Sustainable Impact IOB3-5
Week 1 People, Planet, Profit
Wednesday lecture (16/11)
Sustainable development = Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs.
- SDG’s (= Sustainable Development Goals):
- SDG target = The SDG has been disassembled into different aspects / targets.
- Triple bottom line approach to sustainability: (people, planet, prosperity)
- SDG trade-off = Trade-offs are prevalent in particular for SDG 13 (Climate action) and SDG 7 (Affordable and
clean energy), illustrating the difficulty in aligning even the components within a single goal.
Friday lecture (18/11)
Planetary Boundaries
- The planetary boundaries are interconnected and amplify each other.
- Background: ‘Anthropocene’
o Human actions are now the main driver of global environmental change.
o We have been in the Holocene for the past 10.000 years. Relatively warm and stable period. (Before
that: ice age.)
o Carbon dioxide in atmosphere is currently at 416 ppm (Nov 2022). This is unprecedented – we
humans are forcing the climate to change.
, -
o Biosphere integrity – two components:
▪ Genetic diversity: Measured inglobal extinction rate. E/MSY
▪ Functional diversity: Role of the biosphere in earth-system functioning. Measured in
Biodiversity Intactness Index BII
o Biosphere integrity index (functional diversity
▪ Measures the average abundance of a set of organisms in an area, relative to their reference
populations.
▪ BII 84% -> populations in that region have declined to 84% of their presumed pre-modern
levels.
o Loss in genetic diversity:
▪ Genetically unique material is the ‘information bank’ we need to ensure a rich and resilient
ecosystem.
▪ The Seed Vault stores duplicates of seeds conserved in gene banks around the world.
o Loss in functional diversity (BII) – caused by, for instance:
▪ Overexploitation (overfishing)
▪ Changes in land use (urbanization)
▪ Air pollution (sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides)
▪ Invasive species
▪ Climate change (heatstress, droughts, wildfires)
Ocean acidification: The ongoing decrease in the pH value of the Earth's oceans, caused by the ocean’s uptake of
CO2 from the atmosphere.
Climate mitigation = avoiding and reducing emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere to prevent the
planet from warming.
Climate adaptation: altering our behavior, systems, and ways of life to protect ourselves from the impacts of climate
change.
Novel entities = Things created and introduced into the environment by human beings that could have positive or
negative disruptive effects on the earth system and may include new substances or new forms of existing substances
such as synthetic chemicals, radioactive materials, nanomaterials, microplastics, as well as modified life forms from
technologies like synthetic biology and gene modification.
- They are created and introduced into the environment by humans and can have disruptive effects on the
earth system
Relation between SDGs and planetary boundaries:
o Priority order: Biosphere is the foundation;
without healthy ecosystems we cannot maintain
a well- functioning society, nor a flourishing
economy.
,Weekly readings
Reader chapter 1: United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
- Summary: Sustainable development is defined as “development that meets the needs of the present
without compromising the needs of future generations to meet their own needs”. Sustainability comprises
environmental (‘planet’), social (‘people’) and societal (‘prosperity’) values, also referred to as the triple
bottom line. The United Nations developed 17 goals for sustainability. These goals create a comprehensive
picture of what global sustainability could look like.
- Video: Vinay Venkatraman - Technology Crafts for the Digitally Underserved
o Top 3 SDGs that Venkatraman directly addresses in his talk are:
▪ SDG 9, target 9c: increase access to ICT and strive to provide universal and affordable access
to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020
▪ SDG 4, target 4.1: ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary
and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning
▪ SDG 3, target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection,
access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and
affordable essential medicines for all.
• He indirectly addresses: SDG 1, 2, 8, 12 and he doesn’t addresses: SDG 13, 14, 15
o Tinkering ecosystems = Making stuff (think making phones or watches). You don't have to buy a
whole new product, but you can also buy a part to repair your device.
▪ Key values from technology craftst (informal educationsystem around this - learned from
mouth to mouth): Fix it locally culture – Cheap fabrication – large math for low costs.
• The silicon ‘cottage industry’: the system from before the industrial revolution
coming back in small shops all around the world.
o Project ‘lunch box’ (multimedia learning platform): Schools in developing
countries have one teacher who explains everything. They have no
textbooks, curriculum, etc.
