SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: POLICY, PRACTICE AND
ENVIRONMENT .DVA4804
Q1.Discuss the conceptualisation of sustainable development with reference to
the systems theory
The concepts of sustainability and sustainable development are analysed from a
systems perspective. This concept of sustainability is a complex one; however, it is
possible to distil some of its most basic and general characteristics by adopting a
systemic approach. In the most general terms, sustainability of any system can be
represented by a non-decreasing valuation function of the outputs of interest of the
system considered.Different perspectives on the system of reference are discussed,
from the extreme anthropocentric to the extreme bio- or ecocentric positions, and
related to the criteria (based on the assumed substitutability between natural and
manufactured capital); of very strong, strong, weak, and very weak sustainability.
For the present purposes, a system is simply defined as a set of interrelated elements
(or subsystems). The elements can be molecules, organisms, machines or their parts,
social entities, or even abstract concepts. The relations, interlinkages, or "couplings"1
between the elements may also have very different manifestations (economic
transactions, flows of matter or energy, causal linkages, control pathways, etc.).
A set of underlying determinants of sustainability is proposed and discussed, including
availability of resources, adaptability/flexibility, and homeostasis, capacity of response,
self-reliance, and empowerment.The concept of sustainable development is discussed
and alternative theoretical perspectives that have been used in the literature are
presented.The relationship between sustainability, development, nondevelopment, and
maldevelopment; and material and non-material economic growth is mapped as a Venn
diagram; alternative trajectories towards sustainable development for rich and poor
countries are identified.
, physically existent systems are open, having exchanges of energy, matter and
information with their environment that are significant for their functioning.Therefore,
what the system “does”, its behavior, depends not only on the system itself, but also on
the factors, elements or variables coming from the environment of the system and
impinging on it (the “input variables”); on the other hand, the system generates variables
that exert on the environment (the “output variables”).Sometimes we are interested in
the sustainability of the system itself (e.g., the preservation of a natural ecosystem such
as a pristine forest); in this case, the output variables are the same as the state
variables (in other words, what is sought is the preservation of the system itself). When
the output variables are different from the state variables, we are referring to the
sustainability of the output(s) of the system (e.g. agricultural yield of an agroecosystem),
not necessarily to the sustainability of the system.
When referring to the sustainability of a system it should be made clear which
sustainability is being considered, because the implications may be quite different for
each case. Sometimes, we want to sustain part of the output but change the system.8
Sustainable development implies change; sometimes we want to improve or transform
the system, sometimes we want to change the system to improve some of its outputs.
The subject of sustainability and the systems theory
Sustainability of the human system only
This position, if taken to the extreme, could result in the Earth becoming a totally
artificialized planet if total substitutability of natural resources and services were
possible. The classical economicist view, for instance, regards the economy as the
relevant system, and relegates nature to the role of provider of natural resources and
services and of a sink for the wastes produced by human activities .This is consistent
with the notion of “very weak sustainability”.The very weak sustainability approach
asserts that natural and manufactured capital can substitute perfectly for one another.
The substitutability of different types of capital implies that the preservation of an
aggregate level of natural plus manufactured capital, rather than the preservation of
natural capital in particular, is crucial. The sustainability of ecological systems is viewed
ENVIRONMENT .DVA4804
Q1.Discuss the conceptualisation of sustainable development with reference to
the systems theory
The concepts of sustainability and sustainable development are analysed from a
systems perspective. This concept of sustainability is a complex one; however, it is
possible to distil some of its most basic and general characteristics by adopting a
systemic approach. In the most general terms, sustainability of any system can be
represented by a non-decreasing valuation function of the outputs of interest of the
system considered.Different perspectives on the system of reference are discussed,
from the extreme anthropocentric to the extreme bio- or ecocentric positions, and
related to the criteria (based on the assumed substitutability between natural and
manufactured capital); of very strong, strong, weak, and very weak sustainability.
For the present purposes, a system is simply defined as a set of interrelated elements
(or subsystems). The elements can be molecules, organisms, machines or their parts,
social entities, or even abstract concepts. The relations, interlinkages, or "couplings"1
between the elements may also have very different manifestations (economic
transactions, flows of matter or energy, causal linkages, control pathways, etc.).
A set of underlying determinants of sustainability is proposed and discussed, including
availability of resources, adaptability/flexibility, and homeostasis, capacity of response,
self-reliance, and empowerment.The concept of sustainable development is discussed
and alternative theoretical perspectives that have been used in the literature are
presented.The relationship between sustainability, development, nondevelopment, and
maldevelopment; and material and non-material economic growth is mapped as a Venn
diagram; alternative trajectories towards sustainable development for rich and poor
countries are identified.
, physically existent systems are open, having exchanges of energy, matter and
information with their environment that are significant for their functioning.Therefore,
what the system “does”, its behavior, depends not only on the system itself, but also on
the factors, elements or variables coming from the environment of the system and
impinging on it (the “input variables”); on the other hand, the system generates variables
that exert on the environment (the “output variables”).Sometimes we are interested in
the sustainability of the system itself (e.g., the preservation of a natural ecosystem such
as a pristine forest); in this case, the output variables are the same as the state
variables (in other words, what is sought is the preservation of the system itself). When
the output variables are different from the state variables, we are referring to the
sustainability of the output(s) of the system (e.g. agricultural yield of an agroecosystem),
not necessarily to the sustainability of the system.
When referring to the sustainability of a system it should be made clear which
sustainability is being considered, because the implications may be quite different for
each case. Sometimes, we want to sustain part of the output but change the system.8
Sustainable development implies change; sometimes we want to improve or transform
the system, sometimes we want to change the system to improve some of its outputs.
The subject of sustainability and the systems theory
Sustainability of the human system only
This position, if taken to the extreme, could result in the Earth becoming a totally
artificialized planet if total substitutability of natural resources and services were
possible. The classical economicist view, for instance, regards the economy as the
relevant system, and relegates nature to the role of provider of natural resources and
services and of a sink for the wastes produced by human activities .This is consistent
with the notion of “very weak sustainability”.The very weak sustainability approach
asserts that natural and manufactured capital can substitute perfectly for one another.
The substitutability of different types of capital implies that the preservation of an
aggregate level of natural plus manufactured capital, rather than the preservation of
natural capital in particular, is crucial. The sustainability of ecological systems is viewed
