The Future of Marine Spatial Planning—Perspectives from Early Career Researchers

In early 2021, the Erasmus+ knowledge flows partnership organised a session to discuss the future of marine spatial planning (MSP) at an international conference. We, a group of nine early career researchers, came together after the conference to continue the discussion: which topics should be considered in future MSP, what are the challenges, and which solutions are there to overcome these challenges? This communication shall raise awareness of the topics of climate change, ecological sustainability, blue justice, ecosystem services, and blue governance, which we identified as important for future MSP endeavours. We show the interconnectedness of the topics and argue that transdisciplinary education is required to contribute to a common understanding of MSP, which adopts an ecosystem-based approach, ensures equitable distribution of benefits, and secures ecologically sustainable development within an adaptive governance framework.

Law reform for life: how to unleash the guiding principles of ecologically sustainable development to improve human relationships with (the rest of) urban biodiversity

Urbanization is arguably the most severe and irreversible driver of environmental change, particularly with respect to biodiversity. This is the case even in Australia, a megadiverse country with a sophisticated federal regime of biodiversity governance. Yet, life persists in urban worlds. In the context of global climate and ecological crises, this article endeavours to illustrate how law and policy can grapple with the complexities of urban biodiversity and enable it to flourish. First, the article outlines the current approaches to urban biodiversity: what is it, what is it like, why does it matter and how do humans think of it? Second, the article analyses the current state of biodiversity governance in Australia, focusing particularly on the laws and policies of the Commonwealth, New South Wales, and local governments in Greater Sydney. Finally, the article details a program of reform which revisits the original guiding principles of ecologically sustainable development, illustrating how they could be unleashed for the better governance of urban biodiversity with respect to decision-making, the administration of law, issues at scale, the economy, valuation techniques and community participation. The program includes not only systemic and multi-scalar reforms, but also local-level reforms which have significant yet often overlooked potential to encourage pro-biodiversity behaviours in everyday life. The aim is to reveal just some of the many ways in which hope can be creatively transformed into action for a biodiverse urban future – that is, to reveal the possibilities of law and policy to enable urban biodiversity to be better recognized, understood, valued, protected and enhanced as Australia develops in the twenty-first century.

School on Geoethics and Natural Issues

<p>Founded on July 2019, the “School on Geoethics and Natural Issue” (http://www.geoethics.org/geoethics-school) is a scientific, international, multicultural and multidisciplinary meeting place for teaching and learning of the principles and values of geoethics in the light of the philosophy and history of Earth sciences. Its intent is to provide background knowledge and the evaluation skills necessary to understand the complex relationship between human action on ecosystems and the decisions geoscientists make in the discipline that impact society, including improving the awareness of professionals, students, decision-makers, media operators, and the public on an accountable and ecologically sustainable development.</p><p>The School on geoethics, conformed to the Geoethical Promise (http://www.geoethics.org/geopromise) and the Cape Town Statement on Geoethics (http://www.geoethics.org/ctsg), aims to provide excellent education in geoethics (http://www.geoethics.org/definition), thus promoting the development of a scientific and critical attitude to the knowledge of the Earth and its constituent systems, by fostering a growth of awareness and responsibility towards the planet, education in the values and actions underlying a respect for ecosystems, including responsible use of resources, management of natural risks, reduction of pollution and its repercussions on human health and climate, adaptation to environmental changes, in view of an accountable and ecologically sustainable development.</p><p>Moreover, it provides the opportunity to deepen reflection on the sense and social utility of geosciences, analyzing their rational categories, values, possible perspectives, uncertainties and cognitive limits, and to learn and develop more responsible strategies, operating procedures and practical actions, that are compatible with respect for socio-ecological systems, the vocation of the territories, including the health and safety of human communities.</p><p>The courses are addressed to different categories of users: they can be useful to both secondary school students and university undergraduate/graduate students in disciplines that deal with the environment from different perspectives (planning, naturalist, geo-biological, landscape, architectural, legislative, educational, cultural and relative to communication). Scholars of the phenomena and processes of the planet (researchers, academics, scientists), as well as those who physically operate in the territories (various types of professionals, geologists, engineers, landscape architects, risk experts, media operators, decision-makers) can find valid support to their scientific and professional preparation in the courses. Finally, the School on geoethics is also aimed at the general public and others, including non-experts, who are interested in better understanding the bond that links human communities to ecosystems, within the perspective of responsible development.</p>

