4. What are the author’s primary “elements of sustainability”? Is this an adequate/acceptable list?
The primary elements of sustainability, according to Kerenyi & McIntosh (2020) are gaining a deeper understanding of the term development, discussing the disturbance in the operation of the global society with the aim of avoiding said disturbances, and studying the effects and consequences of human activity on the natural environment. While the list is not exhaustive, it is adequate because it is holistic. For instance, the author’s view of development is not one dimensional but a construct to be described using both the quantity parameter of complexity and quality parameters reducing inequalities like poverty, providing ecosystem services, and environmentally friendly energy production to minimize the effects of human activity on the environment.
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5. Should agreements like the Kyoto protocol/Paris accords made by the UN be mandatory for countries to implement? If so, how can this be achieved?
Kyoto/Paris accords should be made mandatory by ensuring all countries ratify the accords. The nature of this problem is explained by the tragedy of the commons, where sustainable consumption of natural resources and preservation of the natural environment is something all countries should do. If there is no unanimity in the ratification of the accords, there is no way to achieve the goals. Unanimity can be achieved by rewarding countries that ratify the agreements and make contributions towards their goals while punishing those that do not comply. Note, however, that this solution is necessarily not the optimal solution as established solutions like privatization regularization do not apply at international scales where there is not external centralized authority to enforce compliance and punish violations.
6. Can the SDG’s be a useful framework for sustainability? Why/why not?
Yes, SDGs are a useful framework for sustainability for the following reasons. First, like scientific paradigms, SDGs are a framework to understand and research different aspects of sustainability. Furthermore, they allow the allow researchers to ask the right questions, design the right experiments, and interpret the results. Secondly, SDGs create standards that all stakeholders have to follow. Such unity of direction is important as it allows for the wide adoption of solutions to common and non-trivial problems. Lastly, SDGs allow for qualitative and quantitative tracking and performance evaluation of efforts set to achieve the specific SDG. Furthermore, through tracking, it can be known whether an SDG has been achieved.
References
Kerényi, A., & McIntosh, R. W. (2020). Sustainable Development in Changing Complex Earth Systems . Springer.
