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An interesting point was made about the ability of governments to reach net zero, and whether this would be better sought via authoritarian regimes, as issues of sustainability and climate change get caught up in partisan movements/party politics, and fail to achieve their aims due the interruptions of election cycles.

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Do these ill-fitting definitions/discourses just make it difficult to discuss sustainability? Or do these ill-fitting discourses reflect a wider issue in sustainability practices, whereby structures of sustainability are copied and pasted form Western thinktanks to the countries deemed necessary for intervention.

Eloise

Response to Eloise:
I agree to how these ill-fitting discourses bring about the realistic array of problems that we have yet to dissolve in terms of sustainability, and I think that the Western lexicon to define this term has allowed for this growth of issues and problems over time as we see their primary focus lies in terms of monetary gains.
Enakshi (685915)

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Which meaning of sustainability do we want? “A capacity maintained over time?” Or “a sense of being reasonable?”It seems that sustainability is everywhere, yet nowhere. We must consider that “our times remain neither singular nor evenly shared” therefore we must not enforce “a singular, causal system.”

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Which meaning of sustainability do we want? “A capacity maintained over time?” Or “a sense of being reasonable?”It seems that sustainability is everywhere, yet nowhere. We must consider that “our times remain neither singular nor evenly shared” therefore we must not enforce “a singular, causal system.”

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675638

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Gard’s article reflects on the 23rd Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention of Climate Change in Bonn (2017) where the reduction of carbon emissions was addressed. Gard notes that usually discussed are transport, heat and new construction whereas ‘embodied carbon over the lifecycle of buildings and urban centres are ignored’. The year before Gard had worked on Fiji, a pacific island (and threatened by rising sea levels) that suffered from severe destruction during a superstorm. He notes that through the storm Winston, he was able to observe the anthropogenic climate change himself first hand. Although Germany is known as a country with a green reputation, it still relies on coal to meet its electricity demands. Gard wants this to change. In the need for community, he calls for people power, that “people take ownership of the fight against climate change” and urges everyone to “true innovation, with daring and ambitious reduction plans”. ________Here as in Madldondo’s paper we need to consider what is reasonable versus time pressure and long term thinking. 

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Gard’s article reflects on the 23rd Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention of Climate Change in Bonn (2017) where the reduction of carbon emissions was addressed. Gard notes that usually discussed are transport, heat and new construction whereas ‘embodied carbon over the lifecycle of buildings and urban centres are ignored’. The year before Gard had worked on Fiji, a pacific island (and threatened by rising sea levels) that suffered from severe destruction during a superstorm. He notes that through the storm Winston, he was able to observe the anthropogenic climate change himself first hand. Although Germany is known as a country with a green reputation, it still relies on coal to meet its electricity demands. Gard wants this to change. In the need for community, he calls for people power, that “people take ownership of the fight against climate change” and urges everyone to “true innovation, with daring and ambitious reduction plans”. ________Here as in Madldondo’s paper we need to consider what is reasonable versus time pressure and long term thinking. 

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675638

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"The challenge of sustainability demands much more than the protection or preservation of communities or nature reserves, and more than technical fixes for CO2 production or resource limitations: it requires re-imagining and reworking communities, societies and landscapes, especially those dominated by industrial capitalism, to help us build a productive symbiosis with each other and the many nonhumans on whom we depend."

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"The challenge of sustainability demands much more than the protection or preservation of communities or nature reserves, and more than technical fixes for CO2 production or resource limitations: it requires re-imagining and reworking communities, societies and landscapes, especially those dominated by industrial capitalism, to help us build a productive symbiosis with each other and the many nonhumans on whom we depend."

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675638

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Mark speaks a lot about the subjective nature of 'value'. I found it particularly fascinating that "when people are engaged in an activity that they see as intrinsically valuable, offering them money weakens their motivation." If, as Mark's lecture suggests, perceived 'intrinsic value' motivates humans to invest time, effort and resources into interpersonal activities, then it seems that the concept  of 'intrinsic value' is of considerable anthropological application. But this raises the question: how can we (as anthropologists) go about measuring something that is, by it's nature, so intangible? - Sara (634725)

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I was struck by the parallels between the progressive building (structural/development/resources), in capitalist terms, that is detrimental to our planet; and the ‘building’ required to resolve it, which as Brightman and Lewis propose: ‘The process of facilitating conditions for change by building and supporting diversity…’. Building is the key word here, and it is a word that feels like it is in our bones as humans or ‘niche constructors’.  Clare W

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I was struck by the parallels between the progressive building (structural/development/resources), in capitalist terms, that is detrimental to our planet; and the ‘building’ required to resolve it, which as Brightman and Lewis propose: ‘The process of facilitating conditions for change by building and supporting diversity…’. Building is the key word here, and it is a word that feels like it is in our bones as humans or ‘niche constructors’.  Clare W

