Sustainable Development
Lim
"Capitalism, Imperialism, and Patriarchy: The Dilemma of Third-World Women Workers in Multinational Factories" there is a feminisation of the work force in the garment industry : - women earn less then men - (however) with migration to urban spaces women have a sense of economic empowerment which helps undermine the patriarchy in conclusion, is this empowerment or simply exploitation? (contrast of sd)
Shapiro (Judith)
"China's Environmental Challenges" - economic sustainability impacted by China's construction of dams on the Mekong River - Chinese are bearing the brunt of global pollution, as they suffer the negative impacts of production in terms of reduced quality of life, prevalence of disease and shortened lifespans - consumption of exotic products such as sharks drive populations extinct
Alpermann (Björn)
"China's Environmental Crisis" - outlines how NGO's function in China with censorship - many simply stick to environmental education, as activism is not necessarily always in line with the ideals of the government
Smith, Ngai (Chris, Pun)
"Class and Precarity in China: A Contested Relationship" - defines the term precariat - gives examples of Hukou workers and how they are treated in in this class based system
Urry
"Consuming the Planet to Excess" models conspicuous consumption
Biermann, Kanie, Kim
"Global governance by goal-setting: the novel approach of the UN sustainable development goals" - summarises governance through goals, and how the SDG's can be best implemented - SDG's mark a historic shift for the UN to one SD agenda incorporating the three pillars of SD - High-Level Political Forum will oversee progress - success must come through increased formalisation of commitments, the establishment of clear benchmarks, all of which should cause embarrassment in the case of non-compliance - horizontal policy - governments have freedom to implement goals locally
Brooks (Jeremy)
"Gross National Happiness in Bhutan as a Model for Sustainable Development" - Bhutan was in a uniquely creative position as it wasn't developed - emphasis on sufficiency: reflection on wants, needs, cultural values - priorities include hydro-electricity, agriculture becoming 100% organic, car-free days, tentative democratization, forest protection - shifted from a barter economy to highest GDP per capita in South Asia
Maniates
"Individualization: Plant a Tree, Buy a Bike, Save the World?" models ethical consumption
Li (Capitalism and the Land Question)
"Intergenerational Displacement in Indonesia's Oil Palm Plantation Zone" Talks about displacement in Indonesia due to Palm Oil and all of the problems that go along with it.
Pia (Andrea)
"Introducing the Chinese Commons" - mentions how China is succumbing to Hardin's "Tragedy of the Commons" - 25% of citizens do not have clean drinking water - half of the water in seven largest rivers is useless
Stevenson
"Multilateral Diplomacy: Sustainable Development" defines multilateralism
Sahlins (Michael)
"Original Affluent Society" - h-g livelihoods are efficient - material wants are easily satisfied, plenty of leisure and daytime sleep (proved false) - Zen strategy: affluence can be achieved by minimising wants - for h-g health and wellbeing are modest, finite objectives (downplays the suffering of hunger, malnutrition, illness) - modern life is a 'tragedy' of endless work chasing unlimited wants
Thompson (Bob)
"Pachakuti: Indigenous Perspectives, Buen Vivir, Sumaq Kawsay and Degrowth" explains buen vivir and Quechua anti-capitalist rhetoric: - 'de growth' 'good living' and localism - sumak kawsay (buen vivir) - decolonising "live well, but not better (than others)
Carter
"Politics of the Environment" proposes term 'Ecological Modernisation'
Jackson
"Prosperity Without Growth: Economics for a Finite Planet" - questions whether we should continue to pursue economic growth in industrially-developed countries - (at time) current 2008 economic crisis represents an opportunity for change
Seyfang
"Shopping for Sustainability: Can Sustainable Consumption Promote Ecological Citizenship?" models citizen consumption
Elinoff (Eli)
"Sufficient Citizens: Moderation and the Politics of SD in Thailand" tells the story of Thailand's sufficiency economy - 1997 Asian Meltdown - post-crash rethinking - not radical - some transformative potential
Steffen
"The Anthropocene, are humans now overwhelming the great forces of nature?"
Rockström
"A Safe Operating Space for Humanity" (nine planetary boundaries)
Hilton
"Can China Really Lead the World on Climate?" - explains how China is leading investment when it comes to renewables, especially in Comparison to the U.S.
