A discourse-analytical perspective on sustainability assessment: interpreting sustainable development in practice

Sustainable development is a ubiquitously used concept in public decision-making: it refers to an ideal vision of global society where human development and environmental quality go hand in hand. Logically, any decision-supporting process aiming at facilitating and steering society toward a sustainable future then seems desirable. Assessing the sustainability of policy decisions is, however, influenced by what sustainable development is believed to entail, as different discourses coexist under the umbrella of the sustainable development meta-discourse. This paper proposes a typology of sustainable development discourses, and, subsequently, applies a discourse-analytical lens on two practical cases of sustainability assessment in different institutional and geographical contexts (in Belgium and in Benin). The results indicate that sustainability assessments tend to be influenced mainly by the consensual ‘sustainable development as integration’ discourse, while also providing a forum for dialogue between different discourses. The results shed light on context-specific discursive and institutional dynamics for the development and application of sustainability assessment. Acknowledging these dynamics as well as sustainable development’s inherent interpretational limits can lead to an improved use of sustainable development as a decision-guiding strategy.     

Organochlorine and organophosphorous pesticide residues in the Ouémé River catchment in the Republic of Bénin

The Ouémé River is one of the most important rivers in the Republic of Bénin. It is 510 km long and its catchment drains 75% of the country. In this study, organochlorine and organophosphorous pesticide residues were measured in more than 35 sediment samples collected on nine locations along the Ouémé River from upstream to downstream. Except for one location, Tanéka-Koko, all areas were contaminated by more than 20 pesticides. Organochlorine pesticides identified in sediment samples included pp'-DDE, op'-DDD, pp'-DDD, op'-DDT, pp'-DDT, alpha-endosulfan, beta-endosulfan, endosulfan sulphate, alpha-HCH, beta-HCH, lindane, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, telodrin, isodrin, cis- and trans-heptachlorepoxide, hexachlorbutadiene, hexachlorobenzene and octachlorostyrene. The organophosphorous pesticide chlorpyrifos, used in a new formulation to protect cotton, was also identified. In some areas, the concentrations of organochlorine pesticides in the sediment of the Ouémé River exceeded environmental quality standards and are reason for concern.     

Contamination of fish by organochlorine pesticide residues in the Ouémé River catchment in the Republic of Bénin

In the Republic of Bénin, aquatic ecosystems are subject to poisoning risks due to the inappropriate use of pesticides, such as washing of empty bottles in rivers and using pesticides to catch fish. In some areas, cotton fields are located near riverbanks, increasing the probability of pesticide emission to the river. To assess contamination levels in the Ouémé River catchment area, different fish species were collected from different geographical areas along the river. DDT, its metabolites and isomers were the most frequently identified pesticides in fish flesh, alpha-endosulfan, beta-endosulfan, dieldrin, telodrin, lindane and octachlorostyrene were also detected. Concentrations of pesticide residues in fish ranged from 0 to 1364 ng/g lipid. A preliminary risk assessment indicated that the daily intake of chlorinated pesticides by people consuming fish from the Ouémé River still is rather low and does not present an immediate risk.     

Capital markets and the costs of climate policies

Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - Globalization is accompanied by increasing current account imbalances. They can undermine the positive impacts of increasing international cooperation...