▪ Questions: How to empower the teacher? How to make the teacher
a digital gateway? How to design an inexpensive multimedia
platform?
▪ Solution:
• A projector mobile phone = connected multimedia platform
• A flashlight = super bright LED + 6 hour rechargeable battery
• A lunch box = neat little package to put everything inside
• Mini speakers = enough sound level
Reader chapter 2: Planetary Boundaries
- Summary: The Planetary boundaries model depicts the proposed safe operating space for humanity, for nine
planetary systems. Central in the model is the green ‘safe’ zone, where there is very little risk of eroding the
earth system. Things are not looking too good, with six planetary boundaries ‘in the red’, notably the two
core boundaries of Climate Change and Biosphere integrity. The Doughnut model uses the Planetary
Boundaries and adds a ‘social foundation’ which helps remind us
that addressing environmental problems should not result in
societal injustice.
- Video: Johan Rockström - Let the environment guide our
development
o The quadruple squeeze: (Human growth, climate,
ecosystems, surprise)
o Planetary boundaries:
o Turning crisis into opportunity: a shift in mindset for
transformation
, Week 2 Evolution, Methods, Systems
Wednesday lecture (23/11)
Eco-design, cradle-to-cradle and Circular design:
Eco-Design: 1995 Cradle-to-Cradle (C2C): 2002 Circular Design: 2013
Life cycle approach Nutrient cycle approach Product/Material cycles (closing
loops)
Minimize negative impacts Amplify positive impacts Minimize negative & amplify
positive impacts
Eco-design strategy wheel Three principles Inertia principle Value Hill
Life cycle assessment Distance to target assessment LCA & Distance to target
Eco-design: life cycle approach
Eco-design: strategy wheel
Eco-design: life cycle assessment
C2C: nutrient cycle approach
Three C2C principles:
- Waste = food
- Use solar income
- Respect diversity
Distance to target approach: How close are you to achieving a specific (absolute) target? -> C2C certification
The main differences between C2C and eco-design:
Week 1 People, Planet, Profit
Wednesday lecture (16/11)
Sustainable development = Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs.
- SDG’s (= Sustainable Development Goals):
- SDG target = The SDG has been disassembled into different aspects / targets.
- Triple bottom line approach to sustainability: (people, planet, prosperity)
- SDG trade-off = Trade-offs are prevalent in particular for SDG 13 (Climate action) and SDG 7 (Affordable and
clean energy), illustrating the difficulty in aligning even the components within a single goal.
Friday lecture (18/11)
Planetary Boundaries
- The planetary boundaries are interconnected and amplify each other.
- Background: ‘Anthropocene’
o Human actions are now the main driver of global environmental change.
o We have been in the Holocene for the past 10.000 years. Relatively warm and stable period. (Before
that: ice age.)
o Carbon dioxide in atmosphere is currently at 416 ppm (Nov 2022). This is unprecedented – we
humans are forcing the climate to change.
, -
o Biosphere integrity – two components:
▪ Genetic diversity: Measured inglobal extinction rate. E/MSY
▪ Functional diversity: Role of the biosphere in earth-system functioning. Measured in
Biodiversity Intactness Index BII
o Biosphere integrity index (functional diversity
▪ Measures the average abundance of a set of organisms in an area, relative to their reference
populations.
▪ BII 84% -> populations in that region have declined to 84% of their presumed pre-modern
levels.
o Loss in genetic diversity:
▪ Genetically unique material is the ‘information bank’ we need to ensure a rich and resilient
ecosystem.
▪ The Seed Vault stores duplicates of seeds conserved in gene banks around the world.
o Loss in functional diversity (BII) – caused by, for instance:
▪ Overexploitation (overfishing)
▪ Changes in land use (urbanization)
▪ Air pollution (sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides)
▪ Invasive species
▪ Climate change (heatstress, droughts, wildfires)
Ocean acidification: The ongoing decrease in the pH value of the Earth's oceans, caused by the ocean’s uptake of
CO2 from the atmosphere.
Climate mitigation = avoiding and reducing emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere to prevent the
planet from warming.
