POLICY & PUBLIC ACTION

FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

SUST1000 Introduction to Sustainability
Lecture 5
 PART A
Learning theory & developing understanding of sustainability

1 2 3 4 5 6
INTRODUCTION ANTHROPOGENIC PLANETARY HUMAN THRIVING POLICY FOR SUSTAINABLE
IMPACT ON BOUNDARIES WITHIN SUSTAINABILITY DEVELOPMENT
NATURAL PLANETARY
SYSTEMS BOUNDARIES

Last week, we completed our review of the problem of planetary boundaries to human
thriving, and we set out a simple framework of the strategic choices we face in reducing our
impact on natural systems.
 PART A
Learning theory & developing understanding of sustainability

1 2 3 4 5 6
INTRODUCTION ANTHROPOGENIC PLANETARY HUMAN THRIVING POLICY FOR SUSTAINABLE
IMPACT ON BOUNDARIES WITHIN SUSTAINABILITY DEVELOPMENT
NATURAL PLANETARY
SYSTEMS BOUNDARIES

Last week, we completed our review of the problem of planetary boundaries to human
thriving, and we set out a simple framework of the strategic choices we face in reducing our
impact on natural systems.

Following on from last week, we understand that the objective for policy interventions is to
advance both consumption-based and technology-based strategies for sustainability. This
week we’ll explore what types of policy tools are available, and how we can match public
policy and action to achieving our preferred future.
Overview

Part 1 Part 2
Policy Tools Picking the Right Strategy

Part 1 will start with an overview of three different policy tools – voluntary agreements,
market-based actions, and regulations.
Overview

Part 1 Part 2
Policy Tools Picking the Right Strategy

In Part 2, we’ll revisit our work on human thriving and consider how to match public
policy and action to either
• limiting and reshaping human activity to reduce anthropogenic forcing, or
• promoting the development of technologies that allow high levels of human activities,
but with reduced negative impact.
 PART 1
POLICY TOOLS
Tools for Policy and Public Action
Policy tools and approaches fall into three main categories:

Voluntary Market-based Regulations and

agreements and actions, taxes and laws, including
voluntary action subsidies to affect laws for property
prices and public rights
spending

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The Problem of Scope and Scale
• As we consider these policy options, we must recognize the critical role of scope and
scale – the range and extent of the problem, and the impact needed.
• Some policy approaches work well for focused small-scale issues
For example, if a factory is polluting a river - reports in the media, local regulations, or
incentives/penalties for waste treatment may work quite well
• However, at a global scale a different approach will be needed
For example, if deep-water ocean fisheries are to be managed to ensure that fish stocks do not
fall below critical levels, then an international scheme pooling national sovereignty, distribution
of benefits among affected communities, and shared policing and enforcement will be
required – these are big-ticket items!

8
 Voluntary Market-based Regulations and
agreements and actions, taxes and laws, including
voluntary action subsidies to affect laws for property
prices and public rights
spending
Voluntary Agreements & Action: Why?
Can be defined as -
Actions that rely on broad agreement on what to do and how to do it
• Brings to the foreground the best in humanity – empathy and mutual aid,
communication, and agreement-making
• Builds on the broad, existing movement for sustainability based in non-governmental
organizations (NGOs), the science community, international organizations (the UN), etc.

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Voluntary Agreements & Action: What?
Needs agreement on what needs to be done
• Goals and metrics (e.g. limit global warming to 1.5°C)
• Standard setting (e.g. sustainability labeling of new buildings)
• Obligations and timelines (e.g. zero use of plastic-bottled water by 2020)

Approaches to voluntary action

• Campaigns for communication and buy-in (e.g. sustainable-forest labeling)
• Sharing experience and expertise (e.g. professional associations with a sustainability
agenda – building services, planners, accountants)
• Reports and mutual review (e.g. UN Biodiversity initiatives)
• Recognizing and celebrating success (e.g. gold and silver labels for sustainable design)

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Voluntary Agreements & Action: Scope & Scale
Think about three examples:

1. FOOD WASTE
A campaign to reduce
food waste

Target local and personal

reduction of waste
or
Target global-level food
waste?

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Voluntary Agreements & Action: Scope & Scale
Think about three examples:

1. FOOD WASTE 2 . BIODIVERSITY

A campaign to reduce Protection of species and
food waste biodiversity

Target local and personal Local action to protect

reduction of waste endangered habitats
or or
Target global-level food UN-based global
waste? agreements?

