Sustainability: The 21st Century Ethos
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If liberal democracy, technology and globalization were the preeminent concepts that defined the 20th Century, the term “sustainability” is becoming the defining construct of the 21st Century. But what exactly is sustainability? Where did the term arise? What does it mean? What are the implications of sustainability? Having a clear understanding of sustainability is important as Canada and the rest of the world struggle to find ways to live and prosper within the capacity of our planet’s ecosystems. The fact that the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics integrated sustainability throughout its activities is indicative of how sustainability is becoming commonplace in society today.
Sustainability means many things depending on the context in which it is used. Sometimes it is applied to environmental protection. Other times it is applied to economic development, “clean” energy, or social justice. What is clear is that sustainability is not so much a specific principle, rule or formula for action, but rather an ethos – a set of characteristics and values that define a wide scope of human activities, both within the public sphere and the private domain. Simply stated, the sustainability ethos is the attempt to promote economic and social progress that protects and improves the natural environment, supports positive social and cultural outcomes, and enhances economic prosperity. In other words, sustainability is about organizational and community development that has a “triple-bottom line” of people, planet and profits.
The term sustainability came into vogue during the mid-1980s after the United Nations World Commission on the Environment and Development, commonly referred to as the Brundtland Commission, defined sustainability as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” The Brundtland Commission placed environmental and social issues front and centre on the world’s attention, but grounded those issues within the notion of “development,” meaning economic development. The essential challenge of sustainability, then, is how to ensure global economic prosperity for all peoples while protecting the world’s fragile ecosystems? There is only one planet Earth and its life-giving properties, such as clean air and water, fertile soil for agriculture, and healthy forests and oceans to regulate climate, ought to be protected. Economic, environmental and social progress needs to extend to all countries for the actions of any affect everyone. With the publication of the Brundtland Commission’s Our Common Future in 1987, the issues of environmental stewardship and the elimination of want and poverty were placed firmly within the political agenda of countries worldwide.
Canada was quick to take on the challenge of sustainability as formulated in Our Common Future. The federal government under the Progressive Conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroney established the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy in 1988 to provide “leadership in the new way we must think of the relationship between the environment and the economy.” The NRTEE Act of 1993 established the Round Table as a permanent advisory board to provide independent advice to the Prime Minister. In 1994 the federal government, under the Liberal leadership of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, created the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency to help guide and promote sustainable development throughout the country. Over subsequent years a variety of federal, provincial, territorial and municipal legislative Acts have provided mechanisms to protect Canada’s environment, including its natural resources, air, water, forests, agricultural lands, and fisheries and oceans.
The fight against global warming and climate change, which is part of sustainability, has also been a key concern of the federal government. In 1988, Canada hosted the Toronto Conference - The Changing Atmosphere with representatives from 46 countries, which set the bold target of a 20% worldwide reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by the year 2005. CO2 is considered one of the key greenhouse gases (GHG) that results from the burning of fossil fuels and contributes to atmospheric global warming. In 1995 the National Action Program on Climate Change was agreed to by all federal, provincial and territorial environmental ministers. In response to signing the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, Canada developed the National Implementation Strategy on Climate Change in 2000. While the stated objectives of these and other climate change initiatives have not been fully realized, they do indicate a concern throughout Canada to better protect the natural environment. Starting in 2007, the province of British Columbia began enacting some of the most progressive and comprehensive climate change policies within any jurisdiction in North America, including specific targets for provincial GHG reductions, a carbon tax on CO2 emissions, and GHG cap and trade legislation. In 2009 Denmark hosted the United Nations Fifteenth Session of the Conference of the Parties to the Climate Change Convention (COP-15) in Copenhagen to create new, post-Kyoto Protocol strategies to combat climate change. While Canada was a participant in COP-15, the conference ended with no legally binding agreements because the world’s political leaders could not agree on a comprehensive climate change strategy. Nevertheless, climate change and sustainability issues remain in the forefront of Canada’s and the world’s attention.
What is certain is that sustainable development is complex, requiring the creation of new policies, regulations and strategies to guide economic and social development at the government level, within companies and organizations, and by individuals. While much of the focus of sustainable development in the 2 decades following the Brundtland Commission’s findings has been on the environment, the concept of sustainability has evolved to include greater emphasis on social and cultural outcomes that include not only the elimination of poverty, but also the strengthening of Canada’s social fabric and culture. The context for sustainable development is expanding to include what is known as the 4 pillars of sustainability: economy, environment, society and culture. Strengthening all 4 pillars helps ensure a sustainable future. In this context, economic strategies generate prosperity while also protecting and enhancing the environment. Simultaneously, those economic strategies also ensure that social concerns of inclusion and equity are met while stimulating the creative impulse inherent within Canada’s multicultural system. The sustainability ethos acknowledges that all 4 pillars – economic, environmental, social and cultural – must be in place for Canada and countries worldwide to achieve a just and secure society. It is an enormous challenge, complex in its approach, inclusive in its implementation, but straightforward in its objectives. This is the sustainability ethos of the 21st Century.
Sustainability means many things depending on the context in which it is used. Sometimes it is applied to environmental protection. Other times it is applied to economic development, “clean” energy, or social justice. What is clear is that sustainability is not so much a specific principle, rule or formula for action, but rather an ethos – a set of characteristics and values that define a wide scope of human activities, both within the public sphere and the private domain. Simply stated, the sustainability ethos is the attempt to promote economic and social progress that protects and improves the natural environment, supports positive social and cultural outcomes, and enhances economic prosperity. In other words, sustainability is about organizational and community development that has a “triple-bottom line” of people, planet and profits.
