capital - “Weak” versus “Strong” Sustainability (non-decreasing total or (essential) natural capital genuine savings, substitutability) 4. Sustainability and “Economic Scale”/”Throughput” (Daly; I = P.A.T)

  5. Wilkinson’s ecological model of economic development Production systems as integrated, culturally embedded systems, given natural environments Cultural checks on population growth in historical societies Resource scarcities as drivers of adaptations in cultural and productive systems: - shifting resource bases - changes in technologies: intensification of resource exploitation - trade, migration (and war) - structural societal and institutional change Wilkinson’s conclusions: - Cultural systems are in ecological equilibrium or undergo cultural evolution - Model valid through early Industrial Revolution; since then:technology, internationalisation - Scarcity/poverty drove development more than search for more efficiency R.G. Wilkinson: Poverty and Progress, London: Methuen, 1973 (Spectrum 1974)

  6. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTin economics (2) (- Aristotle on scale of polis and adaptations to environmental constraints) - Physiocrates: “land” as ultimate source of value - Classical political economy: labour theory of value; land secondary? (Smith/Ricardo, Malthus, Mill) - Neo-classical economics: utility as value-attributor; technological innovation pushing natural resource constraints into future (Marshall on Malthus)

  7. MARSHALL (1920) ON MALTHUS AND STATIONARY STATE “… it was not Malthus’ fault that he could not foresee the great developments of steam transport… which have enabled Englishmen of the present generation to obtain the products of the richest lands of the earth at comparatively small costs” (p. 149) “ … we find that in less than two hundred years the population of the world will amount to six thousand millions….. Meanwhile there will probably be great improvements in the arts of agriculture; and, if so, the pressure of population on the means of subsistence may be held in check for about two hundred years, but not longer” (footnote, p. 150)

  8. CONCLUSIONS/PROPOSITIONS: 1. A context/setting-sensitive approach to the analysis (and alteration) of society-environment interactions (including ‘economy-ecology’-relationships) is a must. 2.a Historical aspects/dimensions often are necessary to understand specific structures and processes in society-environment interactions and to identify solutions to specific problems there, but not always. 2.b A general insight in the history of these interactions is a must again. 3. The understanding of (changes) in society-environment can benefit tremendously from knowledge about the history of ideas about these interactions including the development of scientific concepts and perceptions. 4. Knowledge about the histories of societal change (notably in institutions and values) in general may help curb or prevent de-motivation in relation to the penetration and dissemination of sustainable development policies, strategies and practices.

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