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Voluntary Agreements & Action: Scope & Scale
Think about three examples:

1. FOOD WASTE 2 . BIODIVERSITY 3. GHG EMISSIONS

A campaign to reduce Protection of species and
Reduction in GHG emissions
food waste biodiversity

Target local and personal Local action to protect Individual effort to turn off
reduction of waste endangered habitats the lights
or or or
Target global-level food UN-based global International voluntary
waste? agreements? agreements (e.g. Earth hour)?

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A good example:
The Paris Agreement Holding the increase in the
global average temperature to
well below 2ºC above pre-
• Adopted 12 Dec 2015 at COP21; came into
industrial levels and to pursue
force 4 Nov 2016
efforts to limit the temperature
• Ratified* by 179 out of 197 parties to the
Convention increase to 1.5ºC above pre-
• In conjunction with Nationally Determined industrial levels, recognizing
Contributions (NDCs) – each country that this would significantly
determines how they will meet the emissions reduce the risks and impacts
targets
of climate change.

*Ratified – made officially valid

The Paris Agreement: 3 Key Goals

1 2 3
REDUCE GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE SUPPLY FUNDING FOR
WARMING ADAPTATION MEASURES
Primarily through the Build resilient Countries must commit to
reduction of fossil fuels communities and cities supplying funding for the
that can adapt to climate first 2 goals
change more readily

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The Paris Agreement: 4 Key Elements
CLEAR TARGETS FEEDBACK LOOPS
(goals and metrics) (timelines and standard setting)
Keep temperature <2ºC, closer to 1.5ºC, A global stocktake to check progress every
above pre-industrial levels. Net zero 5 years and to realign countries towards
emissions by second half of the century the 1.5-2ºC level

TRANSPARENCY
COLLABORATION (standard setting)
Bringing all nations together, especially NDCs are publicly available, making
through commitment to supporting and countries publicly accountable & promoting
funding developing nations their environmental integrity

Source: Vaughan, A (2015) Paris climate deal: key points at a glance. The Guardian 17
 Voluntary Market-based Regulations and
agreements and actions, taxes and laws, including
voluntary action subsidies to affect laws for property
prices and public rights
spending
Market-Based Actions: Why?
• Existing social systems are built around markets and market-based incentives (prices,
wages, profits)
• Market-based action can produce rapid, well-calibrated responses across space and
time
• Key market-based policies for sustainability are already well understood and available

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Market-Based Actions: What?
Examples of market-based actions include:
• Taxes and subsidies to impact on prices – making “bads” more expensive and “goods”
cheaper (e.g. a tax on carbon emissions linked to subsidies for electricity produced by renewable
energy)
• Public investment & incentives (e.g. ex-gratia payment to commercial heavy-duty diesel
vehicle owners to phase out old models that don’t comply with EURO IV emissions)
• Re-set of property rights that makes a market by distributing rights to impact the
environment (e.g. a tradeable limited right to catch fish; a tradeable but capped right to emit
GHGs)

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Market-Based Actions: Scope & Scale
Think about three examples:

1. FOOD WASTE
market incentives to reduce
food waste

A tax on restaurants’
food waste
or
A massive investment in
improving food storage
and transportation in
poorer rural areas?

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Market-Based Actions: Scope & Scale
Think about three examples:

1. FOOD WASTE 2 . BIODIVERSITY

market incentives to reduce protection of species and
food waste biodiversity

A tax on restaurants’ Annual payments to local

food waste land-users protecting
or valued habitats
A massive investment in or
improving food storage Broad international import
and transportation in taxes by major economies
poorer rural areas? on wood products from
non-sustainable sources?

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Market-Based Actions: Scope & Scale
Think about three examples:

1. FOOD WASTE 2 . BIODIVERSITY 3. GHG EMISSIONS

market incentives to reduce protection of species and
reduction in GHG emissions
food waste biodiversity

A tax on restaurants’ Annual payments to local Access to the local

food waste land-users protecting electricity grid for
or valued habitats renewables
A massive investment in or or
improving food storage Broad international import A global carbon tax set to
and transportation in taxes by major economies reduce use of fossil fuels to
poorer rural areas? on wood products from zero over a few years?
non-sustainable sources?

