Agenda - 11-13-2001-5 - Laserfiche WebLink

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1:/09/2001 19:06 9199043002 efi. mV. 0.WrvIW PAGE 05/97 Sustalnabllity: A Global Concept and Context for Taking Local Action Globalization of the economy and die interconnected nature of natural systems make sustainabdity a global Issue. In the 1987 report Our Common Future the United Nations' World Commission on Environment and Development, more commonly known as the Brunlland Commission, created the now commonly used definition of sustainable development. It tleflnes sustainable development as: 'Development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the abllky of future perorations to meet their own needi The Sheping Orange Coul i Future (SOCF) project adapted this brief definiton of sustainability, supported by a set of four principles that describe basic truths and conditions regarding life on earth. These four principles are 1. A natural resource will be depleted, unless it is used no faster than It is replaced. To live sustalnably humans must avoid taking more from the biosphere than can be replenished by natural systems. 2. The eets's ecosystems cannot withstand the systematic buildup of harmful substances and wastes. Human activity producing handful substances and wastes must be mediated to maintain balance in natural systems. 3. Earth's ecosystems (of which humans and other Irving beings are a part), are interdependent and most stable when they include a diversity of species. 4. Human needs span physical, economic, environmental, cultural, social and spldWal dimensions. Human needs can be met equitably, justly, and with dignity without compromising the physical environment. The economy depends on the environment both for raw material inputs and b act as a 'sink' forwaste outputs. The following diagram shows the relationship of the human economy to the earth's envimnment. The human economy is a subsystem of the earth's envimnment and must remain within the environment's capacity for resource regeneration and waste absorption to be sustainable over the long -teml. For further elabomGon an pdnalples pfsuskinael fy the reader is referred to The Natural Slap's Meets, wwwmainatateporg. The SOCF suereinebtbly princplea are based on and sheeted from the four system conditions late out by The Natural Step.