The term sustainability came into vogue during the mid-1980s after the United Nations World Commission on the Environment and Development, commonly referred to as the Brundtland Commission, defined sustainability as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” The Brundtland Commission placed environmental and social issues front and centre on the world’s attention, but grounded those issues within the notion of “development,” meaning economic development. The essential challenge of sustainability, then, is how to ensure global economic prosperity for all peoples while protecting the world’s fragile ecosystems? There is only one planet Earth and its life-giving properties, such as clean air and water, fertile soil for agriculture, and healthy forests and oceans to regulate climate, ought to be protected. Economic, environmental and social progress needs to extend to all countries for the actions of any affect everyone. With the publication of the Brundtland Commission’s Our Common Future in 1987, the issues of environmental stewardship and the elimination of want and poverty were placed firmly within the political agenda of countries worldwide.
Canada was quick to take on the challenge of sustainability as formulated in Our Common Future. The federal government under the Progressive Conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroney established the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy in 1988 to provide “leadership in the new way we must think of the relationship between the environment and the economy.” The NRTEE Act of 1993 established the Round Table as a permanent advisory board to provide independent advice to the Prime Minister. In 1994 the federal government, under the Liberal leadership of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, created the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency to help guide and promote sustainable development throughout the country. Over subsequent years a variety of federal, provincial, territorial and municipal legislative Acts have provided mechanisms to protect Canada’s environment, including its natural resources, air, water, forests, agricultural lands, and fisheries and oceans.
The fight against global warming and climate change, which is part of sustainability, has also been a key concern of the federal government. In 1988, Canada hosted the Toronto Conference - The Changing Atmosphere with representatives from 46 countries, which set the bold target of a 20% worldwide reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by the year 2005. CO2 is considered one of the key greenhouse gases (GHG) that results from the burning of fossil fuels and contributes to atmospheric global warming. In 1995 the National Action Program on Climate Change was agreed to by all federal, provincial and territorial environmental ministers. In response to signing the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, Canada developed the National Implementation Strategy on Climate Change in 2000. While the stated objectives of these and other climate change initiatives have not been fully realized, they do indicate a concern throughout Canada to better protect the natural environment. Starting in 2007, the province of British Columbia began enacting some of the most progressive and comprehensive climate change policies within any jurisdiction in North America, including specific targets for provincial GHG reductions, a carbon tax on CO2 emissions, and GHG cap and trade legislation. In 2009 Denmark hosted the United Nations Fifteenth Session of the Conference of the Parties to the Climate Change Convention (COP-15) in Copenhagen to create new, post-Kyoto Protocol strategies to combat climate change. While Canada was a participant in COP-15, the conference ended with no legally binding agreements because the world’s political leaders could not agree on a comprehensive climate change strategy. Nevertheless, climate change and sustainability issues remain in the forefront of Canada’s and the world’s attention.
What is certain is that sustainable development is complex, requiring the creation of new policies, regulations and strategies to guide economic and social development at the government level, within companies and organizations, and by individuals. While much of the focus of sustainable development in the 2 decades following the Brundtland Commission’s findings has been on the environment, the concept of sustainability has evolved to include greater emphasis on social and cultural outcomes that include not only the elimination of poverty, but also the strengthening of Canada’s social fabric and culture. The context for sustainable development is expanding to include what is known as the 4 pillars of sustainability: economy, environment, society and culture. Strengthening all 4 pillars helps ensure a sustainable future. In this context, economic strategies generate prosperity while also protecting and enhancing the environment. Simultaneously, those economic strategies also ensure that social concerns of inclusion and equity are met while stimulating the creative impulse inherent within Canada’s multicultural system. The sustainability ethos acknowledges that all 4 pillars – economic, environmental, social and cultural – must be in place for Canada and countries worldwide to achieve a just and secure society. It is an enormous challenge, complex in its approach, inclusive in its implementation, but straightforward in its objectives. This is the sustainability ethos of the 21st Century.
Anne Seignot
Comments
Pierre Trudeau is remembered as well versed in alternative energy, agriculture, housing and life styles. There were experimental projects funded in many directions and there was momentum.
Brian Mulroney's government was not only proactive, it showed global leadership on sustainability. Not only the Toronto Conference, but also the Montreal Protocol on CFC's was drawn up under his watch. We must remember him for this too. Despite the taint of fiscal scandals we must remember he was a 'Progressive' Conservative in the very meaning of progressive at least on matters environmental!
There was certainly momentum on these matters under the subsequent Liberal Governments, as you enumerate, and just prior to their defeat, an ambitious program for Kyoto implementation was about to begin. This country was a respected global player.
But now it is horrifying to look at the effects of Canadian non-progressive conservatism on the sustainability file. Abrogation of Kyoto, climate change denial from the PMO for several years, weakly mimicking of weak US policy, jingoistic salesmanship of dirty carbon fuels from Canada as an "energy super power", The list goes on and on.......
You correctly acknowledge the complexity of the sustainability pathways. You point out, nevertheless the objectives are straightforward, and you also recognise that there is enormous potential to create wealth along the way.
But the ethos you espouse (and I would embrace) is utterly lacking in the ethos of the Reform-Alliance-Harperists.
Despite our deep, nationalistic love for our wild and wonderful geography, because of Harper's utter disregard for sustainability, we are now seen around the world as environmental pariahs!