Climate adaptation: altering our behavior, systems, and ways of life to protect ourselves from the impacts of climate
change.
Novel entities = Things created and introduced into the environment by human beings that could have positive or
negative disruptive effects on the earth system and may include new substances or new forms of existing substances
such as synthetic chemicals, radioactive materials, nanomaterials, microplastics, as well as modified life forms from
technologies like synthetic biology and gene modification.
- They are created and introduced into the environment by humans and can have disruptive effects on the
earth system
Relation between SDGs and planetary boundaries:
o Priority order: Biosphere is the foundation;
without healthy ecosystems we cannot maintain
a well- functioning society, nor a flourishing
economy.
,Weekly readings
Reader chapter 1: United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
- Summary: Sustainable development is defined as “development that meets the needs of the present
without compromising the needs of future generations to meet their own needs”. Sustainability comprises
environmental (‘planet’), social (‘people’) and societal (‘prosperity’) values, also referred to as the triple
bottom line. The United Nations developed 17 goals for sustainability. These goals create a comprehensive
picture of what global sustainability could look like.
- Video: Vinay Venkatraman - Technology Crafts for the Digitally Underserved
o Top 3 SDGs that Venkatraman directly addresses in his talk are:
▪ SDG 9, target 9c: increase access to ICT and strive to provide universal and affordable access
to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020
▪ SDG 4, target 4.1: ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary
and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning
▪ SDG 3, target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection,
access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and
affordable essential medicines for all.
• He indirectly addresses: SDG 1, 2, 8, 12 and he doesn’t addresses: SDG 13, 14, 15
o Tinkering ecosystems = Making stuff (think making phones or watches). You don't have to buy a
whole new product, but you can also buy a part to repair your device.
▪ Key values from technology craftst (informal educationsystem around this - learned from
mouth to mouth): Fix it locally culture – Cheap fabrication – large math for low costs.
• The silicon ‘cottage industry’: the system from before the industrial revolution
coming back in small shops all around the world.
o Project ‘lunch box’ (multimedia learning platform): Schools in developing
countries have one teacher who explains everything. They have no
textbooks, curriculum, etc.
▪ Questions: How to empower the teacher? How to make the teacher
a digital gateway? How to design an inexpensive multimedia
platform?
▪ Solution:
• A projector mobile phone = connected multimedia platform
• A flashlight = super bright LED + 6 hour rechargeable battery
• A lunch box = neat little package to put everything inside
• Mini speakers = enough sound level
Reader chapter 2: Planetary Boundaries
- Summary: The Planetary boundaries model depicts the proposed safe operating space for humanity, for nine
planetary systems. Central in the model is the green ‘safe’ zone, where there is very little risk of eroding the
earth system. Things are not looking too good, with six planetary boundaries ‘in the red’, notably the two
core boundaries of Climate Change and Biosphere integrity. The Doughnut model uses the Planetary
Boundaries and adds a ‘social foundation’ which helps remind us
that addressing environmental problems should not result in
societal injustice.
- Video: Johan Rockström - Let the environment guide our
development
o The quadruple squeeze: (Human growth, climate,
ecosystems, surprise)
o Planetary boundaries:
o Turning crisis into opportunity: a shift in mindset for
transformation
, Week 2 Evolution, Methods, Systems
Wednesday lecture (23/11)
Eco-design, cradle-to-cradle and Circular design:
Eco-Design: 1995 Cradle-to-Cradle (C2C): 2002 Circular Design: 2013
Life cycle approach Nutrient cycle approach Product/Material cycles (closing
loops)
Minimize negative impacts Amplify positive impacts Minimize negative & amplify
positive impacts
Eco-design strategy wheel Three principles Inertia principle Value Hill
Life cycle assessment Distance to target assessment LCA & Distance to target
Eco-design: life cycle approach
Eco-design: strategy wheel
Eco-design: life cycle assessment
C2C: nutrient cycle approach
Three C2C principles:
- Waste = food
- Use solar income
- Respect diversity
Distance to target approach: How close are you to achieving a specific (absolute) target? -> C2C certification
The main differences between C2C and eco-design:
