[HUME 112] Vogt and Weber’s Current Challenges to the concept of sustainability

1. ecological

2. political

3. ethical

4. socio-economic

5. democratic

6. cultural

7. theological

According to Vogt and Weber (2019), what are the 7 dimensions that characterized the sustainability concept?

ecological

What is the dimension that involves the reflection on the conditions and consequences of human activities?

political

What is the dimension that sees sustainability as a cross-sectional political guideline?

ethical

What is the dimension that discusses sustainability as an intergenerational and global responsibility?

socio-economic

What is the dimension that involves operationalizing the principle of sustainability?

democratic

What is the dimension that discusses sustainability with pluralism,

participation and democratic innovation?

cultural

What is the dimension that ties sustainability with lifestyle and a new model of wealth?

theological

What is the dimension that discusses belief in creation and sustainability?

Markus Vogt and Christoph Weber

Who wrote the “Current challenges to the concept of sustainability” in 2019?

1. Sustainability refers mainly to the principle of passive limitation and regulation of human activities.

2. Sustainability is the equivalent consideration of ecological, social and economic factors.

3. Intergenerational justice, as the normative core of sustainability, guarantees future generations an equal amount of natural resources.

4. Sustainability means preserving an equilibrium system in nature that does not consume more resources than it can regrow.

5. The model of sustainability is a clearly defined objective. Approval of the concept of sustainability can simply be guaranteed by the widespread participation of affected groups.

6. Green growth and efficiency gains are sufficient reasons to economically implement the concept of sustainability.

7. Religions, especially Christianity, do not play a major role in shaping the concept of sustainability and bringing it to life.

What are the seven fallacies mentioned in Vogt and Weber’s (2019) “Current challenges to the concept of sustainability?”

Hans Carl von Carlowitz, Silvicultura oeconomica, 1713

Who first formulated the principle of regulating sustainability in which book and when?

sustainable, neglectful

Fill in the blanks: Carlowitz published the first comprehensive treatise about sustainable yield forestry. He used the term ‘__________’ to denote the opposite of ‘__________.’

Sustainable Development

Used as a term to encompass economic, social development and maintaining ecological health but a more politically charged or policy level term.

Sustainability

A general term used in research and policy or programs.

Ecological

Fallacy: Sustainability refers mainly to a principle of passive limitation or regulation of human activities.

Should be active and anticipatory:

• Actively and innovatively searching, learning and shaping present and future human activities

• Future-oriented: justice, responsibility

• “usus fructus” property ownership

Political

Fallacy: Sustainability is the equivalent consideration of ecological, social and economic factors.

• It concerns a cross-sectional policy, based on inter-disciplinary analyses and a systemic way of thinking about the re-nationalization of environmental problems

Ethical

Fallacy: Intergenerational justice, as the normative core of sustainability, guarantees future generations an equal amount of natural resources.

• The aim should rather be to leave to posterity a world that offers enough free space and enough chances

• Use capability approach: sustainability requires openness to allow for unplanned things

Socio-economic

Fallacy: Sustainability means preserving an equilibrium system in nature that does not consume more resources than it can regrow.

• Operationalizing the concept of sustainability requires focusing on resilience for the future (capacity for innovation)

Democratic

Fallacy: The model of sustainability is a clearly defined objective. Approval of the concept of sustainability can simply be guaranteed by the widespread participation of affected groups.

• The active shaping of living spaces should not be decided exclusively by authorities (top-down) but must also grow slowly (bottom-up)

• Multidimensional approach needed: space of civil society in changing values

Cultural

Fallacy: Green growth and efficiency gains are sufficient reasons to economically implement the concept of sustainability

• New definitions of progress: Instead of ‘faster, higher, farther’, safeguarding the ecological, social and economic stability of human living spaces will be a central principle

Theological

Fallacy: Religions, especially Christianity, do not play a major role in shaping the concept of sustainability and bringing it to

life.

• Role of religions in incorporating a spiritual dimension that inspires and motivates ethical behaviour

• Draws attention to the connection between ideas and emotions: lack of sense of reality due to lack of contact (Laudato si)