Introduction to

Sustainability
 These notes available via the
online course outline at:

http://www.brocku.ca/tren/
courses/tren3p18
 TREN 1F90
Introduction to Sustainability

 Definitions
– environment
– policy
– scale
– jurisdiction
 Defining Sustainable Development
 About Interdisciplinarity
Definitions, tools
and frameworks
 en·vi·ron·ment
in-'vI-r&(n)-m&nt, -'vI(-&)r(n)-
[n] 1 : the circumstances, objects, or
conditions by which one is surrounded
2 a : the complex of physical, chemical,
and biotic factors (as climate, soil, and
living things) that act upon an organism or
an ecological community and ultimately
determine its form and survival b : the
aggregate of social and cultural
conditions that influence the life of an
individual or community.
- Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, 2004
 environment
[n]the totality of
surrounding conditions.
environmental
effects
…are felt, and modified, in 3 main
ways - through the flows of:
MATERIALS
ENERGY
INFORMATION
-> fundamental ‘spheres of
influence’ for sustainability
 policy
…a course or general plan of
action to be adopted by a
government, party, person, etc.

- Concise Oxford Dictionary

 policy
…a selected, planned line of
conduct in the light of which
individual decisions are made
and coordination achieved

- Webster’s Encyclopedic Dictionary

 conceptual tools for
understanding sustainability
 scale
- an
ordered series of
graduated quantities, values,
degrees, etc.

- relative magnitude
- Webster’s Encyclopedic Dictionary
 scale
may be:
- physical / geographical
– ranking based upon size, dimension,
geographical subunit, etc.
- ecological
– individual, deme, community, population
- jurisdictional
– local, municipal, regional, federal, global
 scale
GLOBAL / MACRO
earth United Nations
continent .
country .
province governments
region .
municipality .
neighbourhood ngos / community groups
household .
individual individuals
LOCAL / MICRO
spatial jurisdictional /
decision making
 jurisdiction
- the legal power to administer and
enforce the law
- the exercising of this power
- the region within which this
power is valid or in which a
person has authority
- authority
- Webster’s Encyclopedic Dictionary
 Defining
Sustainable
Development
Sustainable development:
 meeting the needs of the
present without compromising
the ability of future generations
to meet their own needs.

– World Commission on Environment and

Development (1987): Our Common Future
 Elements of sustainability
Environment

Economy Society

- World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987

 the sustainable
development triangle
 Elements of sustainability
Environment

Economy Society

- World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987

Elements of sustainability
Environment
•biodiversity
•materials
•energy
•biophysical interactions

- World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987

 Elements of sustainability

•money and capital

•employment
•technological growth
•investment
•market forces
Economy

- World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987

 Elements of sustainability

•human diversity (cultural, linguistic, ethnic)

•equity (dependence / independence)
•quality of life
•institutional structures and organization
•political structures
Society

- World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987

 The ‘3 Es’ Model
Ecology

Economy Equity
The Healthy Community Model

SOCIETY ECONOMY
HEALTH

ENVIRONMENT
Sustainability: PROBLEMS
 Depletion of finite resources
– fuels, soil, minerals, species
 Over-use of renewable resources
– forests, fish & wildlife, fertility, public funds
 Pollution
– air, water, soil
 Inequity
– economic, political, social, gender
 Species loss
– endangered species and spaces
- WCED, 1987
Sustainability: SOLUTIONS
 Cyclical material use
– emulate natural cycles; 3 R’s
 Safe reliable energy
– conservation, renewable energy,
substitution, interim measures
 Life-based interests
– health, creativity, communication,
coordination, appreciation, learning,
intellectual and spiritual development
Two key sustainable development concepts:

EQUITY

LIMITS TO GROWTH

-WCED 1987
Two key sustainable development concepts:

the concept of needs, particularly the essential

needs of the world’s poor

EQUITY

-WCED 1987
Two key sustainable development concepts:

EQUITY
• the quality of being fair or impartial;
fairness; impartiality
• something that is fair and just.

-dictionary.com
 Contrast with:

EQUALITY
• the state or quality of being equal;
correspondence in quantity, degree,
value, rank, or ability.
• uniform character, as of motion or
surface.

