Introduction to Sustainability and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction to Sustainability and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

1. Introduction to Sustainability Damian Gordon

2. Contents What is Sustainability? Definitions of Sustainability History of Sustainability Models of Sustainability Three Types of Sustainability UN Sustainable Development Goals The LASERS Model

3. Sustainability

4. Sustainability The word “Sustainable” is unsustainable: Engelman, R. (2013). “Beyond Sustainababble ”. State of the world 2013: Is sustainability still possible? , 3-16.

5. Sustainability There is a lot of debate about what the term “ Sustainability ” means, and it means different things to different people, so we’ll look at some words associated with sustainability.

6. Sustainability

7. Sustainability

8. Sustainability So what is sustainability?

9. Sustainability In 1987 Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland defined sustainability as developments that “ meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. ”

10. Sustainability In 1992 researcher William McDonough and Michael Braungart presented the Hannover Principles, including a definition of sustainability as: “ Sustainability is the conception and realization of ecologically, economically, and ethically sensitive as well as responsible expression as a part of the evolving matrix of nature ”

11. Sustainability In 1999 researchers Philip Berke and Maria Manta Conroy said “ Sustainable development is defined as a dynamic process connecting local and global concerns, as well as linking local social, economic, and ecological issues, to cater to the current and future generations’ needs fairly ”

12. Sustainability Why is sustainability important?

13. Sustainability Why is sustainability important? For me, it’s because 1,300,000,000 tonnes of food is wasted every year

14. Sustainability We need to do better !!!

15. Sustainability We need to do better !!! And with computers, we can !!!

16. Sustainability Other key statistics:

17. Sustainability ACTIVITY In groups of 3-5 people Each team must choose a name related to sustainability (e.g., Team Green, Team Solar, Team Zero Waste). Pick one of the following scenarios, and suggest three (3) ways to address it:

18. Sustainability ACTIVITY "Your community has a low recycling rate. Design a plan to increase public participation in the recycling program, focusing on convenience and education.“ "A restaurant is throwing away large amounts of food at the end of each day. How could they reduce food waste and make their operations more sustainable?“ "Your company is looking to improve its sustainability performance. What three policies could you implement to reduce its environmental footprint and promote social responsibility?“ "A local café wants to minimize its plastic waste. What three actions could they take to reduce single-use plastic items?"

19. History of Sustainability

20. Timeline of Sustainability 1790s “Bonny Portmore” 1760-1840 British Industrial Revolution 1830-1860 American Great Poets of Na ture 1912 First Climate Warning Article 1970 First “Earth Day” in USA

21. “ Bonny Portmore ” (1790s)

22. Sustainability "Bonny Portmore" is an Irish traditional folk song which laments the demise of Ireland's old oak forests, specifically the Great Oak of Portmore . “O bonny Portmore, I am sorry to see Such a woeful destruction of your ornament tree”

23. Sustainability O bonny Portmore, you shine where you stand And the more I think on you the more I think long If I had you now as I had once before All the lords in Old England would not purchase Portmore. O bonny Portmore, I am sorry to see Such a woeful destruction of your ornament tree For it stood on your shore for many's the long day Till the long boats from Antrim came to float it away. All the birds in the forest they bitterly weep Saying, "Where shall we shelter or where shall we sleep?" For the Oak and the Ash, they are all cutten down And the walls of bonny Portmore are all down to the ground. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3YqCu2Y_dM

24. Industrial Revolution (1760-1840)

25. Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) Walt Whitman (1819-1892) Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) Great American Poets of Nature

26. 1912

27. 1934, 1936, and 1939–1940 Dust Bowl The Dust Bowl was the result of a period of severe dust storms that greatly damaged the ecology and agriculture of the American and Canadian prairies during the 1930s. The phenomenon was caused by a combination of natural factors (severe drought) and human-made factors

28. 1934, 1936, and 1939–1940 Dust Bowl https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqiblXFlZuk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w60SGPAnAQ

29. 1962 1972 1968 Some Key Sustainability books:

30. 19 70

31. Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning network, founded in Canada in 1971 to " ensure the ability of the Earth to nurture life in all its diversity “ and focuses its campaigning on worldwide issues such as climate change, deforestation, overfishing, commercial whaling, genetic engineering, anti-war and anti-nuclear issues. It uses direct action, advocacy, research, and ecotage to achieve its goals. 1971

32. 2015 "A shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future"

33. Rachel Carson Herman Daly Donella Meadows Elinor Ostrom E. F. Schumacher John Elkington Some Famous Sustainability Researchers

34. Models of Sustainability

35. Three Pillars of Sustainability

36. Sustainability T he most common model of sustainability is a three-pillar model: Environment Social Economic But the origins of this model are elusive.