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I found Mark's discussion of the embodiment of social capital and market functioning really interesting. Is the expansion of the market changing the underlying social contracts on which it has been based? Could the emphasis on individual over community imperil the markets effectiveness of determining value, but also ultimately society's values?
Lyla 675582

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Sustainability is an umbrella term lacking nuance and specificity in many contexts. It has utility in generating some backdrop of understanding, but its use and application has to be context specific. I appreciated the discussion of the lexicon of sustainability in this article, how words are powerful yet fluid and how we must engaged with the stratifications.
Lyla 675582

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In reading this reflection, I found myself reflecting on the most recent COP 25 and America's refusal to participate and withdrawal from the Paris Accords. COP 25 in 2019 yielded no new climate pledges and instead were hung up on nuances of carbon market mechanisms and other issues. I think the framing of Gard's article would be much different in the current political climate.
Lyla 675582

Response by Priyanka

Lyla, your point seems quite valid. Despite the recognition of the importance of 'sustainable-living', at the top-level, political forces and discord seem to still take precedence in priority. Coming from a 'developing-country' it often feels like despite the acknowledgement and push towards green living, at the political level there is a lot of pressure to industrialise and become a developed nation which often becomes a barrier to sustainable living.

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Response to: "Which meaning of sustainability do we want?"

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Response to: "Which meaning of sustainability do we want?"

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I feel that, ideally, 'sustainability' practices encompass both sostenible and sustentable. The former (activities which can be maintained over time) are only achievable when the stakeholder feel they have the latter (a sense of being reasonable). This reading shows how, even within one community, needs and motivations vary widely. Therefore, for 'sustainable sustainability', stakeholder buy-in MUST be secured through consultation that recognises diversity on both a community and individual level. - Sara (684725)

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Indigenous ontologies and natural science

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Indigenous ontologies and natural science

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The “Deep Ecology” approach or the “multispecies assemblages” that Anna Tsing discusses are an interesting meeting point of indigenous animist ontologies and of natural science. Both draw attention to the interconnectedness and interdependence of humans and nonhumans. I think it is important to note how much the two have in common, because too often people seem to perceive indigenous knowledge and worldviews are somehow antithetical to modern science, rooted in tradition or myths and religion. (Edda 667994)

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I agree with this, and I think anthropologists are well-suited to study and critique the different meanings and purposes of the term. The way the term is discussed also reminds me of Laclau's concept of a 'floating signifier': something that only gains meaning in the context of specific discourses and signifying systems. (Edda 667994)

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It is fascinating for me to pursue  'a liveable earth' as subject of sustainability. I would like to explore what is other species for us? raw materials? resources? part of social live? or equal position of species? But how could we ontologically and methodologically access that.

Bo Yang

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Sustainability - Emergency Delivery of Goods

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Sustainability - Emergency Delivery of Goods

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I am struck by the strongly divergent understandings of sustainability; here it is a sort of clumsily arranged delivery of goods and nutrients;   packaged in a sensationalised language of “The future is at stake” and “Your children need nutrients today, so that they can have a better tomorrow”. It seems the stresses of neoliberal change and transformation are induced everywhere; imposing help that seems ill-fitted at best

634707

Respond by Bo Yang

Yes, sustainability is really depending on the contingency of power relationships, discource with values, environments with resources. The sustainable of one group, might be unsustainable for another one.

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Looking at financial and societal values, is it the fault of us as individuals or is it the market? Do we acknowledge based on monetary value? Or do we value civic virtues and meaningful connection? And if we do acknowledge the latter, why is it not reflected in better salaries of people who nurture society, such as care workers, or early childhood education? How can we justify this dissonance? Do we need a much more interventionist government?  675638

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Looking at financial and societal values, is it the fault of us as individuals or is it the market? Do we acknowledge based on monetary value? Or do we value civic virtues and meaningful connection? And if we do acknowledge the latter, why is it not reflected in better salaries of people who nurture society, such as care workers, or early childhood education? How can we justify this dissonance? Do we need a much more interventionist government?  675638

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"How do we create an economy that is at once profitable AND CIVILISED." 675638

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"How do we create an economy that is at once profitable AND CIVILISED." 675638

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in response to Antony Gormley’s question: is there another system other than a liberal capital free economy that would actually re-balance the relationship between broad human purpose and profit?Carney answers that we have to -> overcome the sense of self for a sense of responsibility for the system.Carney notes the we have to acknowledge and nurture a dialogue to understand societal values (for example climate) so that we can then organise the market in pursuit of that. _____But I wonder, how are we going to do that if greed is intrinsic to the human condition? What determines that we make use of that agency for the good of society at large?  675638

