An integrated approach to achieving campus sustainability: assessment of the current campus environmental management practices

Universities can nowadays be regarded as ‘small cities’ due to their large size, population, and the various complex activities taking place in campuses, which have some serious direct and indirect impacts on the environment. The environmental pollution and degradation caused by universities in form of energy and material consumption via activities and operations in teaching and research, provision of support services and in residential areas could be considerably reduced by an effective choice of organizational and technical measures. Although many environmental protection measures can be seen at some universities, but a more systematic and sustainable approach to reducing the negative impacts of those activities and making the campuses more sustainable, is generally lacking. Therefore, this paper proposes a framework of a more suitable approach to achieving campus sustainability that could remedy the limitations of the current environmental management practices in universities and ensures more sustainability through the integration of three strategies, namely: university Environmental Management System (EMS); public participation and social responsibility; and promoting sustainability in teaching and research.     

Ethics: essence for sustainability

This paper aims to demonstrate ethics as being an essential element in order to achieve sustainability. This will be taken throughout the crisis of the development model rhetoric upon which western society is established and with the foundation of information systems as interference factors to environmental consciousness.     

Cross-cultural education for sustainability: development of an introduction to sustainability course

This paper reports on Ball State University's activities in the area of education for sustainability and current activities to develop an Internet-based Introduction to Sustainability course. As the course will be Internet-based, it will mesh well with and can serve as the introductory course in the sustainability curriculum of Ball State University Land Design Institute's international network of Sustainability Consortia, and can be used in sustainability education programs within the context of other international partnerships. This course will serve as a foundation for that effort and for a broader curriculum that can be delivered across cultures. Ball State University's Clustered Minors in Environmentally Sustainable Practices utilizes three courses to address the social, environmental, and economic aspects of sustainability: environmental ethics; ecology; and environmental economics. The intention is to compose a course comprising elements from all three dimensions. The course will include Internet content and assignments and will exploit the emerging ability for Internet-based teleconferencing for real-time interactions among students and faculty at diverse international sites.     

Educating for sustainability: opportunities in undergraduate engineering

Awareness of the complex and interrelated environmental, economic and social problems in our world is increasing; the sustainability debate no longer focuses on whether changes are necessary but on what kind of changes are needed and how they can be carried out. Engineers are increasingly looked to for sustainable solutions yet find themselves less than adequately prepared to provide answers. Education is consistently identified as one of the key strategies for facilitating sustainable development; the required shift in the thinking, values and actions of individuals and institutions calls for efforts to make sustainability concerns a central theme of all education. This paper examines ways to better prepare engineers for the challenges of sustainable development and to increase the effectiveness of their solutions.     

生态占用——衡量可持续发展的新指标

简要地介绍了生态占用的基本概念及利用此指标衡量可持续性的理论与方法 ,分析了生态占用与资源承载力的异同点 ;基于《国家的生态占用》估算结果 ,分析了生态占用方法在全球、国家、区域和城市3个层面上的应用效果 ,探讨了生态占用作为可持续发展指标的政策含义以及运用于青藏高原研究的可能性     

Soil biodiversity for agricultural sustainability

We critically highlight some evidence for the importance of soil biodiversity to sustaining (agro-)ecosystem functioning and explore directions for future research. We first deal with resistance and resilience against abiotic disturbance and stress. There is evidence that soil biodiversity does confer stability to stress and disturbance, but the mechanism is not yet fully understood. It appears to depend on the kind of stress and disturbance and on the combination of stress and disturbance effects. Alternatively, community structure may play a role. Both possible explanations will guide further research. We then discuss biotic stress. There is evidence that soil microbial diversity confers protection against soil-borne disease, but crop and soil type and management also play a role. Their relative importance as well as the role of biodiversity in multitrophic interactions warrant further study. Henceforth, we focus on the effects of plant and soil biodiversity on nutrient and water use efficiencies as important ecological functions in agroecosystems. The available evidence suggests that mycorrhizal diversity positively contributes to nutrient and, possibly, water use efficiency. Soil fauna effects on nutrient and water use efficiencies are also apparent, but diversity effects may be indirect, through effects on soil structure. We present a conceptual diagram relating plant and soil biodiversity with soil structure and water and nutrient use efficiencies as a framework for future studies. We then consider how cropping systems design and management are interrelated and how management options might be interfaced with farmers’ knowledge in taking management decisions. Finally, we attempt to express some economic benefits of soil biodiversity to society as part of a wider strategy of conserving and using agrobiodiversity.     

