Summer 2018: Sustainability Leadership
Class 8 (06/18/2018): Part 1: Governance for sustainability. Part 2: OptionsPart 1: Governance for sustainabilityThe unsustainability of our modern civilization is mainly a result of the mainstream economic model that can be traced back to Adam Smith's work published in the late 18th century. Based on his work, the purpose of economy is the creation of human wealth, while no value is being attached to the preservation of a healthy planetary life-support system. Economic thinking focusing on the creation of more human wealth impacts most decisions made at all levels of governance. Conservation very often has to fit into this economic thinking. Can sustainability emerge out of a society that disregards non-human wealth, discounts the future and makes decisions mainly based on economic considerations? What other governance is needed to have sustainability as an emergent property? Why are current governance structures to a large extent decoupled from the risk perception of a large fraction of scientists, non-governmental organizations, and leading thinkers that indicates that our civilization is facing major existential threats? What governance structures would be need to address these global threats? Reading ListUnion of Concerned Scientists (1992) Part 2: OptionsReading List |
