The Future of Sustainability: Have Your Say!

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

Richard Cellarius, USA

Moderating team: Richard Cellarius notes that the variety of comments during the first week suggests that the path to environmental sustainability will require many different approaches, which will need to interact carefully in a coordinated way, not as separate endeavours.

Richard Cellarius anota que la variedad de comentarios durante la primera semana de discusión sugiere que el camino hacia la sostenibilidad ambiental tiene múltiples ópticas y que estas deben coordinarse de manera cuidadosa.

----

I had some concerns about Dr. McNeely’s promoting of science as a major part of the path to sustainability in his initial statement. Science can help us understand the dynamics of ecosystems, and in my understanding, there are sufficient differences between even similar ecosystems on different parts of the earth that require individual study. Approaches that utilize such studies to inform societies as how best to live within those ecosystems are exactly what we need. What we don’t need – and what we need to work against – are science and related technologies designed to circumvent natural processes or manage them to increase human wealth (in the broadest sense) beyond what his necessary for normal livelihoods.

2. Following on that, I agree with David Mkwambisi (Comment 9) that technology, specifically “technologies that require simple inputs in terms of energy and labour input” can be an important tool in helping poor communities achieve sustainable livelihoods. Again, the technology needs to be appropriate to the task and not gigantean or highly demanding of expensive materials or energy.

3. Elizabeth Reichel’s comment (Comment 14) that we need to protect cultural diversity is also on target. Unfortunately, once a culture is gone or severely endangered, is difficult to recover it or the lessons it has about how to live sustainably in its particular environment. Such lessons can also help modern societies to live more sustainably.

4. The variety of comments, including those referenced above, suggest that the path to environmental sustainability will require many different approaches, which will need to interact carefully in a coordinated way, not as separate endeavours. It reminds me of the analysis of the global problematique described by Aurelio Peccei and the Club of Rome, which emphasized the multiple interfaces of interacting problems. IUCN can do much to promote the variety of approaches needed including acquiring appropriate partners in the endeavour so that the multiplicity can addressed appropriately and in coordination, but IUCN itself must keep conservation and the original concepts of environmental sustainability described in the first World Conservation Strategy at the central core of its efforts.