The authority of science in sustainability governance: A structured comparison of six science institutions engaged with the Sustainable Development Goals

Over the past decades, numerous science institutions have evolved around issues of global sustainability, aiming to inform and shape societal transformations towards sustainability. While these science-based initiatives seem to take on an ever growing active role in governance for sustainable development, the question arises how they can claim any political authority in the first place. We present here a structured comparison of six international science-based initiatives, all engaged in governance processes related to the recently established Sustainable Development Goals. We focus on the material and rhetorical strategies employed by these science institutions to acquire authority by fostering perceptions of salience, credibility and legitimacy among governance actors. We distinguish three modes of scientific authority: an assessment-oriented mode that combines a strategy of salience through integration, with credibility by formal mechanisms of review, and legitimacy through representation; an advice-oriented mode, which appeals to salience through the promise of independent and timely science advice, to credibility through the credentials of the scientists involved, and to legitimacy through formal recognition by governance actors; and a solution-oriented mode, with science institutions claiming relevance based on the promise to contribute to solutions for global sustainability, while credibility is sought by invoking support of the scientific community, and legitimacy through a strategy of participation. Based on this analysis, we provide a framework for reflection on the claims and strategies of science-based initiatives, and their role and responsibility in governance for sustainable development.This article is part of a special issue on solution-oriented GEAs.     

The challenge of sustainability: incentives for brownfield regeneration in Europe

Brownfields are often not economically competitive for regeneration compared with greenfield sites without public intervention. The economic, environmental and social barriers present at the site frequently hinder returning brownfields to beneficial use. The European Union and its member states provide different public incentives to make brownfield regeneration more attractive but rarely consider their sustainability. Deciding how to regenerate brownfields should involve more than redeveloping the site to meet regulations or to meet a predetermined site use. Member states, policy makers, land owners and developers need to understand all aspects of brownfield regeneration and how sustainability issues need to be paramount in choosing alternative site uses. This paper presents the existing incentives on a European Union level, in Germany, the UK, and France; it discusses the effects and gaps; and makes suggestions for more effective instruments for the promotion of sustainable brownfield regeneration.     

Towards phosphorus sustainability in North America: A model for transformational change

Global food production and security rely heavily on finite reserves of newly mined phosphate for fertilizers. However, systemic inefficiencies result in the deposition in aquatic ecosystems of much of the phosphorus mined for food production causing costly eutrophication problems that damage aquatic ecosystems and human health. The Sustainable Phosphorus Alliance (SPA, formerly named North American Partnership for Phosphorus Sustainability) was created to implement sustainable phosphorus solutions through active engagement of stakeholders in both the private and public sectors. This paper describes a conceptual model of transformative change to a sustainable phosphorus system for the North American region. The model emerged from discussions at a series of formal and informal meetings held in conjunction with a ‘Future of Phosphorus’ event (National Science Foundation’s Phosphorus Sustainability Research Coordination Network) and an inaugural SPA Board meeting. Model development drew on the multi-level perspective of socio-technical transitions to develop a series of pathways to a transformed phosphorus system. The uses of the model and transition pathways are discussed in terms of their potential to form an important first step towards the development of a regional vision for improved phosphorus sustainability. The process provides an example of how research in sustainability science can contribute to action on environmental improvement.     

Cluster analysis for studying industrial sustainability: an empirical study in Shanghai

Compared with the extensive research on industrial sustainability in cities of the developed world, similar empirical work in developing countries is rare. This article examines industrial sustainability of the manufacturing sector in one of the central districts in Shanghai, PR China, using hierarchy cluster analysis, based on selected variables that reflect the industrial advantages, social contributions, environmental management and economic performance of the manufacturing sector. The variables represent the competition capability, proportion of employees in the relevant sector to the total number of employees in the manufacturing industry, the coefficient of environmental protection and market shares. Twenty-five manufacturing sectors are grouped into four clusters in the district. According to the characteristics of the various clusters, suggestions are proposed for improving their industrial sustainability.     

Aiming for sustainability in the tour operating business

Indications of what the tour-operating sector considers to be ‘good practice’ can be drawn from voluntary initiatives such as existing eco-labels and codes of conduct. However, practical implementation of such guidance varies greatly from one tour operator to another, depending on different types of factors, such as size, financial capacity, corporate structure, operational location, organizational culture, ownership type, etc.This paper investigates the dimensions of what is currently referred to as ‘good practice’ in the tour operating industry, with the aim of exploring their comprehensiveness and sufficiency as tools for making mass tourism a more sustainable business.     

中国经济持续发展水平的能值分析

在对现行可持续发展水平度量方法进行简要评述的基础上,提出了以能值分析(EMA)为理论支撑的区域性可持续发展评价指数。作为案例研究,计算了中国1978～1998年经济系统的可持续发展指数(ESI)。中国经济系统的ESI从高到低的变化历程表明,以经济系统能值流来衡量,中国经济发展的可持续性处于下降态势,表征为前期下降剧烈,目前趋于平缓。具体表现为对资源特别是能源的过度消耗以及对环境的持续强大压力。     

Moving forward on educating for sustainability in Manitoba

This paper discusses the approach taken by the provincial government to move educating for sustainability (EfS) forward. The paper identifies the activities that Manitoba has initiated over the past decade that contribute to EfS including: providing funding in support of EfS; establishing policies that integrate sustainable development concepts into provincial curricula; establishing sustainability indicators and reporting on indicators; developing regulations and policies that work towards greening operations of educational institutions, and supporting educators in the field. The paper concludes with an overview of future developments in the area of EfS and calls for strategic, systemic, and concerted action to support educators as they work to develop students' knowledge, skills and values that contribute to a sustainable future.     

