Experts Identify “Perfect Storm” of Ecological & Social Challenges
Previous winners of the Blue Planet Prize have published a synthesis report setting out key messages from their individual papers. The report looks at the current state of the global and regional environment, and the implications for sustainable development. It warns that the world is facing a “perfect storm” of environmental and social problems driven by overpopulation, overconsumption, inequality and the use of environmentally malign technologies. The report sets out what is needed to achieve economic development, whilst ensuring environmental and social sustainability. The report will feed into the forthcoming Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development.
One of its key recommendations urges Governments to think differently about economic progress. It concludes that the rapidly deteriorating biophysical situation is “barely recognised by a global society infected by the irrational belief that physical economies can grow forever.” The report states that this growth myth is embraced by politicians and economists as an excuse to avoid tough decisions facing humanity. The myth, according to the report, is the “disease” at the root cause of unsustainable global practices
The report urges Government to recognise the “serious limitations” of GDP as a measure of economic growth. In order to make the transition to a more sustainable world, the report states that there is a need to understand the interdependence of economic, social and environmental factors and integrate them into decision making in governments and the private sector. It calls for a better measure of wealth that integrates economic, social and environmental matters and measures five forms of capital: built, natural, human, social and financial. This is in addition to correcting numerous market failures that mean the true cost of our economic activities are not reflect in prices.
The report also identifies “serious shortcomings” in the decision making systems on which we rely in government, business and society. Building more effective governance is crucial for achieving sustainability, however current decision making is heavily influenced by vested interests. This reflects a recent UN Environment Programme Foresight Panel report, which concluded that the need to reform global governance to address sustainability was the most pressing issue facing the planet.
The Blue Planet Prize Winners’ report states that subsidiarity – whereby decisions are taking at the lowest possible level – should be the central principle for sustainable development governance. This, it says, will ensure that decisions over resource allocation and use are made at the correct level. The report also urges Governments to address the problems caused by environmental, social and economic decisions being taken through separate, competing structures.
The report expresses some concern at the increasing reliance on markets as a tool for addressing sustainability issues and alleviating poverty. Whilst it acknowledges that markets and business have the potential to generate new jobs and to use natural assets more sustainably, signals and incentives have to be set so that businesses support sustainable growth. Governments also need to put in place the institutional and regulatory infrastructure to allow markets to operate more sustainably.
The report will feed into the forthcoming Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development. One of the key objectives of this conference is the development the institutional framework to support sustainable development.
Become a fan
Follow Barry on Twitter