Expert workshop on
July 6 2021
2:30 - 6:00 pm
Revisiting Sustainability:
Challenges for science and policy
Sustainability and sustainable development will accompany us in the years to come, challenging us intellectually in dealing with the scientific basis as well as with implementation. Particularly, this involves addressing the criticisms of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN Agenda 2030 adopted in 2015, ranging from its inspiration by “Western” paradigms, economic (GDP based) growth and its silence on the trade-offs between goals. Whereas science’s voice has often been claimed to be weak in the Agenda 2030 negotiation process, a clear scientific basis should have a major role in shaping the future. To ensure that it guides strategies and implementation measures in a complex and value-laden societal contexts. With the up-and coming program “Sustainability – Looking beyond 2030”, we would like to create a platform for initiating, contributing to and shaping this discourse.
In a first meeting, we have reached out to key members of the Bonn-based community engaged in this field. The workshop was semi-structured open space discussions to revisit the theoretical and practical frameworks in sustainability science and policy. The goal was to define critical elements of these frameworks, their "futurability" and how our joint processes can shape a new vision:
Four lenses were used through which we addressed sustainability science and policy. They were:
Value & Valuation
- What values, views and interests drive or inhibit the current discourse and progress?
- How to achieve equity (e.g. concerning gender, North-South, intergenerational biases)?
Interculturality & World Views
- How to conduct an intercultural discussion on the philosophical, ethical and moral basis for sustainability?
- What neglected views and concepts should we integrate into discourse and action?
Contexts & Practicability
- What sustainable development learnings have been derived from the current pandemic?
- How to progress from sustainability strategizing to implementation and transformation?
Involvement & Influence
- How to design the process towards and outline the future sustainability agendas?
- How to involve marginalized groups’ and young adults’ voices and interests?
The discussion was structured around four parallel breakout sessions, each guided by specific lenses. The questions provided served as food for thought, though additional questions emerged and were brought to the table. Every participant prepared a five-minute statement, response, or commentary for their respective session. These statements formed the foundational structure for the open space discussions, helping to jointly assess the status quo of sustainability policy and science within the Bonn discourse.
Participation:
Participation on invitation.
This workshop was organized by the Bonn Alliance for Sustainability Research with the United Nations University, Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS)