Sustainability Principles

Transcription

1 Sustainability Principles An overview of the literature Andy Lau Spring 2006 Updated Spring 2013

2 Business Principles

3 Precautionary Principle Where an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically. In this context, the proponent of an activity, rather than the public, should bear the burden of proof. Origin in German environmental policy from 1970s, quote from Andres Edwards, The sustainability revolution, p. 56.

4 The Natural Step s 4 system conditions for sustainability 1. Nature s functions and diversity are not systematically subject to increasing concentrations of substances extracted from the earth s crust. 2. Nature s functions and diversity are not systematically subject to increasing concentrations of substances produced by society. 3. Nature s functions and diversity are not systematically impoverished by physical displacement, overharvesting or other forms of ecosystem manipulation. 4. Resources are used fairly and efficiently in order to meet basic human needs globally. Founded by Swedish oncologist Karl-Henrik Robert, 1989.

5 CERES Principles Protection of the biosphere Sustainable use of natural resources Reduction and disposal of waste Energy conservation Risk reduction Safe products and services Environmental restoration Informing the public Management commitment Audits and reports Originally known as the Valdez Principles, from the Coalition for Environmental Responsible Economies, 2004

6 Ecological Design Principles

7 Laws of Ecology 1. Everything is connected to everything else. 2. Everything must go somewhere. 3. Nature knows best. 4. There is no such thing as a free lunch. From The Closing Circle by Barry Commoner, 1971

8 Principles of Green Engineering Engineer processes and products holistically, use systems analysis, and integrate environmental impact assessment tools. Conserve and improve natural ecosystems while protecting human health and well-being. Use life-cycle thinking in all engineering activities. Ensure that all material and energy inputs and outputs are as inherently safe and benign as possible. Minimize depletion of natural resources. Strive to prevent waste. Develop and apply engineering solutions, while being cognizant of local geography, aspirations, and cultures. Create engineering solutions beyond current or dominant technologies; improve, innovate, and invent (technologies) to achieve sustainability. Actively engage communities and stakeholders in development of engineering solutions. From Green Engineering: Defining the Principles Conference, 2003

9 Sustainability Principles Principle 1: Maintaining the viability of the planet Principle 2: Providing for equity within and between generations Principle 3: Solving problems holistically IPENZ (Insitution of Professional Engineers New Zealand)

10 Eco-effectiveness Principles 1. Waste = food 2. Use current solar income 3. Respect diversity From McDonough & Braungart, Cradle to cradle: Remaking the way we make things, 2002.

11 Hannover Principles 1. Insist on rights of humanity and nature to co-exist 2. Recognize interdependence. 3. Respect relationships between spirit and matter. 4. Accept responsibility for the consequences of design. 5. Create safe objects of long-term value. 6. Eliminate the concept of waste. 7. Rely on natural energy flows. 8. Understand the limitations of design. 9. Seek constant improvement by the sharing of knowledge. Developed by William McDonough Architects for the 2000 World Fair in Hannover, Germany

12 Five Principles of Ecological Design 1. Solutions grow from place. 2. Ecological accounting informs design. 3. Design with nature. 4. Everyone is a designer. 5. Make nature visible. From Sim van der Ryn and Stuart Cowan in Ecological Design, 1995.

13 Principles of Ecological Design 1. The living world is the matrix for all design. 2. Design should follow, not oppose, the laws of life. 3. Biological equity must determine design. 4. Design must reflect bioregionality. 5. Projects should be based on renewable energy sources. 6. Design should be sustainable through the integration of living systems. 7. Design should be coevolutionary with the planet. 8. Building and design should help heal the planet. 9. Design should follow a sacred ecology. Nancy and Jack Todd in From Eco-cities to Living Machines, 1994.

14 Five Axioms of Sustainability 1. (Tainter s Axiom): Any society that continues to use critical resources unsustainably will collapse. Exception: A society can avoid collapse by finding replacement resources. Limit to the exception: In a finite world, the number of possible replacements is also finite. 2. (Bartlett s Axiom): Population growth and/or growth in the rates of consumption of resources cannot be sustained. 3. To be sustainable, the use of renewable resources must proceed at a rate that is less than or equal to the rate of natural replenishment. 4. To be sustainable, the use of non-renewable resources must proceed at a rate that is declining, and the rate of decline must be greater than or equal to the rate of depletion. 5. Sustainability requires that substances introduced into the environment from human activities be minimized and rendered harmless to biosphere functions. Five Axioms of Sustainability, MuseLetter #178 / February 2007, by Richard Heinberg

15 Ethical Principles

16 The Sustainable Person Past Future...to understand oneself as a fundamentally relational, temporally contingent and dependent being, and develop the broader self identity of a sustainable person. Now Sustainability Ethics, Christian Becker, Penn State, 2010.

17 Relational is the being of sustainability Relational self-identity Temporal, interdependent, culturally and naturally contingent Relational competencies Attentiveness Receptiveness Relational virtues Respect Care Responsibility This altogether is based on an encompassing understanding of the human being as an emotional, rational, communicative and creative being, and particularly a broader concept of rationality, including practical wisdom and reason.

18 A Common Set of Sustainability Principles

19 Seven Common Themes 1. Stewardship 2. Respect for limits 3. Interdependence 4. Economic restructuring 5. Fair distribution 6. Intergenerational perspective 7. Nature as a model and teacher. From Andres Edwards, The Sustainability Revolution, 2005.