Economic and Ecological Concepts of Sustainable Development: External Costs and Sustainability Indicators

1997 ◽  
pp. 47-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Klaus Rennings
1996 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Pearce ◽  
Kirk Hamilton ◽  
Giles Atkinson

ABSTRACTThe search for sustainability indicators should be guided by a theory of sustainable development (SD). In this paper we investigate two such theoretical frameworks and the indicators that they suggest. Indicators associated with weak sustainability are characterized by aggregative indicators such as green national income. We conclude, however, that a more promising offshoot of green accounting is measures of genuine savings (i.e. savings adjusted for loss of assets). To achieve SD, genuine savings rates must not be persistently negative. Strong sustainability indicators accord a more central role to the conservation of critical natural assets within the broader goal of prudently managing a nation's portfolio of assets over time. We discuss two approaches—carrying capacity and resilience—and conclude that, while measures of resilience are potentially attractive, more research is required regarding the resilience–SD link. However, an important conclusion that we can make is that, even in an economy operating under a strong sustainability regime, genuine savings are still key indicators of SD and are complementary to measures of changes in stocks of critical natural assets.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 2607
Author(s):  
Amin Jan ◽  
Mário Nuno Mata ◽  
Pia A. Albinsson ◽  
José Moleiro Martins ◽  
Rusni Bt Hassan ◽  
...  

This study aims to establish the link of key Islamic banking sustainability indicators with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) as a policy recommendation for sustainable development and to mitigate the distressing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the triple bottom line (people, planet, and profit). To identify the key Islamic banking sustainability indicators, the authors selected the most cited sustainability measurement indexes in Islamic banking. Initially, the indexes were divided into 10 broader themes, and then the key Islamic banking sustainability indicators were shortlisted from each theme based on their high-frequency distribution. The shortlisted sustainability indicators were then ratified to be in line with Islamic philosophy based on “Maqasid al-Shariah” (objectives of Shariah) and were subsequently grouped into the three dimensions of economic, environmental, and social sustainability based on the axial coding method. Finally, the categorized sustainability indicators were aligned with the relevant UN SDGs through the axial coding method for policy formulation, and respectively 12 propositions were developed for policy formulation. This study labeled the methodological process of this study as the ECA method (exploration, categorization, alignment). The new ECA method offers a reverse extension in the “SDG compass” developed by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) for aligning business policies with the UN SDGs. The process of aligning Islamic banking sustainability indicators with the UN SDGs will provide a roadmap to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of economic, environmental, and social issues. Due to the diversity of the UN SDG framework, it covers multiples aspects for sustainable development. Therefore, considering the UN SDGs in terms of various banking instruments will mitigate the multiple distressing impacts of COVID-19 on the triple bottom line (people, planet, and profit), it will also promote a sustainable development agenda.


2017 ◽  
Vol 169 (6) ◽  
pp. 13-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Azadnia ◽  
Shamsossadat Zahedi ◽  
Abdorreza Majjedin ◽  
Mohammad Reza

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 402-411
Author(s):  
L. A. Sachenko

The purpose of this article is to identify possible approaches to the development of the “sustainability-by-design” process, which consists in synchronizing the organization's strategy with the trends of sustainable development. For this purpose, a process of “sustainability-by-design” is proposed on the basis of the “safety-by-design” process applied in practice. As a key link in the process, it is proposed to use a system of sustainability indicators, supplemented by indicators of risk and resilience. To strengthen the adaptive capacity of companies in the field of sustainable development, the process of building “sustainability-by-design” is complemented by the inclusion of democratic procedures through structured stakeholder participation. As a result, the proposed process combines a rigid structure of values and goals with a “soft setup” in the form of democratic procedures. This will allow companies not only to reduce the uncertainties inherent to the pacing problem, but also to create an environment for the promotion of the most effective alternatives to the development of companies in the field of sustainability.


2013 ◽  
pp. 158-184
Author(s):  
Evangelos Grigoroudis ◽  
Vassilis S. Kouikoglou ◽  
Yannis A. Phillis

The environment provides the economy with resources (e.g., water, air, fuels, food, metals, minerals, and drugs), services (e.g., the cycles of H2O, C, CO2, N, O2; photosynthesis, and soil formation), and mechanisms to absorb waste. Economic growth is based on these three services, and since the global ecosystem does not grow, economic growth cannot continue indefinitely. The concepts of sustainability and sustainable development have received much attention among policy-makers and scientists as a result of the existence of limits to growth and the dramatic environmental changes of the last decades. Sustainability integrates environmental, economic, and societal aspects. It also covers different geographical scales: ecosystems, regions, countries, and the globe. In this chapter, the authors review various models of sustainability assessment. Since there is no universally accepted definition and measuring technique of sustainability, these different models lead to different assessments. They also present a discussion of the sustainability indicators, aggregation tools, and data imputation techniques used in each approach.


