The need for a fundamental shift towards a sustainable society·
Within the international scientific community there is almost an international consensus that the ecological limits of the earth are being exceeded in many areas. The need for “sustainable development”, based on notions of inter and intra-generational equity has been widely espoused by Governments the world over. However, the situation remains where approximately 20% of the world’s population accounts for 80% of total annual resource consumption. The rate of consumption of natural resources continues to increase and the gap between rich and poor continues to widen. Massive biodiversity loss continues unabated. Economic and political power is becoming increasingly centralised and unaccountable.
Friends of the Earth’s approach to the issue of sustainability-
FoE’s work on sustainability is informed by a strong social justice perspective. We consider that social and environmental issues cannot be considered in isolation and that a sustainable society would be a just society as well as an ecologically enlightened society.Ê We choose not to use the term “sustainable development” due to the problematic concept of “development” which in many ways is an ideological trojan horse. Fundamental to our approach to sustainability are the notions of constructive and oppostional politics. This is reflected not only in our theoretical ideas of sustainability and change, but also in our practical work on the ground. We recognise the importance of resistance to innapropriate development and we support communities in their struggles for justice. This type of oppostional politics takes many forms; from lobbying to blockades and street protests.
We also recognise the importance of constructive politics; of actively building alternatives to unsustainable economic, political and social structures. At a practical level, this is expressed through our work in initiating the Reverse Garbage re-use centre, The Bicycle Revolution (bicycle recycling shop) and various cultural events (feasts and film festivals) which are grounded in notions of sustainability. Internationally, Friends of the Earth have conducted extensive research into the material side of what a sustainable society might look like, developing and promoting concepts such as Environmental Space to help quantify and manage our environmental impact.
– Friends of the Earth Australia Sustainable Societies Programme Platform
– Oppositional and Constructive politics: Reflections on the Friends of the Earth Sustainable Societies Programme.
– Ecological Footprints and Environmental Space (Acrobat Reader necessary)
– Contact: John Hepburn: FoE Brisbane
– Links: FoE International Sustainable Societies Campaign