-dictionary.com
Two key sustainable development concepts:

the idea of limitations (ecological, technological,

and social) which affect the environment’s
ability to meet present and future needs
LIMITS TO GROWTH

-WCED 1987
Two key sustainable development concepts:

LIMITS TO GROWTH
- quantitative and qualitative limits
- living within the regenerative and
assimilative capacities of the planet

-WCED 1987
Sustainable development...
 implies limits
Not predefined absolute limits, but
limitations imposed by:
– the ability of the biosphere to absorb the
effects of human activities
– adaptability of human social and political
organization
– technology
 Sustainable development
and economic growth
Economic growth must be made:
– less material intensive (‘dematerialization of
the economy’)
– less energy intensive
– more equitable in its impacts

 Economic growth may be reduced or

curtailed to meet limitations imposed by
environment, technology, or society
Institutional gaps impeding
sustainable development
2 major gaps:
 fragmented decision making
– narrow mandates, jurisdictional rigidity,
lack of communication and coordination
 lack of accountabiity
– failure to make the bodies whose policy
actions degrade the environment
responsible for their actions
materials and
energy
Obsolescent “frontier” civilization:

ENERGY HEAT

NON-RENEWABLE HIGH
CONSUMER
and RENEWABLE CONVENTIONAL THROUGHPUT
SOCIETY
URBAN SYSTEM WASTE &
MATERIALS
TOXINS

One-way flow of materials and energy

 Sustainable civilization:
Energy Efficiency
Low-quality
ENERGY
Heat Energy
LOW
RENEWABLE THROUGHPUT
CONSERVER
SOCIETY Low-volume
MATERIALS
Nontoxic
Waste Minimization Waste
Toxics control Materials
•Cyclical flows of materials
•Appropriate energy usage
 information
and decision
making
Sustainable development...
 considers
future and present
needs when making decisions
about:
– resource and energy use
– technological development
– direction of investments
– social, political & institutional
change...etc. etc. etc.
 ECONOMY

ENV’T

SOCIETY

TRADITIONAL
DECISION MAKING
 ECONOMY

ENV’T
• NON-PARTICIPATORY
SOCIETY

•FRAGMENTED
TRADITIONAL
DECISION MAKING
 ECONOMY

ENV’T
SOCIETY
‘ECO- ECONOMY
SOCIETY
SYSTEM
HEALTH’

ENVIRONMENT
TRADITIONAL
DECISION MAKING

ECOSYSTEM-BASED
DECISION MAKING
 SOCIETY
‘ECO- ECONOMY
SYSTEM
HEALTH’

• PARTICIPATORY ENVIRONMENT

• INTEGRATED
ECOSYSTEM-BASED
DECISION MAKING
 Fragmented decision-making
private
other public
interests

community federal /
groups
ISSUE national

municipal provincial /
state
regional

- after Barrett and Kidd, 1991

 Integrated decision-making

private
other
interests public

community federal/
groups
ISSUE
national

municipal provincial/
state
regional
- after Barrett and Kidd, 1991
decision making

• reactive
decision making

• reactive
(‘end of pipe’)
decision making

• anticipatory

• reactive
decision making

• anticipatory
(planning for
change)
• reactive
decision making
• radical

• anticipatory

• reactive
decision making
• radical
(fundamental;
root causes)
• anticipatory

• reactive
decision making
• radical

• anticipatory

• reactive
 Industry

• radical • change in demand • environment

- less consumption and
- alternative consumption economy
and
society

• anticipatory • change in process • environment

- clean technology and
- elimination of toxics economy

• environment
• reactive • sewage treatment plant or
- ‘end of pipe’ solution economy
Historical
example: Northern
Telecom
 based in Canada
 42 plants in various countries
 manufacturer of electronic components
(telecommunications)
 1988: 1000+ tonnes of CFCs per year
 1992: 0 tonnes of CFCs used per year
 Original Process
1) raw components and grease
2) manufacturing and assembly process
3) clean off grease with CFCs
4) finished product
 Revised process
1) raw components, no grease
2) manufacturing and assembly process
3) no need to clean off grease with CFCs
4) finished product
Environment AND Economy
 $1 million to develop new process
 $4 million savings in first year (no
CFCs)
 $50 million savings to year 2000
 international environmental prize ->
great publicity
 contract with Mexico for industrial
innovation (very lucrative)
• radical