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A good example:
Carbon Taxes
Tax CO2 emissions (primarily in electricity production)
• Easy to quantify emissions for large-scale power
utilities
• Can increase tax over time to manage speed of
transition from fossil fuel
Promotes adjustment across the whole system, such as
• Increased investment in non-fossil-fuel power
generation
• Creates incentives for more efficient energy production
• Reduces energy consumption by households
Collection of tax revenue
• Revenue supports the transition to renewables
• Revenue can be used to offset other taxes imposed on
vulnerable households and businesses
 Voluntary Market-based Regulations and
agreements and actions, taxes and laws, including
voluntary action subsidies to affect laws for property
prices and public rights
spending
Regulation and Laws: Why?
• Obeying the law and following regulations is a normal, accepted part of social life
• Regulations, legal protection, and legal sanctions already play a leading role in
controlling anthropogenic impacts
• Given the importance and power of engrained private interests, legal action with the
threat of sanctions may be the only option

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Regulation and Laws: What?
Regulation and laws can include:
• Setting rules for products or activities to reduce harm (e.g. restricting vehicle registration
from the Transport Department if it fails to comply with vehicle emissions standards)
• Forbidding harmful production or activities with fines or other sanctions for failing to
obey the regulation (e.g. penalties for unsafe disposal of hazardous chemicals)
• Establishing and protecting rights to environmentally sensitive assets, with legal action
possible through courts (e.g. fines and/or jail time for causing danger or death to an
endangered species)

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Regulation and Laws: Scope and Scale
Think about three examples:

1. FOOD WASTE
regulation to manage and
reduce food waste

Local fines for food waste

produced over a legal limit
or
Regulatory control of the
whole food-cycle from farm
to consumer to minimize
waste?

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Regulation and Laws: Scope and Scale
Think about three examples:

1. FOOD WASTE 2 . BIODIVERSITY

regulation to manage and protection of species and
reduce food waste biodiversity

Local fines for food waste Fines and State-enforced

produced over a legal limit prison-time for trading in
or endangered species
Regulatory control of the or
whole food-cycle from farm Effective regulatory control
to consumer to minimize of global forests, oceans,
waste? and other habitats

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Regulation and Laws: Scope and Scale
Think about three examples:

1. FOOD WASTE 2 . BIODIVERSITY 3. GHG EMISSIONS

regulation to manage and protection of species and
reduction in GHG emissions
reduce food waste biodiversity

Local fines for food waste Fines and State-enforced Local regulations to reduce
produced over a legal limit prison-time for trading in use of fossil fuels to produce
or endangered species electricity
Regulatory control of the or or
whole food-cycle from farm Effective regulatory control Absolute limits on the growth
to consumer to minimize of global forests, oceans, of output for already
waste? and other habitats developed economies?

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A good example: Hong
Kong’s public parks
Markets do a poor job of protecting open,
accessible parkland
• Private owners would quickly develop
these areas
• Ecological services to current and future
Hong Kong people are not priced in the
market
Government ownership protects the parks from
private development and establishes a collective
property right for shared natural places. Thus
conserving the resource for future sustainability
efforts – biodiversity, carbon sequestration, fresh
water and air quality, and natural beauty and
refreshment for urban life.
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 Think about how different policies might work
together to deal with our three examples
FOOD WASTE BIODIVERSITY GHGS
Small scale Large-scale Small scale Large-scale Small scale Large-scale
and local and global and local and global and local and global
Campaign to reduce International effort Community UN-based global Turning off the The UN process
personal food waste to make visible and agreement to agreements lights leading to
Voluntary reduce waste protect endangered international
habitats agreements

Payment for food Investment in Public subsidies to Global import Subsidies for International
waste ready to be infrastructure to preserve habitats duties on non- renewables carbon taxes to
composted manage food sustainable products reduce fossil fuel
Market-based
storage and use to zero
transport

Fines for food waste Global regulatory Fines and prison for Global management Rules to reduce use Absolute limits on
above a fixed limit control from farm trading in of significant of fossil fuels production for
Regulation to table endangered species habitats already developed
economies

32
 Think about how different policies might work
together to deal with our three examples
FOOD WASTE BIODIVERSITY GHGS
Small scale Large-scale Small scale Large-scale Small scale Large-scale
and local and global and local and global and local and global
Campaign to reduce International effort Community UN-based global Turning off the The UN process
personal food waste to make visible and agreement to agreements lights leading to
Voluntary reduce waste protect endangered international
habitats agreements

