200 likes | 215 Views
This report discusses the concept of sustainable development and the need for an integrated approach in research. It highlights the importance of sustainability science as a discipline that promotes multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary research to address complex sustainability issues. The report also emphasizes the role of universities in advancing sustainable science.
E N D
A NETWORK OF NETWORKS FOR SUSTAINABILE SCIENCE: A NEW CHALLENGE FOR THE UNIVERSITIES By Stefano Grego UniversitàdellaTuscia, Viterbo, Italy
Sustainability is a modification of society comparable to Agricultural Revolution in late Neolithic Industrial Revolution (US EPA)
From conservation regardless the human purpose to sustainable development linking for the first time the environment to development from Ecology To Sustainability The report carefully defined sustainable development as ‘‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’
Accordingtopanelists at a recent EPA sponsored Forum (2006), sustainabilityrequires the simultaneous promotion ofequitableeconomicgrowth, environmentalprotection, and equity (social well-being)
Producers Consumers Decomposers S p a c e T i m e Solar energy information -Cycling of matter- -Biodiversity- -Sustainability- Heat information Abiotic environment
KOFI ANAN (2001) “Only by understanding the environment and how it works, can we make the necessary decisions to protect it. Only by valuing all our precious natural and human resources, can we hope to build a sustainable future. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment is an unprecedented contribution to our global mission for development, sustainability, and peace.” • In other words sustainability is achieved only when there is full reconciliation between • economic development; • meeting, on an equitable basis, growing and changing human needs and aspirations; and • conserving limited natural resources and the capacity of the environment to absorb the multiple stresses that are a consequence of human activities (Hay and Mimura 2006).
For 1 kcal production are necessary 12-13 kcal
The sustainable development needs an integrated approach A new vision of research is necessary to represent in a more precise way the complexity and the multidimensional characteristics of sustainable development The reserch has to be solution oriented from Ecology To Sustainability Sustainability Science
La Scienza della Sostenibilità It is not a basic or applied research but a sector defined by the problems to be solved It is a system useful to improve both the knowledge and the action making a dynamic link between them. It is liking the basic and practical prospective, global and local, from North to South, all academic disciplines from natural and social sciences to engineering and medical sector. Improved activity and technology Increase of knowledge Research based on the necessities (Sustainability Science) Basic research) Applied R&D (eg. WEHAB R&D) Modern knowledge time Existing technological activity Dynamic link between knowledge and its use
Multidisciplinary Agriculture Energy Foresty Rural sociology Sustainable science promotes science in each field Ecological economy Business Fishery Water Agriculture Energy Foresty Interdisciplinary Rural sociology Ecological economy Sustainable science conducts interdisciplany research Business Fishery Water
Agriculture Energy Forestry Rural sociology Ecological economy Sustainable science (core) Business Fishery Water Transdisciplinary Sustainable science is a distinct discipline engaged in a transdisciplinary effort arching over existing disciplines
International Conference on Sustainability Science, Tokyo 2009 February 6, 2009 Track 1: Climate Change and Energy Session 2: Energy Sustainability Chair : Prof. Vincenzo Naso, CIRPS, Sapienza, the University of Rome
International Conference on Sustainability Science, Tokyo 2009
ICSS-2010 International Conference on Sustainability Science 2010 Rome - June, 23-25 Faculty of Engineering - Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
ICSS 2012 Arizona State University Tempe, Arizona February 22-24, 2012
Wewillnever solve ourproblems using the samekindofthinking thatcausedthem in the first place Albert Einstein