Exploring Sustainability Notes (Sustainability and Environment) PDF

**[Exploring Sustainability Notes:]** **[Sustainability]** **Sustainable Development Goals** SDG 1 -- No Poverty SDG 2 -- Zero Hunger SDG 3 -- Good Health and Well-Being SDG 4 -- Quality Education SDG 5 -- Gender Equality SDG 6 -- Clean Water and Sanitation SDG 7 -- Affordable and Clean Ene...

**[Exploring Sustainability Notes:]** **[Sustainability]** **Sustainable Development Goals** SDG 1 -- No Poverty SDG 2 -- Zero Hunger SDG 3 -- Good Health and Well-Being SDG 4 -- Quality Education SDG 5 -- Gender Equality SDG 6 -- Clean Water and Sanitation SDG 7 -- Affordable and Clean Energy SDG 8 -- Decent Work and Economic Growth SDG 9 -- Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure SDG 10 -- Reduced Inequalities SDG 11 -- Sustainable Cities and Communities SDG 12 -- Responsible Consumption and Production SDG 13 -- Climate Action SDG 14 -- Life Below Water SDG 15 -- Life on Land SDG 16 -- Peace and Justice-Strong Institutions SDG 17 -- Partnerships for the Goals **The Triple Bottom Line and the SDGs** A diagram of a diagram Description automatically generated **Inner Development Goals**  **[Sustainability]** Tipping Point: a system that has at least one embedded tipping point and can pass the tipping points under certain reachable conditions. **Global Tipping Points Report** Three major categories: - Cryosphere - Biosphere - Ocean and atmosphere Five major tipping systems are already at risk of crossing tipping points at the present level of global warming: - The Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets - Permafrost regions - Coral reefs - Labrador Sea - Subpolar gyre circulation **A Tipping Event -- Coral Reefs** - Healthy -- Dec 2014 - Dying -- Feb 2015 - Dead -- Aug 2015 - At 1.5C temperature increase, 70-90% of the coral reefs will disappear - At the current rate of temperature increase without major change in human behavior, by early 2030s, 99% if the coral reefs will exceed negative tipping point and decay beyond recovery. - This would lead to massive loss in biodiversity in the ocean. **A Brief Overview of the History of Sustainability** A timeline with text and colorful circles Description automatically generated with medium confidence **Defining Sustainability** "Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" **Measuring Sustainable Development -- the UN SDGs** - The first version of the UN sustainability development goals is called the Millenium Development Goals (MDG). - 8 goals, 2000-2015 - 2015 report says good achievements - Uneven achievements - Shift of societal focus - In 2015, UN Member States translated their version of sustainable development into a blueprint for achieving it: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. - The goal is to paint a better and more sustainable future for all by 2030 - 17 global goals, 169 targets, 231 indicators - Universal call to action UN SDGs and the Triple Bottom Line The study of sustainability goes beyond environmentalism as we are part of linked systems of humans and nature. Sustainability encompasses a broad range of issues and is commonly structured around three main pillars, environmental sustainability, economic sustainability, and social sustainability. **Environmental Pillar** - This pillar focuses on maintaining the health of the planet's ecosystems. - It involves actions and policies aimed at conserving natural resources, reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, protecting biodiversity, and managing natural resources responsibly. - The goal is to ensure that the earth can continue to support life and provide resources for future generations. **Why is environmental sustainability important?** - Wellbeing of current and future generations - Decarbonize our planet and conserve natural resource **SDG 12 -- 15: Environmental Sustainability** - Goal 12: Responsible consumption and Production -- Example: Encouraging the use of biodegradable materials. - Goal 13: Climate Action -- Example: Initiatives for reducing carbon emissions. - Goal 14: Life Below Water -- Example: Ocean cleanup projects. - Goal 15: Life on Land -- Example: Reforestation programs. **Social Sustainability** - This pillar focuses on maintaining and improving social quality, including areas like social quality, including areas like social equity, human rights, labor rights, community development, and education, - Social sustainability aims to create systems and practices that promote well-being, justice, and equal opportunities for all members of society. **What are the benefits and advantages of social sustainability in business?** - Employee benefits - Business benefits - Social inclusion - Improving risk management **SDGs 1-6, 10, 11, and 16: Social** - Goal 1: No Poverty - Example: Microfinance services in rural areas. - Goal 2: Zero Hunger - Example: Community-supported agriculture programs. - Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being - Example: Vaccination drives in\ underdeveloped regions. - Goal 4: Quality Education - Example: Online education platforms accessible\ worldwide. - Goal 5: Gender Equality - Example: Legislation ensuring equal pay.\ Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation - Example: Clean water initiatives in arid\ regions - Goal 10: Reduced Inequality - Example: Programs to support refugees and\ migrants. - Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities - Example: Green urban\ planning. - Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions - Example: International\ courts to address human rights violations. **Economic Pillar** - Economic sustainability is a broad set of decision-making principles and business practices aimed at achieving economic growth without engaging in the harmful environmental trade-offs that historically accompany growth. - It emphasizes the need for economic systems to be efficient, resourceful, and resilient in the long term. **Why is economic sustainability important?