Payment for food Investment in Public subsidies to Global import Subsidies for International
waste ready to be infrastructure to preserve habitats duties on non- renewables carbon taxes to
composted manage food sustainable products reduce fossil fuel
Market-based
storage and use to zero
transport

Fines for food waste Global regulatory Fines and prison for Global management Rules to reduce use Absolute limits on
above a fixed limit control from farm trading in of significant of fossil fuels production for
Regulation to table endangered species habitats already developed
economies

33
 Think about how different policies might work
together to deal with our three examples
FOOD WASTE BIODIVERSITY GHGS
Small scale Large-scale Small scale Large-scale Small scale Large-scale
and local and global and local and global and local and global
Campaign to reduce International effort Community UN-based global Turning off the The UN process
personal food waste to make visible and agreement to agreements lights leading to
Voluntary reduce waste protect endangered international
habitats agreements

Payment for food Investment in Public subsidies to Global import Subsidies for International
waste ready to be infrastructure to preserve habitats duties on non- renewables carbon taxes to
composted manage food sustainable products reduce fossil fuel
Market-based
storage and use to zero
transport

Fines for food waste Global regulatory Fines and prison for Global management Rules to reduce use Absolute limits on
above a fixed limit control from farm trading in of significant of fossil fuels production for
Regulation to table endangered species habitats already developed
economies

34
 Think about how different policies might work
together to deal with our three examples
FOOD WASTE BIODIVERSITY GHGS
Small scale Large-scale Small scale Large-scale Small scale Large-scale
and local and global and local and global and local and global
Campaign to reduce International effort Community UN-based global Turning off the The UN process
personal food waste to make visible and agreement to agreements lights leading to
Voluntary reduce waste protect endangered international
habitats agreements

Payment for food Investment in Public subsidies to Global import Subsidies for International
waste ready to be infrastructure to preserve habitats duties on non- renewables carbon taxes to
composted manage food sustainable products reduce fossil fuel
Market-based
storage and use to zero
transport

Fines for food waste Global regulatory Fines and prison for Global management Rules to reduce use Absolute limits on
above a fixed limit control from farm trading in of significant of fossil fuels production for
Regulation to table endangered species habitats already developed
economies

35
 Strengths & Limitations
STRENGTHS LIMITATIONS
• The power of community and ‘peer pressure’ can • Difficult to persuade people to act when the
be very influential situation is complex, cooperation from everyone
Voluntary • Voluntary participation means greater is needed and individual interest is not affected
commitment • Maintaining ongoing cooperation is required
• Focus on individuals in their own communities
• Dealing with costs and monetary benefit is clear • Taxes and price increases may impact small
and familiar businesses or low income households, with little
• Can produce far-reaching changes driven by impact on multinationals and high income
Market-based individual calculations by businesses and households
consumers to consider alternatives • Unless well designed can encourage tax evasion
• Raises revenue to subsidize alternatives or shifting production/consumption to other
countries
• Significant impacts due to fear of penalties • May face opposition and legal action from
• Legal remedies to get round entrenched interests stakeholders
Regulation • Rapid state-based or national widespread • Unpopular with the public if the regulation
adoption poses heavy restrictions or limitations on
personal choices
 Strengths & Limitations
STRENGTHS LIMITATIONS
• The power of community and ‘peer pressure’ can • Difficult to persuade people to act when the
be very influential situation is complex, cooperation from everyone
Voluntary • Voluntary participation means greater is needed and individual interest is not affected
commitment • Maintaining ongoing cooperation is required
• Focus on individuals in their own communities
• Dealing with costs and monetary benefit is clear • Taxes and price increases may impact small
and familiar businesses or low income households, with little
• Can produce far-reaching changes driven by impact on multinationals and high income
Market-based individual calculations by businesses and households
consumers to consider alternatives • Unless well designed can encourage tax evasion
• Raises revenue to subsidize alternatives or shifting production/consumption to other
countries
• Significant impacts due to fear of penalties • May face opposition and legal action from
• Legal remedies to get round entrenched interests stakeholders
Regulation • Rapid state-based or national widespread • Unpopular with the public if the regulation
adoption poses heavy restrictions or limitations on
personal choices
 Strengths & Limitations
STRENGTHS LIMITATIONS
• The power of community and ‘peer pressure’ can • Difficult to persuade people to act when the
be very influential situation is complex, cooperation from everyone
Voluntary • Voluntary participation means greater is needed and individual interest is not affected
commitment • Maintaining ongoing cooperation is required
• Focus on individuals in their own communities
• Dealing with costs and monetary benefit is clear • Taxes and price increases may impact small
and familiar businesses or low income households, with little
• Can produce far-reaching changes driven by impact on multinationals and high income
Market-based individual calculations by businesses and households
consumers to consider alternatives • Unless well designed can encourage tax evasion
• Raises revenue to subsidize alternatives or shifting production/consumption to other
countries
• Significant impacts due to fear of penalties • May face opposition and legal action from
• Legal remedies to get round entrenched interests stakeholders
Regulation • Rapid state-based or national widespread • Unpopular with the public if the regulation
adoption poses heavy restrictions or limitations on
personal choices
 Strengths & Limitations
STRENGTHS LIMITATIONS
• The power of community and ‘peer pressure’ can • Difficult to persuade people to act when the
be very influential situation is complex, cooperation from everyone
Voluntary • Voluntary participation means greater is needed and individual interest is not affected
commitment • Maintaining ongoing cooperation is required
• Focus on individuals in their own communities
• Dealing with costs and monetary benefit is clear • Taxes and price increases may impact small
and familiar businesses or low-income households, with little
• Can produce far-reaching changes driven by impact on multinationals and high-income
Market-based individual calculations by businesses and households
consumers to consider alternatives • Unless well designed can encourage tax evasion
• Raises revenue to subsidize alternatives or shifting production/consumption to other
countries
• Significant impacts due to fear of penalties • May face opposition and legal action from
• Legal remedies to get round entrenched interests stakeholders
Regulation • Rapid state-based or national widespread • Unpopular with the public if the regulation
adoption poses heavy restrictions or limitations on
personal choices
 CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING
Match the following to the relevant Which of the following is NOT an Which of the following is NOT an
type of policy advantage of market-based policies? advantage of regulatory approach?

