Sustainability Concepts: Planetary Boundaries and Economic Models
Core Environmental Agreements and Concepts
Paris Agreement Pledges
- Limit: 1.5–2°C temperature increase.
- Three Pledges: Mitigation, Adaptation, and Climate Finance.
- COP: Conference of the Parties.
Climate Justice and Resource Use
Climate Injustice: Characterized by low responsibility but high impact.
Ecological Footprint Metrics
- Ecological Footprint: Compares resource use against Earth’s regenerative capacity.
- Earth Overshoot Day: The date when humanity has exhausted the resources the Earth can regenerate in that year.
- A higher footprint leads to an earlier Overshoot Day.
Sustainability Definitions
- Weak Sustainability: Assumes nature can be replaced by human-made capital.
- Strong Sustainability: Recognizes that nature has irreplaceable limits.
Planetary Boundaries
Planetary Boundaries: Defined by Johan Rockström; there are 9 boundaries. Their meaning is to define a safe operating space where limits keep humanity safe on Earth. This links directly to strong sustainability (ecological limits).
Economic Models
- Cradle to Grave: Represents the linear economy.
- Cradle to Cradle: Represents the circular economy.
Historical Milestones
Stockholm Conference (1972): The first major environmental summit. Slogan: “Only One Earth.”
Philosophical and Social Dimensions
Free Will and Preferences
- Free Will (Sam Harris): Often considered an illusion, heavily influenced by feasibility.
- Adaptive Preferences: Aspirations based on perceived feasibility.
- Utilitarianism: Focuses on maximizing overall utility or profit.
Inequality Acceleration
The combination of adaptive preferences + utilitarianism can lead to inequality acceleration, where disadvantaged people lower their expectations, and the system accepts this as efficient or acceptable.
Social Reproduction and Ethics
- Social Reproduction (Bourdieu): The process of inheriting inequality.
- Four Capitals: Economic, cultural, social, and symbolic.
- Public Emotions Ethics: Aligns with virtue ethics (Nussbaum).
Inequality and Health
Inequality & Health (Wilkinson): Higher inequality leads to increased social stress in society, resulting in worse physical and mental health. Greater equality reduces stress and improves health outcomes.
Doughnut Economics and Indicators
Doughnut Economics Model
Doughnut Economics: Aims to create a safe and just space for humanity.
- Inner Ring (Social Foundation): Covers basic human needs (based on 12 goals).
- Outer Ring (Ecological Ceiling): Represents the planetary boundaries.
The goal is to operate between these two rings, meeting social needs without exceeding ecological limits. The main challenge is the conflict with growth-based economic models and the focus on GDP.
Economic Indicators Critique
- GDP Problem: Measures growth, not well-being.
- HDI Strength: Measures beyond income, including health and education.
Value-Laden Selection of Indicators
Indicators like GDP and HDI involve a value-laden selection influenced by power, government, and interests; they are not value-free because the choice of what to measure reflects underlying values and priorities. The key idea is that while data may be objective, the selection process is subjective.
Why HDI & SDGs Succeed: They successfully include the economic dimension. The main SDG problem lies in the tension between economy versus social and environmental goals. MDGs were the predecessor to the SDGs.
MDGs vs. SDGs
MDGs vs SDGs: MDGs often treated goals in silos (goals treated separately), whereas SDGs feature integrated goals.
Rostow’s Stages of Growth: This model assumes unlimited growth and ignores both inequality and ecological limits.
Communication Styles
- Deliberative: Involves public discussion.
- Transmissive: Relates to sustainability reporting.
- Inducing: A direct call to action.
Summary of Key Environmental Principles (Repeated for Emphasis)
Paris Agreement and Climate Justice
- Paris Agreement: Aims for a 1.5–2°C limit.
- Three Paris Pledges: Mitigation / Adaptation / Climate Finance.
- COP: Conference of the Parties.
Climate Injustice: Low responsibility, high impact.
Resource Consumption
- Ecological Footprint: Resource use versus Earth’s capacity.
- Earth Overshoot Day: Date when resources are exhausted. A higher footprint results in an earlier Overshoot Day.
Sustainability Frameworks
- Weak Sustainability: Nature can be replaced.
- Strong Sustainability: Nature has limits.
Planetary Boundaries Revisited
Planetary Boundaries: Johan Rockström identified 9. They define a safe operating space; limits keep humans safe on Earth, linking to strong sustainability (ecological limits).
Economic Flow
- Cradle to Grave: Linear economy.
- Cradle to Cradle: Circular economy.
Stockholm Conference (1972): First environmental summit; Slogan: “Only One Earth.”
Philosophical and Social Dimensions (Repeated for Emphasis)
Free Will and Preferences
- Free Will (Sam Harris): Illusion, influenced by feasibility.
- Adaptive Preferences: Feasibility-based aspirations.
- Utilitarianism: Maximizing overall utility or profit.
Adaptive preferences + utilitarianism: Accelerates inequality as disadvantaged people lower expectations, which the system accepts as efficient.
Social Structures and Ethics
- Social Reproduction (Bourdieu): Inherited inequality.
- Four Capitals: Economic, cultural, social, symbolic.
- Public Emotions Ethics: Virtue ethics (Nussbaum).
Inequality and Health
Inequality & Health (Wilkinson): Inequality causes social stress, leading to worse physical and mental health. Equality reduces stress and improves health.
Doughnut Economics and Indicators (Repeated for Emphasis)
Doughnut Economics
Doughnut Economics: Aims to create a safe and just space for humanity.
- Inner Ring: Social foundation (12 goals), covering basic human needs.
- Outer Ring: Ecological ceiling (planetary boundaries).
The objective is to stay between these rings, meeting social needs without exceeding ecological limits. The main challenge involves conflicts with growth-based economic models and the focus on GDP.
Indicator Limitations
- GDP Problem: Focuses on growth, not well-being.
- HDI Strength: Goes beyond income (health + education).
Subjectivity in Measurement
Indicators (GDP, HDI): Their selection is value-laden, reflecting power, government, and interests; they are not value-free because selection reflects priorities. The key idea is that data can be objective, but selection is subjective.
Why HDI & SDGs Succeed: They include the economic dimension. The Main SDG problem is the conflict between economy versus social & environmental goals. MDGs preceded the SDGs.
MDGs vs SDGs: MDGs involved silos (goals treated separately), while SDGs feature integrated goals.
Rostow’s stages of growth: Assumes unlimited growth, ignoring inequality and ecological limits.
Action Types
- Deliberative: Public discussion.
- Transmissive: Sustainability reporting.
- Inducing: A call to action.