Kaplan (David)
"The Darker Side of the 'Original Affluent Society'" - critique of Sahlins' OAS - work: how hard do foragers work? estimated to be 40-45 hours per week, i.e. much more than in modern society - food / nutrition: how well fed are members of foraging societies? what about seasonal hunger, chronic malnutrition, and 50% child mortality - classification / interpretation: what do we mean by "work" "leisure" and "affluence" in the context of foraging societies? (are these ethnocentric western concepts?)
Chan (Jenny)
"The Politics of Global Production: Apple, Foxconn, and China's New Working Class" - Apple's commercial triumph rests in outsourcing its consumer electronics to China - analysing Foxconn, China's leading exporter, it is shown how Apple's demands in price settings and global delivery results in intense pressures and illegal overtime for workers
Dresner
"The Principles of Sustainability"
Ward
"The decoupling delusion: rethinking growth and sustainability"
Malm (Andreas)
"The origins of Fossil Capital: From Water to Steam in British Cotton" - emergence of the fossil economy
Steven, Kashambuzi
"Turning Ambition into Reality: Platforms and Partnerships for Delivering Agenda 2030" - proposes strategy of staying on course, boosting, and launching in regards to partnerships - "all partnerships should use the HLPF in 2019 as the end of Agenda 2030's startup phase" (should distinguish between transformative and zombie partnerships - MDG's had a galvinizing effect on partnerships
Helliwell (John)
"World Happiness Report 2017" - happiness strongly correlated with income, health, friends, generosity, freedom - flatlined in China for the past 25 years, decreased in the US - migrants happiness soon approximates to that of the country (or place [China's migrant workers]) the migrate to
terra incognita
"human activities have become so pervasive and profound that they rival the great forces of Nature and are pushing the earth into..."
Monbiot
"there can still surely be only one answer to the question of whether preventing catastrophic climate change is worth the sacrifice of a proportion - even a large proportion - of our predicted economic growth over the twenty-four years between now and 2030" argues that we need to do something about climate change as materialistic things will not compensate for the loss of ecosystem services
vertical policy
"top-down" approach to policy when policy is dictated from above and compliance is expected at lower levels of the organisational hierarchy
China's argument for not participating in emissions negotiations
"we should be able to develop without having to abide by foreign regulations"
human growth, climate, ecosystems, surprise
'quadruple squeeze' (Rockström)
transnational / non-state actors
- NGO's - social movements - trans-national corporations (TNC's) - business advocacy groups - epistemic communities - global civil society - (maybe) international quasi state organisations (leads to polycentric governance)
Rio 1992
- attended by 172 countries and 108 heads of state / government - declaration signed by 170 countries (still soft law) - golden age of multilateralism
Our Common Future (1987)
- brought the topic of SD onto the international agenda - equity, growth, and environment are all possible simultaneously - "Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs"
three key terms of globalisation
- economic openness - increasing economic interdependence - deepening integration into the world economy
progress towards sustainable equilibrium should include
- enhanced human wellbeing (health, happiness, meaning / purpose) - enhanced social quality (conviviality, engagement, justice, security)
Limits to Growth (1972, Meadows)
- examined consequences of economic and population growth in a finite world - modelled most current sustainability factors
two reasons for happiness to be center stage in SD
- happiness is what development is for - happiness may be a key driver of better (more prosocial, more sustainable) life choices
key themes of multilateralism
- indivisibility - non-discrimination - diffuse reciprocity (cooperation will continue into other areas) - does not override sovereignty - only state actors (Stevenson)
what Agenda 2030 aims to function as
- largely detached from the international legal system - functions through weak institutional arrangements at the international level - global inclusion (horizontal policy) - grants much leeway to national choices and preferences (targets are qualitative) (Biermann, Kanie, Kim)
The Brundtland Commission (World Commission on Environment and Development)
- most important commission of the 20th century - sustainability is about the economy and environment
advantages of polycentric governance
- mutual monitoring / learning - ability to change - easier to build trust a reciprocity - local and regional actors need to be involved in state driven approaches
strong sd (dark green)
- natural capital cannot be replaced - focus on preservation of natural resources - we need wider changes not just technological ones - every species that goes extinct matters (ecocentric)
UN Conference on Sustainable Development (2012)
- non-binding document (soft-law) The Future We Want was passed - reaffirmed their commitment to sustainable development and to previous action plans (Rio 1992)
weak sd (light green)
- substitute manufactured capital for natural resources - technological fixes - modify behaviours but not lifestyles - anthropocentric
textile production (results of)
- uses huge volumes of water and energy - dyes linked to water pollution: - WHO estimates 75% of disease in China is linked to water pollution
challenges for SD in international governance
- vague - equity (developing nations argue they should develop without foreign nations imposing environmental guidelines on them) - democracy and participation (Johannesburg 2002, Bush did not support and US and EU did not exercise leadership) - precautionary principle - policy integration (hard law or soft law?) - planning (mix of policy instruments across all levels of government)
challenges of governance through (the SD) goals
1. appropriate indicators 2. measurable pledges 3. new sources of data 4. global goals, but adapted to national and local (functioning governing systems) 5. integrated approach to implementing SDG's (how can they be implemented together, some may contradict) 7. adapt governance to socio-ecological changes (Steven, Kashambuzi) 8. orchestration or conductor-less jazz?
