Sustainability

1
Sustainabilitys 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
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 21 is a participatory multisectoral
  process to achieve the goals of Agenda 21 at the
  local level through the preparation and
  implementation of a long-term strategic action
  plan that addresses priority local 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
Whats 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-developmen
  t 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