Sustainability Concepts

Consumption

1. A sequence of choices and actions by households including the selection, purchase, use, maintenance, repair and disposal of any product or service. 2. Serves people's needs, tastes and values and is usually defined in one of two ways: material resources or goods and services (economic) that are the direct inputs to human wellbeing.

Sustainability

1. Balanced management of lifestyles, economies, and environments that allows humans and earth systems to continue flourishing over time 2. Triangles: society/ecology/economy ; people/planet/profit 3. Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Culture

1. The set of basic values, perceptions, wants, and behaviors learned by a member of society from family and other important institutions. 2. Historically accumulated and socially formed, embodied and transmitted ways of being and knowing Text Sample: People and the Planet pg.88

Ecosystems

A community of living organisms (plants, animals, and microbes) in conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment (things like air, water, and mineral soils), interacting as a systme. These components are regarded as linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. The energy is obtained primarily from the sun through photosynthesis, a process that also captures carbon from the atmosphere. Decomposers break down dead organic matter and release carbon back to the atmosphere and facilitate nutrient cycling by converting nutrients stored in dead biomass back to a form that can be readily used by plants and other microbes.

Human Development Index

A composite statistic used to rank nations' development by measuring income, health, and education. Developed by the United Nations Development Programme.

Demographic Transition

A four-stage model that represents how countries change though history from a situation of high birth and death rates to one of low birth and death rates. As birth and death rates fall, the total population of the country rises due to advancements in technology and a general increase in the standard of living. Stage 1: High birth and death rates. Very slow population growth. Occasional food shortages and poor medical skills kill people. Stage 2: Birth rates remain high, but the death rate starts to decline. This is brought about by increases in the food supply and better public health. Stage 3: Population growth moves toward stability through a decline in the birth rate. This is caused by a change of values and an increase in the amount of working parents. Stage 4: Stable population - people live longer lives.

Biofuel

A fuel produced from organic matter or combustible oils produced by plants. Examples include alcohol, black liquor from the paper-manufacturing process, wood, and soy-bean oil.

Environmental Kuznets Curve

A hypothesis that ecological degradation increases as a country's economy increases until per capita income hits a point where environmental degradation begins to decrease because countries become wealthier and begin to invest in more environmentally friendly technologies. This hypothesis does not hold true in most circumstances and with most types of ecological degradation. However, it does hold true for locally harmful environmental damage such as toxic air pollution. Original: hypothesis that economic inequality increases over time while a country is developing, and then after a certain average income is attained, inequality begins to decrease.

ICPD International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), Cairo 1994

A milestone in the history of population and development, as well as in the history of women's rights. At the conference the world agreed that population is not just about counting people, but about making sure that every person counts. Delegates reached a consensus that the equality and empowerment of women is a global priority; approaching it not only from the perspective of universal human rights, but also as an essential step towards eradicating poverty and stabilizing population growth. A women's ability to access reproductive health and rights is cornerstone to her empowerment and the key to sustainable development. 179 governments signed up to the ICPD Program of Action which sets out to accomplish the goals.

IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

A scientific intergovernmental body, established in 1988 and endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly through Resolution 43/53. Its mission is to provide comprehensive scientific assessments of current scientific, technical and socio-economic information worldwide about the risk of climate changed caused by human activity, its potential environmental and socio-economic consequences, and possibly options for adapting to these consequences or mitigating the effects. Provides an internationally accepted authority on climate change, producing reports which have the agreement of all the leading climate scientists and the consensus of every one of the 120+ participating governments.

Ecosystem Services

Activities or functions of an ecosystem that provide benefit to humans. Developed using the four categories of provisioning, regulation, cultural, and supporting services. Supporting: services necessary for all others and their impacts on people are either indirect or occur over a very long time period. Include primary production, production of atmospheric oxygen, soil formation and retention, nutrient cycling, water cycling, and pollination. Changes in the other categories have relatively direct and short-term impacts on people. Provisioning: products obtained from ecosystems, including food and fibre, fuel, fresh water, genetic resources, biochemicals, natural medicine and pharmaceauticals Regulating: benefits obtained from the regulation of ecosystem processes, including air quality maintenance, climate regulation, water regulation, erosion control, water purification and waste treatment, regulation of disease, biological control, pollination, storm protection Cultural: nonmaterial benefits people obtain from ecosystems through spiritual enrichment, cognitive development, reflection, recreation, and aesthetic experiences.

Transportation Strategy

Allows the basic access needs of individuals and societies to be met safely and in a manner consistent with human and ecosystem health and with equity within and between generations. Is affordable, operated efficiently, offers choice of transport mode, and supports a vibrant economy. Limits emissions and waste within the planet's ability to absorb them, minimizes consumption of non-renewable resources, limits consumption of renewable resources to sustainable yield level, reuses and recycles its components, and minimizes the use of land and the production of noise.