A dynamic conceptualization of power for sustainability research

This paper takes up the challenge of providing a conceptual power framework to be used in the context of sustainability research. First, challenges of sustainability research are discussed by focusing specifically on recent insights from Integrated Sustainability Assessment (ISA), and on that basis some requirements for concepts to be used in sustainability research are postulated. It is argued that two of the most important aspects of sustainability assessment research are the long-term dynamics of change and an interdisciplinary paradigm. Second, a dynamic power framework is presented that was developed in the context of research on socio-technical sustainability transitions, including the basics of this power framework as well as some empirical illustrations. Third, it is discussed how the presented power framework deals with time, change and long-term dynamics, and how this contributes to the state-of-the-art. Fourth, it is indicated how the power framework integrates interdisciplinary and ‘interparadigmaticatic’ research requirements, and how this contributes to the state-of-the art. In conclusion, the arguments are summarized and some challenges for future research are distilled.     

生态经济:可持续发展的必然选择

全球经济发展与生态系统平衡产生的冲突日益加剧。这表明,在走过20世纪的百年历程之后,全球经济与自然界的关系处于一种不稳定状态。只有调整全球经济,恢复经济和它所依赖的生态系统之间的稳定关系,建构生态与经济协调发展的新经济生态经济,才是实现可持续发展的必然选择。经过多年的发展,生态经济作为一种     

Backcasting for sustainability in engineering education: the case of Delft University of Technology

This paper deals with teaching participatory backcasting to engineering students as part of the graduate specialisation in sustainability at TU Delft. A course is described using backcasting, sustainable future visions, a systems orientation, and interviews with stakeholders and multi-disciplinary project work. The essentials of backcasting are presented before an outline and results from the backcasting course are described. It is concluded that it has been possible to develop a ‘light’ version of participatory backcasting that can be taught to engineering students in a useful way during a course of 3 study credits (4 ects; European credit transfer system (ects): 1 ects equals 28 h (3.5 days) of study; the previously used studycredit equalled 40 h (5 days) of study). The paper also outlines some results of the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) project at TU Delft.     

Re-considering product design: a practical “road-map” for integration of sustainability issues

The proliferation of sustainability assessment principles, strategies, actions, and tools has created confusion about pathways forward for companies. It is unclear how existing approaches are complementary or distinct. How does a company assess current products and materials? How could designers create more sustainable products? What criteria, principles, approaches, and tools should be applied? Why? Is there a practical “road map” to guide product designers and product development managers in integrating sustainability issues into their decision-making processes?This article builds on previous frameworks for understanding the interconnections between various assessment principles, strategies, actions, and tools related to industrial ecology, human and labor rights, and corporate social responsibility [Waage S, Geiser K, Irwin F, Weissman A, Bertolucci M, Fisk P, et al. Fitting together the building blocks for sustainability: a revised model for integrating ecological, social, and financial factors into business decision-making. Journal of Cleaner Production 2005;13(12):1117–206; Robèrt K-H, Schmidt-Bleek B, Aloisi de Larderel J, Basile G, Jansen JL, Kuehr R, et al. Strategic sustainable development—selection, design and synergies of applied tools. Journal of Cleaner Production 2002;10(3):197–214; Robèrt K-H. Tools and concepts for sustainable development, how do they relate to a framework for sustainable development, and to each other? Journal of Cleaner Production 2000;8(3):243–54]. Expanding on past work, this piece suggests a “road map” for application by product designers and product development managers. A four-phase process is offered for integrating systems and sustainability perspectives into product design, manufacturing, and delivery decisions.     

Roles of academia in regional sustainability initiatives: outreach for a more sustainable future

Institutions of Higher Education have to cope with an array of challenges in the 21st century including globalization of teaching, research and outreach activities; additionally there are dramatic increases in competition for students, staff and funding sources. Meanwhile, local and regional involvement in regional sustainable development is increasing in importance as well. This latter process is driven by the mandates from many sources for academic involvement in working on the multi-faceted issues pertaining to Sustainable Development (SD). This requires concerted action not only at the global, but also at the local and regional levels. This article provides an overview of this special issue of the Journal of Cleaner Production on the Roles of Academia in Regional Sustainable Development Initiatives. The essence of the 11 articles contained in this special issue is summarized and contextualized within the rapidly evolving academic efforts on SD. Recommendations are made of ways for academia to help their regions to make more rapid progress toward SD via involvement of their faculty, students and staff in Regional SD programs and processes.