1. Awarding a gold label to an 1. Can produce rapid and far 1. Ensuring compliance when not
environmentally friendly building reaching changes as consumers everyone is willing to change
2. Development limits in protected and businesses calculate their 2. Establishing legal rights to
habitats individual incentives environmental assets that can be
3. A subsidy for solar-panel 2. Can raise revenue to fund protected through the courts
production environmentally positive 3. Gaining general agreement to
4. Fixed quotas for fish catches investment reach environmental goals
3. Is fair and equal in its impact on 4. Using existing systems for
individuals setting rules and to police
4. Dealing with market costs and individual behaviour
prices is clear and familiar
DID YOU GET THE FOLLOWING ANSWERS?
Match the following to the relevant Which of the following is NOT an Which of the following is NOT an
type of policy advantage of market-based policies? advantage of regulatory approach?

1. Awarding a gold label to an 3. Is fair and equal in its impact on 3. Gaining general agreement to
environmentally friendly building reach environmental goals
individuals
Voluntary The regulatory approach is rules-
One of the main problems with the
2. Development limits in protected based and requires monitoring and
habitats Regulatory market-based approach is that sanctions for breaking rules. This
3. A subsidy for solar-panel individuals and businesses with can reduce the effort to change
production Market-based greater resources can maintain their people’s minds and culture, and may
4. Fixed quotas for fish catches position despite higher prices, while make it more difficult to gain the
Regulatory weaker businesses and those with low desired impact as people try to get
incomes bear the main burden around the rules.
 PART 2
PICKING THE RIGHT STRATEGY
 Recall this slide from last week, summarizing the issues for determining the weight we
should place on consumption-based and technology-based approaches

• Confidence that technologies exist and can be

implemented • Harmony with nature and conservation of other
• Earth systems are resilient enough to maintain species is the right approach
existing lifestyles • The risk to Earth systems from existing levels of
• Managing the Anthropocene means using human production is very high
ingenuity and ability to control natural systems • A leaner lifestyle can be a better way to live
• A transition to a Good Anthropocene can be positive • Managing global consumption can be a pathway
for economies and society toward global fairness and equality

FOCUS ON
FOCUS ON CHANGES IN
TECHNOLOGY- LIFESTYLES:
BASED STRATEGY • Both strategies have a place and both strategies
ESPECIALLY REDUCED
have advantages and disadvantages
CONSUMPTION IN
• The sustainability challenge is very urgent so
RICH COUNTRIES
choices should be practical – what works?
• The key issue is what can be accomplished given
the urgency of the problems