Autonomy

An abstract concept that deals with an individual's (or group's) ability to make his or her own decisions. Having control over what happens and being able to achieve what a person values doing or being; shows that each individual's impact, whether large or small, is indeed a worthwhile contribution. With regard to sustainability, this means that each individual can consciously decide to contribute to a sustainable society. (P&P 85)

Ecological Footprint

An index that measures the amount of renewable and non-renewable ecologically productive land area required to support the resource demands and absorb the wastes of a given population or specific activities. It has emerged as the world's premier measure of humanity's demand on nature. This accounting system tracks, on the demand side, how much land and water area a human population uses to provide all it takes from nature.

KYOTO Protocol United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC or FCCC)

An international agreement linked together that sets binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions adopted in Japan on 11 December 1997. These amount to an average of 5% against 1990 levels over the 5-year period 2008-2013. Recognizing that developed countries are principally responsible for the current high levels of GHG emissions in the atmosphere as a result of more than 150 years of industrial activity, the Protocol places a heavier burden on developed nations under the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. Countries must meet their targets primarily through national measures or three market-based mechanisms that help stimulate green investment and help parties meet their emission targets in a cost effective way: Emission trading (carbon market), Clean development mechanism (CDM), Joint implementation(JI).

UNCED United Nations Conference on Environment and Development Rio 1992

Attended by 180 states and focused on the notion that environmental protection is an essential element of social and economic development. A fundamental principle resolved by this meeting was that a State is liable for its conduct or omission that is a "transboundary environmental interference." Major differences of view arose: North-South divide on issues relating to sovereignty over natural resources, economic costs, equitable burden-sharing, funding, the role of multi-lateral institutions, the transfer of technology, climate change, biological diversity and deforestation. However, after long hours of difficult negotiations, important concrete agreements that extend into international environmental law today were produced.

Renewable Resources

Capable of being replaced by natural ecological cycles or sound management practices. Resources such as trees, fish, oxygen, and fresh water are generally considered since they can be continually reproduced.

Global Warming

Changes in the surface-air temperature, averaged over long periods, brought about by greenhouse effect which is induced by emission of greenhouse gases into the air

Corporate Social Responsibility

Concept whereby companies voluntarily integrate responses to social and environmental concerns in their business and the way they interact with stakeholders. This implies going over and above legal requirements, integrating economic, social and environmental concerns in their business, and adopting new approaches to business management.

Rebound Effect (Jevon's Paradox)

Describes a dynamic in which new technologies that increase the efficiency of resource use are accompanied by behavioral or other systemic responses that offset the beneficial effects of the new technology or other measures taken. The volume of consumption outweighs any gains made through the improved efficiency of the products. Direct effect refers to increases in consumption of a good because of the substitution effect from lower cost of use. Indirect effects come about from the income effect as decreased costs enables households to increase consumption of other goods and services. Economy-wide effects occur because improved technology creates new production possibilities and increases economic growth.

Renewable Energy Sources

Do not rely on fuels of which there are only finite stocks. The most widely used renewable source is hydroelectric power, other renewable sources are biomass energy, solar energy, tidal energy, wave energy, and wind energy.

Green Economy (Green Industry)

Economy that results in improved human wellbeing and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. Low carbon, resource efficient, and socially-inclusive; industries and businesses that contribute to this count. A major theme for the Rio+20 Conference. P&P: material efficiency, ecosystem services, demographic dividend, changing consumption patterns, and urbanization

Drivers of Environmental Change

Factors that work like motors pushing changes the environment; usually embedded in the way humans live their lives, and may include economic systems, social behavior and politics and governance.

Greenhouse Gasses

Gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, both natural and anthropogenic, that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of infrared radiation emitted by the Earth's surface, the atmosphere and clouds. The Kyoto Protocol covers a basket of six GHGS produced by human activities: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, per-fluorocarbons, and sulphur hexafluoride.

Direct Causes of Environmental Change

Human created and natural factors that cause change in the planet's ecosystem directly. P&P65: Significantly exploitation of resources, land conversion, pollution and invasions by non-native species. In addition, climate change and other forms of pollution are expected to become increasingly important factors.

Human Capital

Includes education, skills, tacit knowledge, health. Can be continuously enriched; education and training are ways to enrich this type of capital

Manufactured Capital

Includes infrastructure like roads, buildings, ports, machinery, equipment, housing, personal and commercial transport, etc. Built assets that are required to produce a product. Examples: plant building, machines, factories, computers, airports, roads, railways, public hospitals, police and fire protection, water and sewer systems, electric and gas utilities, and telecommunications

Internalization of Environmental Costs in the Market

Incorporation of an externality into the market decision-making process through pricing or regulatory interventions. Examples: establishing water prices that include the cost of replenishing or replacing aquifers, including in airline tickets some of the costs of dealing with the impact of CO2 emissions, and establishing gasoline prices that include costs of repairing environmental damage caused through exploration and exploitation.