2012 ◽  
pp. 632-665
Author(s):  
Konstantinos N. Baginetas

The past 20 years have seen the rapid expansion of one development theory, that of sustainable development. This theory provided the opportunity for all stakeholders to be able to be involved in development projects. However, regarding issues of sustainable development, there is a historical tendency for these issues to be driven by top-down and technocratic agendas. Nevertheless, it is argued that the various stakeholders should be brought together and allowed to express their perspectives and perceptions, and that they should actively be involved in any developmental process. Within this context, this chapter argues that the adoption of a participatory, inter-disciplinary approach by the scientists/researchers in the development of sustainability indicators (with a focus on soil quality sustainability indicators) for use in agricultural ecosystems, can lead to the development of appropriate assessment tools that are meaningful to farmers and related to their understandings.


Author(s):  
Konstantinos N. Baginetas

The past 20 years have seen the rapid expansion of one development theory, that of sustainable development. This theory provided the opportunity for all stakeholders to be able to be involved in development projects. However, regarding issues of sustainable development, there is a historical tendency for these issues to be driven by top-down and technocratic agendas. Nevertheless, it is argued that the various stakeholders should be brought together and allowed to express their perspectives and perceptions, and that they should actively be involved in any developmental process. Within this context, this chapter argues that the adoption of a participatory, inter-disciplinary approach by the scientists/researchers in the development of sustainability indicators (with a focus on soil quality sustainability indicators) for use in agricultural ecosystems, can lead to the development of appropriate assessment tools that are meaningful to farmers and related to their understandings.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-57
Author(s):  
Luciana Amaro ◽  
Islane Cristina Martins ◽  
Georgia Rolim da Silva

É notório que com passar dos últimos séculos a sociedade desenvolveu-se e evoluiu sobremaneira em suas atividades cotidianas, desde as mais básicas até as mais complexas, com ressalto para o aumento da produtividade em diversos setores. Contudo, pouco se pensou que a maior produção de bens geraria consigo ampla quantidade diária de resíduos. O ciclo de vida dos resíduos é marcado por ter um término problemático, com sobressalto para as consequências danosas ao meio ambiente. Diante deste cenário, este estudo objetivou buscar evidências na literatura científica para reunir e sintetizar o conhecimento produzido sobre a importância da gestão dos resíduos sólidos tendo em vista o desenvolvimento sustentável. Para tanto, foi realizado em março de 2020, levantamento da literatura pertinente ao assunto nas bases de dados Periódicos CAPES e Google Acadêmico. Os descritores utilizados foram: ‘Gestão de Resíduos’ AND ‘Indicadores de Sustentabilidade’ AND ‘Desenvolvimento Sustentável’, e ‘Waste Management’ AND ‘Sustainability Indicators’ AND ‘Sustainable Development’, sendo obtidos quatro artigos para comporem o presente estudo. Como resultado, foi possível observar que a gestão de resíduos sólidos no Brasil ainda está em fase limitada de desenvolvimento, acarretando em vultosos impactos ao meio ambiente. Ademais, os artigos analisados evidenciam que a gestão de resíduos sólidos em nosso país ainda demanda apoio das esferas governamentais, no âmbito legal para a criação de políticas públicas, e da sociedade nas condutas e práticas culturais cotidianas.


2018 ◽  
pp. 23-35
Author(s):  
Moses K. Aryee ◽  
Nathsuda Pumijumnong ◽  
Paramita Punwong ◽  
Raywadee Roachanakanan

Cities have become integral in the quest to achieving universal sustainable development. For example, the United Nations in 2015 as part of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals called for cities and human settlements to be inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable (Goal 11). This was in line with the 2012 National Urban Policy of Ghana which seeks to promote a sustainable, spatially integrated and orderly development of urban settlements with adequate housing, infra-structure and services, efficient institutions, and a sound living and working environment for all people to support the rapid socioeconomic development of Ghana. Six years into the imple-mentation of the National Urban Policy by the government, what is the sustainability status of the Ghanaian city? The aim of this study was to comprehensively evaluate the sustainability status of Accra Metropolitan Area, the capital city of Ghana. The study adopted a set of city sustainability indicators that revealed the weak and strong points of Accra metropolis. Forty-one Accra Sustainability Indicators were defined and classified into Economic, Environment, Social and Institutional (local governance) dimensions. The evaluation was for a period of 4 years, (2012 to 2015) during which the 2012 Urban Policy and its action plan were being implemented. Ques-tionnaires were developed based on the indicators and administered to stakeholders. The quanti-tative data collected was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Microsoft Excel. The results showed Accra’s economic dimension approaching sustainability while environmental and institutional dimensions performed poorly. The social dimension, thoughperformed below average, rose marginally over the period. Overall sustainability index of Accra was below average and showed a progression towards sustainability over the last 4 years, rising from 0.48 in 2012 to 0.51 in 2015. The findings of this study are helpful to local authorities for sustainable city planning and management.


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