Study Notes for CDAE 1020: Sustainable Development

Course Overview

  • CDAE 1020: Sustainable Development, Fall 2025

Weekly Analysis Guidelines

  • Focus on engagement, critical thinking, and analysis rather than summarizing.

  • Incorporate external readings and support arguments.

  • Avoid absolute statements; always cite or explain.

  • Capitalize new sentences and do not start sentences with numbers.

Inequality Measurement

  • Gini Index: Ranges from 0 (perfect equality) to 1 (perfect inequality).

Social Problems and Inequality

  • Index includes mortality, teen pregnancy, drug use, etc.

  • Suggests social problems stem from inequality, not just income.

Environmental Considerations

  • Happy Planet Index measures sustainable well-being and happiness of nations.

Development Considerations

  • Development questions encompass growth, quality of life, inequality, and resource management.

Alternative Development Models

  • Proposed by Kate Raworth: Includes ecological ceilings and social foundations.

Historical Context of Environmental Governance

  • Summary of four major summits: Stockholm (1972), Rio (1992), Johannesburg (2002), Rio+20 (2012).

Brundtland Commission (1987)

  • Established the term "Sustainable Development"; emphasizes interconnection of environment and development.

Negative Externalities in Development

  • Unaccounted costs in environmental degradation.

Ecosystem Services

  • Benefits humans derive from healthy ecosystems.

Social Sustainability Dimensions

  • Involves justice, equity, and governance.

Sustainable Development Goals (2015-2030)

  • 17 goals focusing on poverty, hunger, education, and the environment.

Measurement of Progress

  • Goals and indicators to track sustainability across economic, environmental, and social pillars.