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 To think about policy intervention to drive strategies for
sustainability we need to extend the diagram.
In the following slide, along the vertical axis we ask whether we
can achieve what we need with business-as-usual, or do we need to
make radical changes to existing social systems?
BUSINESS-AS-USUAL (BAU)

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RADICAL CHANGE
Business-as-Usual (BAU)
• It is sometimes claimed that the problem of sustainability will resolve itself through
business-as-usual (BAU), that is through the existing set of political and economic
arrangements, without extensive or disruptive policy intervention
• This view is linked to the following ideas:
• As we reach environmental limits, the costs of natural resources and ecological
services will increase and demand (anthropogenic pressure) will fall as a market
response
• Changing consumer attitudes towards valuing the environment will force companies
to adopt “greener” practices in order to maintain market position
• The existing political process allow communities to push for changes that protect
the environment
• The BAU approach is often linked to the view that the sustainability challenge is less
urgent and less significant than is claimed by scientists and other campaigners

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An early statement of how planetary boundaries would automatically limit development was provide in 1798
by Thomas Malthus. Malthus argued that human population growth will always outstrip growth in food
production, leading to starvation and poor health until the human population falls within possible natural
limits – a self-correcting cycle!
In the 1970s the depletion of non-renewable natural
resources – oil and gas reserves – became an issue.
This was the beginning of the idea that there are
limits to growth. The impact of increasing costs due
to limited natural resources was modelled and
simulated in the famous 1972 book Limits to Growth,
by a group at MIT.
This image reproduces the business-as-usual scenario
explored by the Limits to Growth team.
More complex scenarios including more
environmental limits (waste and pollution, food
security, etc.), enhanced modeling of demographics,
and responses to environmental limits have been
developed.

The work on these simulations is ongoing. Click here for a summary and update 47
Business-as-Usual (BAU) (cont.)
Those who do NOT think that we can expect BAU to solve the problem point out that:
• With costs and prices set by existing market mechanisms and related business policy:
• The benefits of growth are strongly biased to high income communities and the wealthy
• Rapid economic growth and high consumption of goods and services is encouraged without
considering impacts on natural systems – toxics and waste, overuse of non-renewables, clear-
cutting forests for industrial palm-oil production
• Existing political systems embed strong interests that may lose from the actions necessary to
mitigate damage to natural systems and adapt to change, and are not sufficiently open and
inclusive to transmit community pressure for better management of the environment
• As a result, in BAU scenarios for climate change and other planetary boundaries, economic output
is expected to exceed safe environmental limits within only a few decades

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Alternatives to BAU
If BAU cannot deliver a sustainable, preferred future, what are the alternatives?
Some observers believe that there is enough flexibility in existing systems to allow for
market-based, regulatory, and cultural change that is adequate to meet the challenge.
Others think that deep-seated change that targets the existing political-economic system
will be needed.

Let’s return to the diagram to summarize some of this thinking.

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 BUSINESS-AS-USUAL (BAU)
• Market-oriented – ‘markets work’ – profit-
earning business can deliver sustainability
• Should focus on private action by individuals
• Work through existing international system of
competing national states
• Pessimistic about possibility of change in
existing social-economic system

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RADICAL CHANGE
 BUSINESS-AS-USUAL (BAU)
• Market-oriented – ‘markets work’
• Focus on private action by individuals
• Profit-earning business can deliver
sustainability
• Work through existing international system of
competing national states
• Pessimistic about possibility of change in
existing social-economic system
• Not convinced that existing
political economic systems can
deliver the necessary change
• Open to change to more collective
solutions
• Concerned that radical change may
slow effort to deal with
sustainability challenge
• Understands the challenge of
global inequality, but difficult to
change the situation