The Role of Corporations in Achieving Ecological Sustainability

Industrial development of the past 200 years has brought immeasurable wealth and prosperity. However, it has also caused an unintended eco-logical degradation. Hence, the focus of environmental law has shifted from the creation of global frameworks to deal with environmental problems to comply with those frameworks. As a result, the primary actors in environmental law have shifted from the state and the global community to corporations. As a consequence, environmental policies must develop along legally holistic lines. The role corporations have had in achieving ecological sustainability is poorly understood. In the backdrop of the above issues, the chapter examines the implications of ecologically sustainable development for corporations. It articulates corporate ecological sustainability through the concepts of environmental management and ecologically sustainable competitive strategies. It further examines the implications that these concepts have for a corporation in the long run.

Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) Useful Australian Land Use Practice-Suitable for the World

Protection of the Environment and Sustainability goes hand in hand as one mechanism compliments the other. On the other hand, Sustainable Economic Growth can only be achieved if it is linked to Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD). Sustainability can best be described as "Living within the limit of what the environment can provide while safe guarding the environment for future generation, Understanding the many connections between environment, society and economy, and equitable distribution of resources and opportunities". Uncontrolled Green House Gas Emission has caused global warming, sea level rise, change of weather pattern (e.g severe untimely rainfall at unusual location), and alarming increase of natural disasters (Cyclone, Hurricane, Floods, Tsunamis and other natural phenomena). Third world countries are worst affected by the Green House Gas Emission and Global Warming Impact and Bangladesh is one of them. UN has taken a leading role and guiding the world to work together not only to reduce pollution but to make significant contribution in achieving pristine environmental conditions. Under the umbrella of UN, the world is now taking collective action to reduce Green House Gas Emission and Tackle Global Warming Impacts. Concerted efforts must be taken in an accelerated pace to educate at Global, Regional, National and Community level, about the benefits of the above-mentioned concepts and introduce incentive-based programs for mass participation. The environmental cleanup process should start from individual home and gradually extending to community, national and global level to achieve accelerated measurable success. An opportunity must be created to reform land use change, replacing pollution producing industries with environmentally sustainable practices. It is overdue to put through a series of EPA recommended processes to clean up the contaminated land, soil and water and secondly, introduce and adapt an Ecologically Sustainable Development program. The long-term goal should be to expedite and spread the land use change practices to relace the contaminated practices and introduce mandatory adaption of environment friendly technology for the ongoing industrial and business activities to reduce pollution while contributing improving the environment. With a global collective action this world can be transformed into a heaven on earth.

Chances for Socially Sustainable Development in Guam as One of the Remaining Colonies

While colonialism might have some positive effects on the economy in the short term, it definitely impedes socially and ecologically sustainable development. Based on expert interviews with representatives of various NGOs and university professors, the paper discusses the chances of socially sustainable development in Guam as one of the colonies left today. The results show that colonialism today is having no less negative impacts on sustainable development than in the past. The economic conditions may have improved for some people, but socioeconomic inequalities have hardly decreased. Within former communities as well as among newcomers, many families are disrupted, addiction and suicide have spread particularly among youths and the number of homeless people is increasing. It becomes very clear that colonial and postcolonial conditions have to be overcome as a precondition to sustainable development.Keywords: Colonialism, social and ecological sustainability, Pacific islands

Australia

This chapter examines the structure and substance of environmental law in Australia. It begins with a discussion of how powers are distributed in environmental governance in Australia, taking into account the law’s constitutional basis, and more specifically the division of legislative capacity between the states and the Commonwealth, as well as the relationship between Commonwealth and state legislation in practice. It then considers environmental protection, with a focus on protection from pollution and harm, conservation of environmental values, and the emergence of a complex system to facilitate ecologically sustainable development. It also analyses the implementation framework for Australian environmental law, emphasizing the importance of credible information and analysis in making decisions about the future use of the environment and about past actions impacting on it. Finally, it explores the nature of sanctions and remedies, including compliance with liability rules and decision-making rules as well as the nature of environmental litigation.