The Pillars for Strengthening and Accelerating Sustainability

Prof. Dr. Nay Htun

The Pillars for Strengthening and Accelerating Sustainability :
Economics, Social, Ecology, Energy, Ethics ---
The Imperative for a fast transition towards a Transformational Green Paradigm.

The presentation will provide an overview of the interconnectedness of Economics, Social, Ecology, Energy and Ethics. Energy, in particular fossil energy and carbon, will be discussed and its central role in human development, conflicts, peace, security and impacts on life on Earth. There is a growing need for fast transitions towards clean, renewable energy and a decarbonized future.

It will briefly review current scientific knowledge and increasing empirical evidence on the interacting and linked Ecological System of Atmosphere, Lithosphere, Hydrosphere, Biosphere and Cryosphere. Major transformations in the Ecological System are impacting on the “Human Sphere” of social, economic, financial and politics. And conversely and corollary, Human and Built systems continue to transform the Ecological System.

The “carrying capacities” and “outer limits” of these spheres are being exceeded with dire risks and consequences, some are irreversible. The magnitude and speed of the changes and their confluence are unprecedented in human history.

Contemporary history, starting with the industrial revolution in 1760 in manufacturing processes and production show that development, a vague and elastic term, have primarily focused on economic and finance. The social and ecological consequences were often neglected or secondary.

A quick review will be provided on the scale and speed of development during the past 250 years and the enormous consequences and the unfolding and unprecedented transformations.

Beginning in the late 1960s the ecological consequences of development were beginning to be increasingly articulated. Rachel Carson 1962“Silent Spring”; Barbara Ward 1966 “Space Ship Earth”, and with Rene Dubious 1972 “Only One Earth”; Margaret Meads 1928 “Coming of Age in Samoa,” the 1964 “Continuities in Cultural Evolution” are some of the seminal writings that catalyzed and aroused public awareness and concerns on the state of planet earth. These led to the convening of the first of a series of major UN conferences, the pivotal 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm, Sweden. And in 1993 the establishment of the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, by the UN General assembly.

The Human Environment encompassing Economics, Social and Ecological are seen to be the three pillars for promoting sustainable development, articulated in the historical 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development (aka the Rio Earth Summit), and reiterated at the 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development (aka RIO +20) Brief summary highlights of the process and major outcomes of Declarations and Principles will be presented, with main lessons learned.

While three pillars (Economics, Ecology, Social) are much more sustainable, resilient, equitable and inclusive than one pillar (Economics) or two pillars (Economics and Ecology); they are still inadequate.

The imperative need for a fourth pillar, Ethics, has emerged.

A visionary, bold holistic Transformational Green Paradigm, integrating the four pillars, with multi and trans disciplines, sectors and stake holders, is emerging and will be elaborated, with an emphasis on the need for HOW actions to support the WHAT that needs to be implemented with alacrity.