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RADICAL CHANGE
 BUSINESS-AS-USUAL (BAU)
• Market-oriented – ‘markets work’
• Focus on private action by individuals
• Profit-earning business can deliver
sustainability
• Work through existing international system of
competing national states
• Pessimistic about possibility of change in
existing social-economic system
• Not convinced that existing
political economic systems can
deliver the necessary change
• Open to change to more collective
solutions
• Concerned that radical change may
slow effort to deal with
sustainability challenge
• Understands the challenge of
global inequality, but difficult to
change the situation
• Major intervention in markets required –
‘markets fail’
• Extensive effort to regulate and control private
behavior needed
• Necessary to work around national sovereignty
to deliver global collective change
• Optimistic about the possibility of significant
change in social-economic system to enhance
global human thriving
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RADICAL CHANGE
Where are you on the vertical axis?
To think about this try the following mental experiment - suppose that the package of policy
measures we want to implement includes the following:
1. An international carbon tax that increases the cost of fossil fuels enough to stabilize CO2
emissions, combined with a massive program of investment in non-fossil fuel energy
2. A global campaign to change diets and reduce the scale of animal agriculture, combined
with global regulation of habitat loss to protect forests and marine environments
What changes in social and economic systems and international political systems do you think would be
necessary to enable these policies to be implemented?

53
Where are you on the vertical axis?
To think about this try the following mental experiment - suppose that the package of policy
measures we want to implement includes the following:
1. An international carbon tax that increases the cost of fossil fuels enough to stabilize CO2
emissions, combined with a massive program of investment in non-fossil fuel energy
2. A global campaign to change diets and reduce the scale of animal agriculture, combined
with global regulation of habitat loss to protect forests and marine environments
What changes in social and economic systems and international political systems do you think would be
necessary to enable these policies to be implemented?
The following issues would all be relevant in our answers to this question:
• Can we rely on free markets to create the necessary incentives for change?
• Are existing political systems capable of agreeing and executing the necessary policies?
• How far are we willing to go in reducing individual freedom to meet collective needs?
• What alternatives to the existing systems can be developed that could deal with the challenge?
Our answer would also be determined by our own assessment of the scale, scope and urgency of
the problems.
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The Sustainability Challenge in Two Dimensions
The following slides combine the axis that links the broad strategies to meet the
sustainability challenge (enhanced technologies that reduce impact and adjustment in
lifestyles) with the axis that links the broad policy approaches (reliance on existing
political economic systems and a willingness to make radical changes to enable solutions).
This combination defines four quadrants. The international conversation about
sustainability can be understood as a conversation about which quadrant offers the best
choices for sustainability solutions.

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 BUSINESS-AS-USUAL
market-oriented, focus on private action, existing international system

• Assumes sufficient resilience of

natural systems
• Possible to maintain our lifestyle, with
economic growth to reduce poverty
• Optimistic that existing social
arrangements are capable of sufficient
adjustment

TECHNOLOGY- CHANGES IN
BASED STRATEGY LIFESTYLES
especially reduced
consumption in rich
countries

RADICAL CHANGE 56
intervention in markets, regulation and control, pooling of national sovereignty
 BUSINESS-AS-USUAL
market-oriented, focus on private action, existing international system

• Recognizes that natural systems are

significantly under stress and lifestyle
adjustment is required
• Optimistic that individuals can be persuaded to
change their behavior through price incentives
and education
• Skeptical about radical policies that may be
difficult and slow to implement

TECHNOLOGY- CHANGES IN
BASED STRATEGY LIFESTYLES
especially reduced
consumption in rich
countries

RADICAL CHANGE 57
intervention in markets, regulation and control, pooling of national sovereignty
 BUSINESS-AS-USUAL
market-oriented, focus on private action, existing international system

TECHNOLOGY- CHANGES IN
BASED STRATEGY LIFESTYLES
• Recognizes that natural systems are especially reduced
significantly under stress consumption in rich
• Does not accept that technical countries
innovation on its own can resolve
problems
• The scope and scale of necessary change
requires a radical reset of policy and
action
RADICAL CHANGE 58
intervention in markets, regulation and control, pooling of national sovereignty
 BUSINESS-AS-USUAL
market-oriented, focus on private action, existing international system