• anticipatory

• reactive
 Industry

• radical

• anticipatory

• reactive
 Industry

• radical • change in
demand for
product

• anticipatory • change in
industrial
process

• sewage
treatment
• reactive plant for
wastes
 Industry Biodiversity Transportation

• radical • change in • apply

• demand for landscape
product ecology
principles
to human
activity

• anticipatory • change in • establish

• industrial national
process parks (12%)
to protect
habitats

• sewage • zoo / seed

• treatment bank for
• reactive • plant for endangered
wastes species
 Industry Biodiversity Transportation

• radical • change in • apply • complete

demand for landscape redesign of
product ecology our cities
principles
to human
activity

• anticipatory • change in • establish • alternative

industrial national fuels for cars
process parks (12%)
to protect
habitats

• sewage • zoo / seed • catalytic

treatment bank for converters
• reactive plant for endangered
wastes species
values, ideologies
and strategies
values ideology strategies
 interactions amongst
values / ideologies / strategies
values
individual, cultural, social, spiritual, moral
 interactions amongst
values / ideologies / strategies
values
individual, cultural, social, spiritual, moral

Definable sets of values constitute

ideologies
Short form summary of basic values that
eliminates the need to engage in deep
philosophical investigations every time action is
required
 interactions amongst
values / ideologies / strategies
values
individual, cultural, social, spiritual, moral

Definable sets of values constitute

ideologies
(e.g. Industrial Capitalism, Marxism, Christianity,
Liberalism, Socialism, Conservatism, Judaism)
 interactions amongst
values / ideologies / strategies
values
individual, cultural, social, spiritual, moral

Definable sets of values constitute

ideologies
(e.g. Industrial Capitalism, Marxism, Christianity,
Liberalism, Socialism, Conservatism, Judaism)

…which give rise to

strategies
practical applications of ideologically consistent
ideas, actions, policies and programs
 interactions amongst
values / ideologies / strategies

values ideology strategies

 environmental values
• holistic perspective

• everything is connected to everything else

• parts can only be understood in the context
of the whole

• nature as a living organism or system

values ideology strategies

(after Macdonald, D. 1991. The Politics of Pollution.

McClelland and Stewart, Toronto: p.33)
 environmental values

• humans living within nature

-> inherent value of other organisms and
inanimate objects

• limits to growth

values ideology strategies

(after Macdonald, D. 1991. The Politics of Pollution.

McClelland and Stewart, Toronto: p.33)
 environmental values

• appropriate technology

• matching the scope and scale of technology

to the task at hand

• principles of durability and efficiency

values ideology strategies
• recognition that new technology brings both
benefits and problems
 environmental values

•appropriate scale

• appropriate sizes for institutions, social

organizations, communities

•accessible and accountable decision-making

values ideology strategies
in public and private sectors
 interactions amongst
values / ideologies / strategies

values ideology strategies

 examples of
environmental ideologies
• technological optimism
• sustainable development (Brundtland Commission)
• social ecology (Murray Bookchin)
• deep ecology (Arne Naess)
• ecofeminism (Françoise D’Eaubonne)
• various ‘green’ political
values parties strategies
ideology
many variants: e.g., alliances with socialism,
feminism, peace movement, etc.
 interactions amongst
values / ideologies / strategies

values ideology strategies

 environmental strategies
and strategists
• reform environmentalism (traditional
bureacracies and political action)
• direct action and intervention (e.g. Earth First!)
• single-issue lobbying / intervention groups
(e.g., Save the Rouge Valley System)
• permanent organizations (e.g., Greenpeace)
• alliances and coalitions
(e.g., Canadian Coalition on Acid Rain)
• round tables, forums (e.g., National Round Table on
the Environment and the Economy)
 interactions amongst
values / ideologies / strategies

values ideology strategies

 interactions amongst
values / ideologies / strategies

values ideology strategies

• feedback loop allows for reflection,

re-evaluation, adaptive management
 interactions amongst
values / ideologies / strategies

