learningforsustainability.netPathways and reasons for change
In many ways the past 2-3 years seem to provide a tipping point in awareness of the need to readjust the way we live, and rebalance that with the requirements of the planet to provide the climate, food and other ecosystem services that we rely on. While most attention was paid to the message outlining the "need to change" (see the Earth clock), many of the authors of these reports also provided pathways forward. In most cases these included an acknowledgement of the need for learning-based processes for engagement and decision-making.
As the Stern report acknowledged, development itself is the most effective way to promote adaptation to global change issues, because development increases resilience and reduces vulnerabilities. The report went on to point out that some of the required measures for strengthening adaptation include: i) ensuring access to high-quality information about the impacts of change and carrying out vulnerability assessment; ii)increasing the resilience of livelihoods and infrastructure using existing knowledge and coping strategies; iii) improving governance, including a transparent and accountable policy and decision-making process and an active civil society; and iv) empowering communities so that they participate in assessments and feed their knowledge into the process at crucial points. More information on how to implement and measure these processes are outlined in the resources linked to from this site. These can be accessed using the navigation system on the left.
Direct links to some of these reports, and others that provide a sense of perspective of what we might want from well-balanced social, ecological and economic systems are provided below.
- Stern Review on the economics of climate change The pre-publication edition of the Stern Review Report on the Economics of Climate Change is available to be downloaded below either on a chapter-by-chapter basis or in parts covering broader themes. This report not only points to the need for change, it also acknolwedges the need for learning processes that can help us adapt on an ongoing basis.
- A collapse of fish species in 50 years? A study published in the November 3 issue of Science has raised the alarm about the declining number of fish species in the world. Using historical analysis, it projects the collapse of all fish stock by 2048. This was the first study on a global scale to investigate the role of biodiversity in marine ecosystems. Two good summaries of this study can be found from Globalization 101 and the BBC news website. However, the authors also point to the need for action now to protect the world's coastlines and stocks to avoid this.
- A Deeper Shade of Green In this National Geographic article Bill McKibbon talks about the need for society to look at the word in a different way, and highlights the growing desire by people to restore a sense of community.
- Human Development Report 2006: Beyond scarcity: Power, poverty and the global water crisis Water is a source of life and a natural resource that sustains our environments and supports livelihoods – but it is also a source of risk and vulnerability. In the early 21st Century, prospects for human development are threatened by a deepening global water crisis. Debunking the myth that the crisis is the result of scarcity, this UNDP report argues poverty, power and inequality are at the heart of the problem.
- BBC - Climate Change - from the BBC Weather Centre Climate Change from the BBC Weather Centre aims to inform people about the potential changes in our weather in the coming 100 years. The site explains what climate change is and the part the greenhouse effect plays in it. It looks at the evidence that indicates our climate is already getting warmer and wetter, the impact this will have on our lives and the way we need to adapt to deal with it - in the ways we build our homes and the sources from which we get our energy. Climate Change also explains the negotiations made between politicians around the world - such as at the Kyoto Protocol and the Delhi Declaration.
- The threat of climate change A special Washington Post report providing coverage on the science and politics surrounding the threat of human-induced climate change.
- EU sustainable development news & policy Newsfeed from euractive.com an independent media portal that is fully dedicated to EU affairs.
