Time for Science-Based National Targets for Environmental Sustainability: An Assessment of Existing Metrics and the ESGAP Framework

Despite the overwhelming scientific evidence on the ongoing degradation of the environment, there is a clear gap between the urgency of the environmental crisis and the policy measures put in place to tackle it. Because of the role of metrics in environmental governance, the way environmental information is translated into metrics is of utmost relevance. In this context, we propose criteria to assesses the suitability of environmental metrics to monitor environmental sustainability at the national level. After assessing well-known environmental metrics such as the Sustainable Development Goals indicators and the Environmental Performance Index, we conclude that countries still lack robust and resonant metrics to monitor environmental sustainability. In order to bridge this metric gap, we present the Environmental Sustainability Gap (ESGAP) framework, which builds on the concepts of strong sustainability, critical natural capital, environmental functions and science-based targets. Different composite indicators are proposed as part of the ESGAP framework. Through these metrics, the framework has the potential to embed strong sustainability thinking and science-based targets in nations in which these concepts are not currently sufficiently reflected in policies.

Multiple Criteria Decision-Making as an Operational Conceptualization of Energy Sustainability

There is a broad international consensus about the urgency of promoting a strong change towards energy models that are less dependent on non-renewable energy sources, more equitable, and truly environmentally friendly. In order to achieve this goal, we need to define the problem so that it can be operationally and comprehensively addressed. This paper presents a proposal of a framework for the analysis of the sustainability of energy models based on multiple criteria theory, which we consider comprehensive and operational enough. Its application to a real energy model, the Spanish one, shows that the framework is able to address most of the elements both of weak and strong sustainability and find a reasonable compromise within the limits of the problem.

Exploring the Relationship between Leisure and Sustainability in a Chinese Hollow Village

This study explores the relationship between a for-profit leisure program and sustainability issues in the context of a hollow village in China. We studied what forms of relation between leisure and sustainability could be identified through the operation of ‘Mount Qi and the hermit master’ at a hollow village, and to what extent, ‘Mount Qi and the hermit master’ can be considered as a sustainable leisure program. Fieldwork and focus groups were used to collect data. Theoretically, the analyses adopt a comprehensive model of sustainability, which integrates the concepts of weak and strong sustainability, as well as considers the sustainability of human needs. Our findings demonstrate that the leisure program has contributed to a comprehensive sustainable development and helped to meet the villagers’ needs. This study also critically points out the uncertain aspects relating to the sustainability of human needs at the current stage of the program implementation.

Social Innovation for a Just Sustainable Development: Integrating the Wellbeing of Future People

Social innovation has gained increased attention as a mechanism for sustainable development. As the Brundtland Commission highlights, the improvement of present conditions should not compromise future generations’ needs. So far, (social) sustainable development has mostly focused on the amelioration of contemporary people’s wellbeing, relegating its duties towards future generations to second place. Given this, I consider it necessary to (re-)direct social innovation towards the promotion of the wellbeing of future people. I propose the concept of irreplaceable goods, a notion deriving from a strong sustainability perspective, which could then be integrated into social innovation practices related to sustainable development. Focusing on guaranteeing, at least, sufficient fruition of certain goods and resources, I devise this concept as a governance tool for steering development actions towards intergenerational justice, driven by social innovation action. In this article, we firstly delineate the relations between sustainable development and social innovation, while focusing on ‘value-driven’ social innovation. Afterward, I shortly introduce strong sustainability as support for future generations’ wellbeing. Furthermore, I develop the concept of irreplaceable goods as a governance tool in social innovation practices and finalize with a discussion on the application of irreplaceable goods in the assessment of sustainable development strategies.

The vision of sustainable sport in a backcasting research

It is now becoming widely accepted that our economy has reached the limits both in terms of the carrying capacity of our planet and in terms of bringing real social justice to the table. Degrowth is a research area that aims to transcend mainstream approaches. While moving beyond the growth paradigm would entail serious changes in all areas of social life and Degrowth research extends into most of them, the transformation of sports is not among them. Neither is Degrowth a recognised concept among those who deal with sports. The participatory backcasting research introduced in this paper attempts to fill this void. In the backcasting project, master students of sports economics envisioned the sustainable future of sports and identified potential intervention steps that lead towards such normative states. This paper describes the results and assesses those elements that aim for strong sustainability. The results show that relocalisation and the sharing economy are the most accepted Degrowth concepts in a normative scenario on sustainable sports in this group. At the same time, the paper offers frameworks of thoughts for those who want to move beyond the slogans of sustainability either as responsible citizens or in positions related to the world of sports.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF WEAK AND STRONG SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MODELS

The concepts of weak and strong sustainable development are used in the analy­sis of sustainable development. At the scientific level, the concepts of sustai­nability and sustainable development have been tried in different ways, and over time, dif­ferent view aspects have emerged. As is generally known, sustainable development sees the best way to ensure the well-being of future generations in providing the next generation with the same resources as today. At this point, there is some discussion about the nature of the resource that needs to be protected. This discussion to­uching on the relationship between human capital and natural capital has led to the emergence of the concepts of weak and strong sustainability, i.e., models of weak and strong sustainable development.The emergence of weak and strong sustainable development models, the basics and principles that differs them from each other, as well as the study and analysis of the arguments of the supporters of these approaches, are of great relevance. Analyzing in the article the positions of those, who support strong sustainability, it is con­c­luded that the replacement of development characterized by quantitative growth with qualitative sustainable development to increase welfare is one of the important principles of strong sus­tainable development.