Abstract
The concept of sustainable development does not articulate what needs to be sustained, developed, or how, and is consequently intersubjective and intercultural. I therefore argue that it is essential to consider different worldviews when discussing sustainable development, and I offer broad, provisional suggestions as to how we can begin doing this. I first discuss how the notion of sustainable development at its heart is an attempt to unite conservation with growth. I then consider how different worldviews relate to this unitary ideal, by articulating how they envision “development” and “quality of life”. I do this by drawing on the Integrative Worldview Framework, which distinguishes between multiple, ideal-typical worldviews. However, I argue that more important than any typology of worldviews is the reflexive attitude a worldview-perspective supports. I conclude with implications for more reflexive and inclusive forms of policy-making, also in light of the to-be-formulated Sustainable Development Goals.
Highlights
One of the most important outcomes of the United Nations (UN) Conference on SustainableDevelopment in June 2012 (Rio+20) was the launch of a process to formulate SustainableDevelopment Goals (SDG’s)
I do this by drawing on the Integrative Worldview Framework, which is based on original empirical research [12,21,22], in combination with insights from multiple academic fields, including sociology, and developmental and environmental psychology, summarized in [23,24]
I conclude with offering recommendations as how insights into worldviews can be used for more reflexive and inclusive forms of policy-making and communication in the field of sustainable development, including the formulation of the Sustainable Development Goals
Summary
One of the most important outcomes of the United Nations (UN) Conference on Sustainable. While for certain groups the further industrialization of agriculture, often supported by genetic modification of crops, is the best solution to sustainably feed our growing world population, for others this pathway is itself a serious threat to the environment [4] These latter groups tend to champion agro-ecological farming methods instead, thereby offering a substantially different—maybe even diametrically opposed—vision on the future of agriculture [5]. We see similar conflicts around climate change, the use of biomass as a sustainable form of energy-production, the emergence of a bio-based economy, issues of biodiversity and endangered species, forest management, and air and water pollution [6,7] Such polarized views on how sustainable development is achieved, and essentially on what its meaning is, may be one of the biggest barriers to designing and supporting potential pathways to more sustainable societies. I conclude with offering recommendations as how insights into worldviews can be used for more reflexive and inclusive forms of policy-making and communication in the field of sustainable development, including the formulation of the Sustainable Development Goals
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