key themes in indigenous values
1. community, conviviality 2. harmony with nature 3. socially harmonious, consensus based politics 4. stability - living well, not pursuing progress (decoupling) 5. finding happiness in work 6. 'spirituality' or 'balance' living in harmony with semi-mysterious hidden worlds
Kuznets Curve (Environmental)
Based in the theory that income inequality will increase during economic development and decrease after reaching a state of overall affluence, this theory predicts that environmental impacts rise during development, only to fall after an economy matures
Mekong River
China has built many dams along this river in Southeast Asia, effecting local populations and economies due to decreased farming and fishing
Mekong (Comission)
China refuses to join this commision which ensures water rights throughout Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam
coal
China's main source of energy
Hukou
China's traditional household registration system that makes it difficult to move from one place to another defines a person as either agricultural or non-agricultural
negative externality (can form global intra- and inter- generational negative externalities)
a cost associated with pollution and environmental degradation to be borne by producers or consumers are called
precariat
a new term that combines precariousness with Karl Marx's term for the working class (the proletariat) to describe the growing number of workers employed in part-time, insecure jobs with low wages and no control over their hours of work or working conditions
industrial revolution
a period of rapid growth in the use of machines in manufacturing and production that began in the mid-1700s the anthropocene according to Steffen started in this period
neoliberalism
a strategy for economic development that calls for free markets, balanced budgets, privatization, free trade, and minimal government intervention in the economy.
how the moral value of GNH is undermined
a. authoritarian traditionalism b. ill-treatment of longterm Nepalese immigrants
Zen strategy
affluence can be achieved by minimising wants (Sahlins)
Monbiot
agrees with the conclusion of the Stern report but argues to not engage in environmental cost benefit analysis as it is "an amoral means of comparison" - it is possible to place a price on human life? - this is completely immoral
ecological modernisation
an alternative to 'sustainable development' involves making capitalism 'environmentally friendly' by reforming economic, social and political institutions ties into Polanyi and the fossil capital idea proposed by Malm is it just weak sd however?
fossil economy
an economy characterised by self-sustaining growth predicted on growing consumption of fossil fuels, and therefore generating a sustained growth in CO2 emissions
casualization
an increasingly common work arrangement where employees work on a project-by-project basis, rather than as a year round, full time employees
post-crash rethinking (Thailand)
as a result of this moderation (Buddhist 'middle way') and community were hailed as new development principles
polycentric governance
characterised by multiple governing authorities at different scales (where) each unit exercises considerable independence to make norms and rules within a specific domain
dormitory labor
common practice for migrant workers under the Hukou regime
size (population), speed (China should be able to develop like industrialised nations did), scarcity (scarce natural resources and growing inequality)
constraints on China for attaining SD in current era
financialization
dematerialisation of the economy may cause recession (Ward)
Three Gorges Dam
displaced 1.3 million people and drove the Yangtze river dolphin to be extinct also causing droughts as admitted by Chinese officials, who claim it to be a mistake (Shapiro)
substitution effect
effect when one reduces carbon emissions but in doing so needs to look at the effect on land through the use of heavy materials (Ward)
polluter pays principle
ensuring that those who produce damaging pollution meet the full environmental, social, and economic costs; may be through fines and punitive damages for direct pollution or through charges, e.g. a tax on fuel
environmental limits
ensuring that we only use a fair share of the earth's resources and that its ability to provide us with the services we need (clean air, soil, water, temperature, climate, and so on) are not compromised Rockström Planetary Boundaries
UN Sustainable Development Summit 2015
established the "17 development goals"
ethnocentrism
evaluation of other cultures according to preconceptions originating in the standards and customs of one's own culture.