** - The longevity of the global economy - The preservation of human life **SDGs 7-9, 16: Economic Sustainability** - Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy - Example: Solar energy projects in\ remote areas. - Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth - Example: Supporting small\ and medium enterprises (SMEs). - Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure - Example: Development of sustainable urban infrastructure. - Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals - Example: Global partnerships in vaccine distribution. **Are We Reaching the SDGs?** - The current trajectory, there will be a 56% water supply deficit relative to demand by 2030. - 2023 UN SDGs report: number of people living in extreme pverty ROSE to 714 million compares to 2019's 689 million. - At current speed, gender equality will be reached in 300 years. - We are going to pass the 1.5C tipping point by 2035. One of the major reasons is the lack of cooperation and various levels of governance. **The Importance of Governance** - Facilitate cooperations at the corporation and the government level. - Monitor unethical behaviors and set reporting mechanisms. - Ensure transparency in self-reporting, - Apply sanctions to business wrongdoings. - Mitigate international disputes and reduce geographical inequality. **Sustainability vs Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)** - The relationship between sustainability and CSR depends on how we define CSR - Triple bottom line-based definition: CSR is "The way a corporation achieves a balance among it economic, social and environmental responsibilities in its operations so as to address shareholder and other stakeholder expectations." - Voluntarism-based definition: A corporation's voluntary and deliberate attention to its legal, ethical, and philanthropic responsibilities to society. **[Environment]** **Defining the Environment** - Definition 1: the natural world, as a whole or in a particular geographical area, especially as affected by human activity. (Google Dictionary) - Definition 2: The physical surroundings or conditions in which human and other organism lives. (Oxford English Dictionary) So, what is the difference? The google dictionary definition is ego-centric whereas the Oxford English Dictionary definition is biocentric.  **Anthropocentric Perspective** - The word "Anthropos" refers to human beings in Greek - Anthropocentrism (also known as homocentricism) is the belief that considers that human beings are the most important entity in the universe or earth. - In Anthropocentrism, humans have greater intrinsic value in comparison to other species. - Only human interests matter! **Biocentrism** - Is based in the idea that humans and their activities are inextricably interconnected with the rest of the natural world" - Biocentrism is an anti-anthropocentric belief in environmental philosophy. - Biocentrism considers all living beings to have inherent value. - It does not consider that humans are superior to other living species. - It doesn't mean that we should all be vegans! However, there should be ethical principles in our societal values that protect the rights of all living things. - It recognizes the value of biodiversity. **Ecocentrism** - Ecocentrism is the belief that ecosystems, including all things living and nonliving have inherent value regardless if their perceived usefulness or importance to human beings, - Ecocentrism recognizes a nature-centered system of values. - It also recognizes the value of biodiversity. - Similar to biocentrism, ecocentrism opposes anthropocentrism, which states humans have more inherent value than other things. - Unlike biocentrism and anthropocentrism, ecocentrism tends to include abiotic factors in the ecosystems. - Examples: DO rivers have equal rights as living things? **Environmental Issues -- Global** - Loss of biodiversity: Habitat destruction pollution, invasive species, and climate change contribute to the loss of biodiversity, - Climate Change: more frequent and severe weather events like wildfires, floods, and droughts. - Deforestation: We are losing forests at an alarming and accelerating rate. - Resource depletion: Overexploitation of resources, overproduction, and overconsumption. **Environmental Issues -- Canada** - Oil Sands Development: The extraction of oil sands in Alberta has been regarded as "dirty oil" industry. - Overfishing: Historically, overfishing has been a significant issue in Canada, particularly in the Atlantic region, affecting the sustainability of fish stocks. - Artic Sovereignty and Environmental Protection: the Artic region faces unique challenges due to climate change, such as melting ice and increased interest in resource extraction and shipping routes. - Indigenous Land and Resource Rights: There are ongoing issues related to the rights of Indigenous peoples in Canada, particularly in terms of land use, resource extraction, and environmental stewardship. **Albedo effects** - Heath reflection vs Absorption - Light reflects -- high albedo - Dark absorbs -- low albedo A diagram of different types of radiation Description automatically generated **What is Biodiversity?** - Biodiversity is an interconnected web of life. - It connects to SDGs 14 and 15. We have lost 65% of wetland in Nova Scotia. **What problems biodiversity loss may cause?** Anthropocentric view: - Monetary value - \$100 trillion worth of goods and services per year. - Non-monetary values - Loss of coral reefs Biocentric View - Right of the animals on our planet. **Conventional business process and its externalities** - Externalities: the external costs of benefits that businesses do not count financially (e.g., water, air, soil pollution) - Inputs, conversion processes, and outputs are all externalities. **Businesses are the major contributors of biodiversity loss** - \>50% food and beverages, including packaging. - \~25% infrastructure and mobility, including housing, public infrastructure, and vehicles. - \~10% energy, including fuels, power, and other commodities. - \