The World Conservation Union

The Future of Sustainability: Have Your Say!

Week Four - “Shaping the Future”
Week 4 Overview

 

Moderating team

Dear Participants

Many thanks to those who commented on Dr. Rubens Born statement on “Shaping the Future”. The discussion was enriched by comments from IUCN members, Commission members, young professionals and general public. The issues raised during the discussion may be summarized as follows:

Young Generations
During the fourth week, several young representatives shared their personal experiences of “environmental consciousness” and their links with the environment. Overall, young people are willing to do something “green” and they want to do it right now. However young contributors felt that discussions about ‘the environment’ or ‘sustainability’ are too far away for them and that the “green elites” do not communicate effectively. Young people believe in the power of field work and the need for international policy debates to be informed by realities on the ground. The young generation is looking for concrete examples and actions to spread environmental messages. An interesting discussion on reaching young generations through emotions emerged during the forum.

New ways of communicating
Participants from different parts of the world agreed that the sustainability and environment debate has to think and act outside ‘the box’ in order to evolve. Simpler and clearer messages are needed. Environmental messages need to be converted into everyday speech and to integrate an understanding of the “market”. Several participants shared their inputs for new messages: alliances between economy-trade-society; value and contribution of natural resources to human well being, a new global charter capable of bringing all stakeholders together, the inclusion of values such as participation, justice, peace, freedom, pluralism, equity and empowerment, changing the “to have, to buy” paradigm into “to be happy, healthy and fair”.

A new approach to teaching business is also needed. Some business schools have incorporated issues such as corporate social responsibility and ethics, but this is not enough. Future managers will need to act in ways which are ethically, environmentally and socially responsible.

Finally, using creative ways of spreading the environmental message were mentioned throughout the Forum: theatre, cinema, the use of comedy, concerts, video games, virtual natural experiences, sports.

Role of Civil Society
Civil society consists of complex and heterogeneous groups dealing with a wide range of aspects, from human rights to environment, from child and women’s rights to bird conservation. However the future of sustainability may depend on finding ways of linking the agendas of the environmental and social movements. Also civil society has to go beyond the monitoring of State, to monitoring the market and helping to change its behaviour. Social movements could provide examples of how business and social relationships can be developed and transformed.

Participants saw IUCN as a unique convener of global networks and unifying platform for separate and diverse groups. IUCN was called to be the world leading organization on the future of sustainability debate. The only true requirement is that this new civilization movement must not appear not to be characterized as Western.

A sustainable future poses individual as well as global challenges. Human beings and organizations have to move from individual towards collaborative perspectives, understanding that individual well being ultimately depends on global well being. The future of sustainability generates governance challenges and innovations. For Rubens Born governance means a democratic way of life, where ethnic, biological, cultural, religious diversities are valued as well as peace, wealth, etc. Participants agreed that transforming governance is fundamental to achieving environmental sustainability and that it must embrace a new ethical and political framework which values local as well as global perspectives.

Local governments have a key role to play: they need to legislate, to educate and take action. Legislation, education and action at the local level must be based on sound science, on clear consensus between citizens and their grass-root organizations and local politicians. This is a different approach to governance whereby citizens and politicians work hand in hand and plan for their future generations.

Resources mentioned in Week 4 include: