Original scientific paper
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY: THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION AND DISCUSSIONS OF THESE TERMS FROM RIO DE JANEIRO 1992 TO JOHANNESBURG 2002
Velimir Pravdić
; Institute Ruđer Bošković; Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences, Zagreb
Abstract
The article is a review of the open literature of the last few years on discussions about the meaning, contents, and implementation of the concepts of sustainable development and its parent concept of sustainability. The incentive for the discussions is the forthcoming World Summit Conference Rio+10 in Johannesburg, in September 2002. Emphasis is given to the critique of both terms, a voice little heard in Croatia, with the literature presenting it, systematically downplayed.
Discussions witness to the fact that there is no uniquely accepted interpretation of these terms, causing obstacles to their introduction into the legislative body. Both sustainable development and sustainability remain ideals, that stand for the introduction of ethicaly based environmental management into economic development: no one is arguing these ideals. However, vagueness of meaning and indeterminate intepretation of these terms enable their misuse for special or group interests. It is also claimed that free markets and market economies, in the intepretation of the World Trade Organisation, are not in harmony with the ideals of sustainable development. Indeed, many projects harmful, or even destructive to the environment, are sustainable. In the scientific domain the need is supported for a change in attitudes and practices: thus, a transition from environmental economics to ecological economics is deemed a crucial step.
At the end the author is advocating education in concordance with sustainability, and criticising the consequences of a lack of a clear vision on the economic development of Croatia.
Keywords
environmental economics; ecological economics; education in concordance with sustainability; sustainable development; sustainability; globalization
Hrčak ID:
141330
URI
Publication date:
15.9.2001.
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