TECHNOLOGY- CHANGES IN
BASED STRATEGY LIFESTYLES
• Recognizes that natural systems are especially reduced
significantly under stress consumption in rich
• Confident that in principal technical countries
innovation can resolve problems
• Scope and scale of necessary
innovation requires radical reset of
policy and action to achieve the
needed innovation and investment
RADICAL CHANGE 59
intervention in markets, regulation and control, pooling of national sovereignty
 The International Sustainability Conversation:
A Diagrammatic Summary
Everything will be OK BUSINESS-AS-USUAL Traditional Greens
• Assumes resilience of natural systems • Natural systems are significantly under stress
• Possible to maintain our lifestyle, with and lifestyle adjustment is required
economic growth to reduce poverty • Optimistic that people can be persuaded to
• Optimistic that existing social change their behavior through price
arrangements are capable of sufficient incentives and education
adjustment • Not focused on global inequality
Middle-ground Consensus
• Not convinced that existing political
economic systems can deliver change and
open to more collective solutions
• Understands the challenge of global
inequality
• Concerned that radical change is very
difficult and may slow efforts to deal with
sustainability challenge
TECHNOLOGY- • Both technological innovation and lifestyle CHANGES IN
BASED STRATEGY change have a place, both have advantages LIFESTYLES
and disadvantages
• The sustainability challenge is very urgent
so choices should be practical – what works?
What can be accomplished given the
Eco-modernism urgency of the problems Deep Ecology and Eco-socialism
• Natural systems are significantly under • Natural systems are significantly under stress
stress • Strong normative commitment to
• Confident that technical innovation can conservation of nature
resolve problems, including global • Technical innovation cannot resolve problems
poverty • The scope and scale of necessary change
• Scope and scale of necessary innovation requires a radical reset of political economy
requires radical reset of policy and and culture
action
RADICAL CHANGE
 This all looks pretty complicated!
To make things a little simpler consider these three
broad approaches to policy and public action.
Three approaches to Policy and Public Action
1 2 3
SMOOTH, GRADUAL LARGE-SCALE DIRECT LIMITS ON
ADJUSTMENTS WITHIN RE-ENGINEERING OF ANTHROPOGENIC
BUSINESS-AS-USUAL ANTHROPOGENIC FORCING
IMPACTS
• Educational efforts and • High priority development • Broad cultural change
campaigns of relevant science and • Regulated international
• Market-based solutions – engineering standards and performance
stress on incentives and • Radical use of market- goals
preferences based levers – taxes and • Direct limits on damaging
• Working within existing subsidies with activities – legal action and
institutions and legal international scope sanctions
parameters • Large-scale public • Fairness and justice in use
investment in renewables of ecosystem services
and other infrastructure
Three approaches to Policy and Public Action
1 2 3
SMOOTH, GRADUAL LARGE-SCALE DIRECT LIMITS ON
ADJUSTMENTS WITHIN RE-ENGINEERING OF ANTHROPOGENIC
BUSINESS-AS-USUAL ANTHROPOGENIC FORCING
IMPACTS
• Educational efforts and • High priority development • Broad cultural change
campaigns of relevant science and • Regulated international
• Market-based solutions – engineering standards and performance
stress on incentives and • Radical use of market- goals
preferences based levers – taxes and • Direct limits on damaging
• Working within existing subsidies with activities – legal action and
institutions and legal international scope sanctions
parameters • Large-scale public • Fairness and justice in use
investment in renewables of ecosystem services
and other infrastructure
Three approaches to Policy and Public Action
1 2 3
SMOOTH, GRADUAL LARGE-SCALE DIRECT LIMITS ON
ADJUSTMENTS WITHIN RE-ENGINEERING OF ANTHROPOGENIC
BUSINESS-AS-USUAL ANTHROPOGENIC FORCING
IMPACTS
• Educational efforts and • High priority development • Broad cultural change
campaigns of relevant science and • Regulated international
• Market-based solutions – engineering standards and performance
stress on incentives and • Radical use of market- goals
preferences based levers – taxes and • Direct limits on damaging
• Working within existing subsidies with activities – legal action and
institutions and legal international scope sanctions
parameters • Large-scale public • Fairness and justice in use
investment in renewables of ecosystem services
and other infrastructure
 THINK ABOUT THE FOLLOWING
1. Which of the three policy approaches is most in line with your own thinking?
2. Which approach do you think is likely to provide the most credible solution to
the sustainability challenge?
3. Do you have other ideas?
What will we do next week?
• Up to this point, our review of sustainability has been focused on the impact of human
activity on natural systems and the necessity to develop strategies and policies to
manage the Anthropocene.
• We touched on the problems of poverty and income equality in our discussion of a
strategy to reduce individual consumption – it is easier to call on rich consumers than
poor consumers to change their lifestyle – but we did not follow this up.
• Next week we will broaden out this issue to think about the sustainability challenge in
the general context of Sustainable Development – how will we manage the
Anthropocene while also working toward the overall social development of all
communities?

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