The Future of Sustainability: Have Your Say!

Week One - “Global Challenges to Sustainability in the Twenty-First Century”
Comment / Comentario / Commentaire

Antonio Claparols, Ecological Society of the Philippines, Philippines

Moderating team: Antonio Claporols notes that we do not want to sound like doomsday environmentalists, but that seems to be the way of the future. Sustainability in the 21st century needs a change in attitude, work ethics, consumption patterns and simple rehabilitating the panet we live in. He recommends that society needs to go back to basics, go organic, go with renewable sources of energy, plant trees and stop logging. If we do not act now,then we are gone forever.

Antonio Claparols comenta que el movimiento ambiental parece predecir el fin del mundo si seguimos así. La sostenibilidad en el siglo 21 necesita un cambio de actitud, de ética en el trabajo, de hábitos de consumo y de “simple” rehabilitación del planeta. Recomienda que la sociedad necesita volver hacia lo básico, lo orgánico, las energías renovables, el cuidado de los árboles y parar la explotación de madera. Si no actuamos ahora, el fin estará cerca.

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I fully agree with the observations and comments.

Entropy-A New World View by Jeremy Rifkin published in 1981 gives a lot of views on the future.

For starters,ESP has been into conservation since 1976, a member of IUCN since 1978.

During all this time we have seen the earths resources degrade with wanton systematic havoc,showing no signs of conscience and corporate responsibility. The earths ecology has reached a state of irreversibility.

The glaciers melting,the lack of clean water,the toxins in the air,the amount of CO2 in the air from 266 ppm to 377 ppm as of the latest. The lack of awareness not only of the youth but professionals and corporations. I cannot even imagine that they do not know what a polyp

does and the value of a coral reef and a mangrove swamp, the beginning of the foodchain which ends with us.

The destruction of our forest and continued logging of what is left.The bleaching of Corals and the changes of weather patterns that have affected ecological security, food security and the very existence of humankind.

It has been quite a long time since 1972 Stockholm conference on sustainable development to Rios earth summit to the privatization of the natural environment

during the WSSD in Joburg, What is appalling after all that has been seen, all the damage done,nothing seems

to prepare us for survival to the 21th century.

GMOs are certainly not the answer as IUCN knows the GMO moratorium adopted in Bangkok,the dialogue with the extractive industries is full of talk and literature.

A fact finding task force by members of SEAPRISE/CEEESP showed how the mining companies conduct business.

The lack of response to the worlds biggest oil spill which will destroy the coral triangle and the megabiodiversity countries in Southeast Asia.

Despite all the environmental laws, conventions etc. We are dying with every breath of air we take. The forest and carbon sinks are almost gone.Brazil Amazon forest is in great danger,the last LUNGS of the planet. What science can do is to study and go back to basics, go organic, go with renewable sources of energy,go plant a zillion trees and stop logging.

Protect the land the sea and the air,they are all inter-related.

Slow down our consumption habits, retool and change the infrastructure that is obsolete.

From the Greeks and their Five Ages of History, the Entropy Law and what is happening today is saying good bye to sustainable development. We must go back to sustainable use, self sufficiency and go organic.

We do not want to sound like doom day environmentalist, but that seems to be the way of the future.

Sustainability in the 21th century needs a change in attitude, work ethics, consumption patterns and simple rehabilitating the Planet we live in. If we do not act now, then we are gone forever.