horizontal policy
exists when departments or individuals within an organisation of similar rank with the organisational hierarchy work collaboratively towards a common outcome more democratic process, however can lead to a watered down policy
conventional collective action theory
externally imposed regulations are needed for emissions reduction problem: weak empirical support this in small to medium environmental issues
(through) extractivism
how are social welfare regimes of LA often financed? violates indigenous rights
a. socialism - welfare of the people is the paramount value b. religion - Buddhist and Daoist teachings emphasize respect for the natural world
how does China have resources for sustainability already embedded in society?
relative decoupling
human environmental impacts rise at a slower rate than overall economic growth (Jackson)
historical explanations for extent of environmental degradation
i. political repression - critics could not be heard ii. utopian urgency - mobilisation to achieve impossible goals - for ex: getting rid of fruit trees on hills and instead terracing the land to produce grain iii. dogmatic uniformity - ignoring local conditions - planting grain where it would just not grow iv. state-ordered relocations - settling people on marginal land - people were moved to Mongolia where they were made to plant grain, leading to desertification
four pillars of GNH (according to government of Bhutan)
i. sustainable and equitable economic development ii. environmental conservation iii. preservation and promotion of culture and heritage iv. good governance
enforcement
if laws are not the problem in China then what needs to be changed?
steam factory system (independent)
in the centre of towns, with access to mass of unemployed moving from rural areas
1997 Asian financial crisis
individualism and greed were blamed for this bad development (esp. volatile, unequal, and unsustainable growth)
multilateralism
institutional form that coordinates relations among three or more states on the basis of generalised principles of conduct (Stevenson)
moral hazard
lack of incentive to guard against risk where one is protected from its consequences, e.g. by insurance possibility of geoengineering
hard law
legally-binding entails collective commitments and state-specific obligations not as common in the international sphere when it comes to climate agreements ex: Montreal Protocol
sufficientarianism
living simply, aiming for adequacy, avoiding over-work or over-consumption. can link sustainability with wellbeing, and social quality
geoengineering
manipulation of earths climate system to counteract the effects of climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions
absolute decoupling
means that ecological impact decreases in absolute terms, not just relative to growth (Jackson)
effects of the Hukou system
migrant workers are neglected in many aspects such as: - health and safety - wages - social insurance - contracts
precautionary principle
not proceeding, or exercising the highest degree of caution, with activities or developments where the environmental impacts are not known
Li (Capitalism and the Land Question)
not so much overt 'land-grab', rather 'slow' dynamic of dispossession over generations, entrancing poverty
Stern Report
outcome was that the cost of undressed climate change will be 20% of GDP lost forever
Evo Morales
president of Bolivia who has instituted Buen Vivir policies but does not 'practice what he preaches'
market failures
problems related to pollution and environmental issues
how are partnerships fit for results?