Market-Based Instruments

Instruments that seek to address the market's failure to measure environmental costs and damages because these costs have been "externalized" from the economic calculations. Seek to incorporate the external cost of production or consumption activities into the market through taxes or charges on processes or products, through pricing policies, or by creating property rights and facilitating the establishment of a proxy market for the use of environmental services.

Environmental Conflicts

Manifested as political, social, economic, ethnic, religious, or territorial conflicts that are induced by environmental degradation or struggle over environmental resources. Characterized by the principal importance of degradation in one or more of the following fields: overuse of renewable resources, overstrain of the environment's sink capacity (pollution), and impoverishment of the space of living

Non-Renewable Energy Source

Minerals, oil, gas, and coal. Their use as material and energy sources leads to depletion of the Earth's reserves. These resources actually will be regenerated, but the millions of years required for generating more oil, for example, means they are not effectively renewable for humans.

United Nations World Commision on Environment and Development (WCED) 1987

Our Common Future and the Brundtland Report. UN General Assembly realized that there was a heavy deterioration of the human environment and natural resources. To rally countries to work and pursue sustainable development together, the UN decided to establish a commission to unite countries to pursue sustainable development together. The report established the most widely used definition of sustainable development: seeks to meet the needs and aspirations of the present without compromising the ability to meet those of the future.

Decoupling (Relative/Absolute)

Refers to separating economic growth from increasing environmental impact, two processes that have correlated strongly over the past 200 years. (P&P 57) Relative refers to a decline in the intensity of ecological cost/impact per unit of economic output (resource impacts decline relative to GDP). Absolute is when resource impacts decline in absolute terms, so as economic output grows environmental impact does not grow at all, or decreases.

Millennium Development Goals

Specific targets that world leaders set in the following areas: 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. 2. Achieve universal primary education. 3. Improve maternal health. 4. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. 5. Promote gender equality and empower women. 6. Ensure environmental sustainability. 7. Reduce child mortality. 8. Develop a global partnership for development.

Production

The act of creating a good or service which has social value and contributes to the utility of individuals. The act may include factors including human labor, natural resources, energy, technology, and/or others.

Geoengineering (Techno-Fix)

The intentional, large-scale technological manipulation of the Earth's systems, often discussed as a techno-fix for combating climate change. Divided into three areas: solar radiation management, greenhouse gas removal, carbon sequestration and weather modification.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

The monetary value of all final goods and services produced in a country over a certain time period, usually on an annual basic, at market prices. It is gross, since no allowance is made for the value of replacement of capital goods. GDP per capita is often used to indicate a country's standard of living. Schor: A poor indicator of well-being. Fails to factor in pollution, parental time with children, the strength of a nation's social fabric, or the chance of being mugged while walking down the street.

Natural Capital

The natural environmental productions such as wind, soils, natural gas etc. from which assets can be drawn to supply a beneficial means to the economy in the form of usable resources. P&P 63: the assets of the natural world that produce flows of good and services valued by people

Urbanization

The physical movement of people to large, dense, central metropolitan areas. This phenomenon is linked to modernization and industrialism and usually talked about in the context of a period of time. Expected to continue for the next few decades and result in large metropolitan areas and cities with very high population density. Can cause short-term challenges in terms of infrastructure, services, health, transportation and the success of responses varies greatly. Scholars agree it is easier to sustainably provide utilities, housing, transport to large populations in urban contexts.

Status

The relative social, professional, or other standing of someone or something. In contemporary European and US societies, it tends to be related to their consumption patterns of goods and services.

Sustainable Consumption

The use of goods and services that respond to the basic needs, bringing better quality of life, while minimizing the use of natural resources, toxic materials and emissions of waste and pollutants over the life-cycle, so as not to jeopardize the needs of future generations.

Biodiversity

The variability of life within and between species as well as at the level of ecosystems

Embodied Material Consumption

The water, CO2 emissions, energy, waste, and other resources that have been used to produce a good. The good is transported and consumed in a distant place, where it is not obvious that these fundamental resources are being "consumed." P&P 48-49

Urban Sprawl

Uncontrolled, low-density growth of urban communities in undeveloped areas near cities, usually bringing more environmental and health issues. Most is the US has taken the form of suburbs and housing developments with single family homes, each surrounded by a private lawn, and by commercial areas characterized by low-rise shopping malls and strips of franchise retailers and restaurants in individual buildings. European nations experience less than US because cities established long before the 20th century trend.

Rio+20, 2012

United Nation Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD), where member states decided to launch a process to develop a set of Sustainable Development GOals (SDGs), which will build upon the Millennium Development Goals and converge with the post 2015 development agenda. The conference adopted ground-breaking guidelines on green economy policies and established an intergovernmental process under the General Assembly to prepare options on a strategy for sustainable development financing. Governments agreed to establish stronger programs and a high-level political forum for sustainable development.