37. Three Pillars of Sustainability This could include recycling, reusing materials when possible, going paperless, investing in higher-efficiency appliances etc. Long-term economic growth protects the environmental, social, and cultural elements of the community Creating a positive work environment where people are treated fairly, and can express themselves. Also working with the community. Environment Economic Social

38. UN Sustainable Development Goals

39. Sustainability The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations members in 2015, created 17 world Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The aim of these global goals is "peace and prosperity for people and the planet" – while tackling climate change and working to preserve oceans and forests.

40. Sustainability The SDGs highlight the connections between the environmental, social and economic aspects of sustainable development. Sustainability is at the center of the SDGs, as the term sustainable development implies.

41. UN Sustainable Development Goals Website: https://sdgs.un.org/goals Let’s look at each goal, one at a time, and spend a few minutes thinking about how computers can help support each goal…

42. UN Sustainable Development Goals 1. No Poverty : End poverty in all its forms everywhere.

43. UN Sustainable Development Goals 2. Zero Hunger : End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.

44. UN Sustainable Development Goals 3. Good Health and Well-being: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

45. UN Sustainable Development Goals 4. Quality Education: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

46. UN Sustainable Development Goals 5. Gender Equality: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

47. UN Sustainable Development Goals 6. Clean Water and Sanitation: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

48. UN Sustainable Development Goals 7. Affordable and Clean Energy: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.

49. UN Sustainable Development Goals 8. Decent Work and Economic Growth: Promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.

50. UN Sustainable Development Goals 9. Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation.

51. UN Sustainable Development Goals 10. Reduced Inequality: Reduce inequality within and among countries.

52. UN Sustainable Development Goals 11. Sustainable Cities and Communities: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

53. UN Sustainable Development Goals 12. Responsible Consumption and Production: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

54. UN Sustainable Development Goals 13. Climate Action: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

55. UN Sustainable Development Goals 14. Life Below Water: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.

56. UN Sustainable Development Goals 15. Life on Land: Protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.

57. UN Sustainable Development Goals 16. Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.

58. UN Sustainable Development Goals 17. Partnerships for the Goals: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.

59. The LASERS Model

60. UN Sustainable Development Goals The LASERS model was developed by Damian Gordon, TU Dublin, and was first published in the following venue: Gordon, D. (2024), “The Lasers Model: Developing a Comprehensive Framework for Modelling "Tech for Good"”, 17th Annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation (ICERI) , Seville, Spain, 11th-13th of November 2024.

61. The LASERS Model Legal refers to adherence to regulatory requirements, ensuring compliance with industry standards and laws such as GDPR and the EU AI Act. All Laws, Acts, Statutes, Regulations and Rights. Legal

62. Accessible The LASERS Model Accessible emphasizes the need for inclusivity, ensuring software is usable by people of all abilities, including those with disabilities. All Usability, Inclusiveness, and Universal Design.

63. Sustainable The LASERS Model Sustainable focuses on minimizing environmental impact, as well as exploring the financial and governance issues associated with sustainability. All Social, Environmental and Governance.

64. Ethical The LASERS Model Ethical underscores fairness, transparency, and respect for user privacy and autonomy, avoiding manipulation or exploitation. All Fairness, Accountability, Responsibility, and Respect.

65. Reliable The LASERS Model Reliable ensures the system functions correctly under various conditions, maintaining stability, availability, and performance over time. All Availability, Scalability, Efficiency, and Maintainability.

66. Secure The LASERS Model Secure highlights the importance of safeguarding data and preventing unauthorized access, breaches, or malicious attacks. All Validation, Encryption, Auditing, and Privacy.

67. “ The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it. ” —Robert Swan