provide - clear theory of change - result transparency - financing - global cooperation which induces results promote - integration and coherence but should - avoid spreading too thin
environmental justice
putting people at the heart of decision-making and ensuring that everyone is able to live in a clean, healthy, attractive environment
great acceleration
refers to the period after World War II, during which human population and economic activities grew at a greater rate than in the past
Deng Xiaoping
responsible for the "Era of Reform" - maintained party rule yet advocated for a rules based system including environmental legislation - Mao was very egalitarian and therefore proposed "let some get rich first" through marketisation - 'small government, big society' = decreased social control paving the way for environmental NGO's
epistemic communities
scientists and technical experts contributing expertise to understanding of environmental issues part of polycentric governance (Ford)
proximity principle
seeking to resolve problems locally and in the present rather than passing them onto other communities or future generations
cost shifting
shifting the burden to poorer countries (Ward)
global value chain / global production network
takes into account they key economic actors involved in a global industry problematic due to proximity principle
dematerialisation
term where fewer resources are needed for each unit of output
inter-generational equity
the development process that seeks to minimise adverse effects on future generations for example as regards to resource depletion, biodiversity, waste, pollution or other long term environmental policy
intra-generational equity
the development that seeks to reduce the disparity's between rich and poor at any point in time
value-action gap
the massive gap between how much a citizen is thinking they are doing and what they are actually doing
anthropocene
the modern geological era during which humans have dramatically affected the environment, departing from its natural geological epoch, the holocene
sufficiency economy
the name of a Thai development approach attributed to the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej recommends the frugal 'Buddhist economics' route to happiness
colonial argument for enclosures
the old argument for enclosures that was not much was happening on the land as it was under-developed or wasted land is empty and does not belong to anyone, or at least only to 'backwards' people (Polanyi)
extractivism
the process of extracting natural resources from the Earth to sell on the world market. it exists in an economy that depends primarily on the extraction or removal of natural resources that are considered valuable for exportation worldwide. causes environmental harms and disruptions
The Great Transformation (Polanyi)
the transformation from a society with a subsistence economy to a market society "At the heart of the Industrial Revolution of the eighteenth century there was an almost miraculous improvement in the tools of production, which was accompanied by a catastrophic dislocation of the common people". - Karl Polanyi
lost eden myths
theory that there were preindustrial cultures that in sense were utopian most notable example is Sahlins
zombie (partnership)
those partnerships that continue to absorb resources, but do not make a meaningful contribution to the new agenda
conspicuous consumption
type of consumption that Veblen argued already in 1899 - argued that human consumption is irrational and that people only earn money in order to have wasteful consumption - influence on all social groups as excess consumption comes to mark social status (Urry)
expressive consumption
type of consumption that considers consumption to be an expression of one't true creative or even ethical self - consumption should only be used for authentic 'experience' - cultural capitalism
ethical consumption
type of consumption that follows purchase of goods based on ethical criteria e.g. ecologically friendly or fair trade products - draws on the model of a individual rational consumer who expresses their ideals through consumption - reducing impact on the planet becomes growth in industry (for ex: Patagonia) (Maniates)
alienated consumption
type of consumption that is not rational at all but rather a form of 'enchantment' or magic - one is made to believe in the 'objective' value of the things we buy - there is a need to change the system in order to be more suitable for the needs of the poeple
everyday consumption
type of consumption that occurs as a moment of every practice - consumption better conceptualised as a result of 'mass participation in normal activity' rather than as market exchange - calls attention to the mundane, routine, and inconspicuous (Warde) - note essential or further reading
rational consumption
type of consumption where one is driven by satisfaction of own needs and preferences / values, maximising 'utility' according to income and prices
citizen consumption
type of consumption which is the "radical re-organising of economies to be more localised, decentralised, smaller-scale, and orientated towards human well-being and environmental protection" - cuts alienating consumption - emphasises 'economies of care' 'non commodity exchange' producer / consumer proximity (Seyfang) - draws on the model of a rational consumer orientated to values of care
decoupling
used to break the link between economic growth and resource use
technology centred
view on global warming that states: - the steam engine allowed for the needs of humanity to be filled - only technology can 'save us'
enclosure
violent appropriation of common land and enclosing of the land for sheep grazing and in the 18th century for 'agricultural improvement' (mass food production) (Polanyi)
soft law
voluntarily adopted guidelines for corporate behavior derived from emerging norms and standards in international codes, declarations, and conventions may entail political consequences, and allows for a future negotiating position very common in the international sphere when it comes to climate agreements, for ex: Paris Climate Agreement
conviviality
what is the cause of exceptionally high happiness and life satisfaction scores in LA despite persistent inequality and appalling rates of violence
service (economy)
what type of economy is the UK considered?
Global South (China)
where is investment for new renewables highest?
King Wangchuk
who proposed the idea of GNH in Bhutan?
water powered system (dependent)
worker colonies, funded by industrialists, vulnerable to labour demands
export processing zones
zones established by many countries in the periphery and semi-periphery where they offer favorable tax, regulatory, and trade arrangements to attract foreign trade and investment notable example: China