The extremely difficult path to sustainability

John Rueter
2006.03.23

1. Individual descriptions of sustainability

There are multiple views that help us understand sustainability. I will just describe three views that are commonly used in environmental science and economics. First, we often describe the locus of real sustainability as the intersection between ecological, economic and social factors. Second, the strong view of sustainability is that natural capital is a privileged form of capital. Third, we can see how we are doing by using "triple bottom line" accounting. Although all of these views, and others, help us illuminate the connections between the different aspects of the total system.

2. Complex vision

The complex vision states that sustainability will be an emergent state that arises from the interaction between multiple factors. This vision of sustainability can only be understood by studying these interactions

In addition to the emergent complexity it may be that the only way to reach the the sustainable state is to adapt from previously complex and nearly sustainable conditions. Alexander (Book 2) claims that the only way to develop the required amount of complexity to regulate a complex system is for it to unfold from within. This is similar to Ashby's Law of Requisite Complexity, where he claims that a regulatory system has to have a similar level of complexity as the system being regulated.

In short, the "extremely difficult path to sustainability" requires that we will have to grow embedded control systems from within. This means that we will have to establish economic, social and ecological systems that are regulated from within and are almost sustainable and then fill in from there. The "extremely difficult path" scenario doesn't allow any short cuts by wise, lucky or smart governments. We can only work our way through this, not think our way out of a problem.

3. The path down

Another twist to the "extremely difficult path" is that this will probably happen while the simple economic base is shrinking. Odum and Odum (****) describe this as looking for a "prosperous way down". The resiliency folks describe the omega and alpha phases of a cycle, where resources are released and then organized to be able to be exploited in another turn of the cycle.

Combining the complex vision, the "extremely difficult path" and the path down might seem rather pessimistic. These negative aspects surround an extremely positive kernel at the core. It is not an option to depend on government to solve the problem.