values ideology strategies

• if no feedback loop: inflexible, unresponsive

 interactions amongst
values / ideologies / strategies

values ideology strategies

dogma
 interactions amongst
values / ideologies / strategies

values ideology strategies

 Sustainability:
How do we move from
rhetoric to reality?
principles
principles

policy
principles

policy

practice
 To be useful, principles of
sustainability must:
 be easily understood
 be applicable in many contexts
 be transferrable across scales
 translate well from fundamental values
into applied policy and practical action
 identify possibilities for radical
transformative change AND
positive incremental change
 Some
Principles of Sustainability
in the literature:
 Our Common Future (WCED 1987)
 Principles defining sustainable development (OSEM 1989)
 Defining a sustainable society (Robinson et al . 1990,1996)
 Agenda 21 (1992)
 Six principles of sustainable development (ORTEE 1992)
 Guideposts for a sustainable future (Nickerson 1993)
 Framework for Sustainable Development (CIDA 1994)
 The Natural Step (Robert et al . 1994)
 Sustainability Principles (ORTEE 1994), etc.
 Recent compilation of
Principles of Sustainability

http://iisd1.iisd.ca/sd/principle.asp

-IISD (Winnipeg)
 One example:

Guideposts for Sustainability

(after Nickerson, 1993)

Activities are sustainable when they:

1. Use materials in continuous cycles.

2. Use continuously reliable sources of
energy.
3. Encourage desirable human traits
(equity; creativity; communication;
coordination; appreciation; intellectual
and spiritual development).
 Guideposts for Sustainability
Activities are not sustainable when they:
4. Require continual inputs of non-renewable
resources.
5. Use renewable resources faster than their
rate of renewal.
6. Cause cumulative degradation of the
environment.
7. Require resources in quantities that could
never be available for people everywhere.
8. Lead to the extinction of other life forms.
 About
Interdisciplinarity
What do you answer if someone asks you,

– What is your major?

– What are your career goals?

– What is your ethnic origin?

 career
goals

Normative
categories
academic ethnocultural
major identity
Normative
categories
 Normative
“disciplines”
categories
 disciplinary
Multidisciplinary
Interdisciplinary
Transdisciplinary
- what are the differences?
Reference: Stefanovic, Ingrid. 1996. Interdisciplinarity
and Wholeness: Lessons from Eco-Research.
Environments 23(3): 74-94.
 Disciplinary:

 ofor pertaining to a discrete branch

of learning

 knowledge within generally accepted

boundaries
 Disciplinary:

 often associated with discipline-specific

vocabularies, methods, and assumptions

 Examples of disciplines:
sociology, philosophy, biology,
political science, chemistry, economics,
geography, mathematics...
 Multidisciplinary:

 standard disciplinary approaches are

applied to a common research question,
problem or issue

 insights achieved through an approach

which is essentially additive rather than
integrative
 Multidisciplinary:

 a spontaneous coalescence of these

disparate approaches is anticipated

 arguably the approach which produces the

most substantive research results
ISSUE
 discipline
discipline ISSUE discipline

discipline
 Interdisciplinary:

 the issue, problem, or concern defines the

disciplinary expertise which is brought to
bear

…arguably the most effective policy-

oriented problem-solving approach
 Interdisciplinary:

 a level of integration which involves more

than an additive analysis of the
disciplinary perspectives

 insights are achieved through an

approach which is explicitly integrative ->
an a priori attempt is made at synthesis
across disciplinary boundaries
ISSUE
ISSUE
 discipline
discipline discipline

discipline ISSUE discipline

discipline discipline
discipline
 sector
sector sector

sector ISSUE sector

sector sector
sector
 Transdisciplinary:

 recognizes the interconnectedness of all

aspects of reality and knowledge

 Goal: distinctions amongst disciplines are

eliminated completely
 Transdisciplinary:

 “an attempt to transcend the dynamics of

a dialectical synthesis to grasp the total
dynamics of reality as a whole”

 Examples of transdisciplinary endeavour:

– general systems theory
– phenomenology
 discipline
discipline discipline

discipline ISSUE discipline

discipline discipline
discipline