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in response to Antony Gormley’s question: is there another system other than a liberal capital free economy that would actually re-balance the relationship between broad human purpose and profit?Carney answers that we have to -> overcome the sense of self for a sense of responsibility for the system.Carney notes the we have to acknowledge and nurture a dialogue to understand societal values (for example climate) so that we can then organise the market in pursuit of that. _____But I wonder, how are we going to do that if greed is intrinsic to the human condition? What determines that we make use of that agency for the good of society at large?  675638

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So many of the 'experts' response to the biggest challenges and threats to our world propose the overcoming of ego/self/individual, and although I whole heartedly agree and dream of such a shift, I just don't see how we can re-set the minds that make up our capitalist world. It feels an impossible task, but I never give up hope.
Clare W

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Contemplating further on governments' ability to reach Net 0. Reaching Net 0 is, in fact,  incredibly ambitious given that states, nations and people have such a normalised relationship with indebted-ness or being indebted. Given that Net 0 - say for instance in states' monetary indebtedness - seems like a desirable (but utopian) goal to achieve, this outspoken governmental commitment is remarkable and...confusing.

634707

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Brightman and Lewis distinguish between sustainability and resilience. Sustainability is 'the process of facilitating conditions for change by building and supporting diversity – ontological, biological, economic and political diversity' (p 12). Resilience on the other hand is the 'belief that an ability to ‘bounce back’ after a shock, and return to whatever was the pre-crisis condition, is the best way of enduring into the future' (p 12). Surely this resilient approach is contingent on a lack of knowledge about how the pre-crisis conditions provoked the crisis, and how those pre-crisis conditions will continue to perpetuate the crisis going forward into the future. In the realm of climate change, it seems to me that there is a gap between understanding and knowledge. Generally speaking, we know about the existence of climate change, but have a inferior understanding of its causes or implications. Seeking to avoid this resilient approach, I think we could do worse than prioritizing education. However, such a programme of education should commit to education of the population as a whole, as opposed to younger generations. Focusing on educating the young shifts responsibility onto future generations and wrongly relieves us from our current duty to future generations.
Claudia

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Brightman and Lewis make a rallying call for anthropology’s challenge to “the ideology of progress and development that continues to prevail” (p.1). It is exciting to think that the discipline is just as important as the natural sciences in thinking about ‘sustainability’ strategies. “By giving such pride of place to human agency, geologists have unwittingly opened an anthropological breach into mainstream natural science” (p.6). However, if according to Ingold (2014), “rigorous” anthropological study requires long-term ethnography, are anthropologists going to be able to contribute the community perspectives that are so crucial to social justice approach on time...? Brigid 685345

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"The tension between the unity and diversity of humankind has always been a feature of anthropology. Today we think it has a special relevance." Connectivity and exclusion.
Tanita 685926

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Varied interpretations of the word sustainability itself

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Varied interpretations of the word sustainability itself

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Diversity within linguistic and cultural translation and interpretation of sustainability highlights the ambiguous nature of the word itself.
Tanita 685926

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Sustainability, just like development, is institutionalised and universalised in its strategies and approaches across the world. As the global discourse revolves around technical terminology like “climate change”, “zero net emissions” and “sustainable development”, one wonders exactly how and how much of this is translated to communities on the ground in ways that makes sense to them. Or perhaps the more important question should be, what pre-existing narratives and practices do local people already have, that can be bridged with the professional, policy level rhetoric thrown around by experts at climate change conferences in fancy hotels?
- Sheu Jeen

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What I found most relevant in Gard's article is where he highlights that at the top-policy-level while 'sustainability' and its 'necessity' is the dominant discourse of narration, it's translation into action by Government and companies is questionable. As he points out that "Yet Germany still relies on coal". Another interesting strategy he suggests is that rather than relying solely on top-down policy/intervention, lets invest and build "People-Power". "Empower people to take ownership of the fight" to truly build a sustainable age is his 'Call to Action'.

By-Priyanka Khatry

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These varying definitions of sustainability in this article portray the diverse set of complications that exist in this age and time, and the idea of capitalism using this term to instil its power to run this world. One thing that truly amazed me was how even though there are so many diverging meanings to this term, there haven't been any actions taken to abolish these problems, but instead bring about new and destructive issues to harm the world.
Enakshi
(685915)

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I found it incredibly interesting to analyse the anthropocene through the lens of tension, unity and diversity, not only between humans but between other species that also have interests in altering the environment. I often perceive any non-human alterations to the environment as “natural”, but through this discussion of tension I’ve begun to question  what is “natural”, how do we define the environment, how do we classify change, and who decides what a liveable earth is?

Response to Enakshi (maldondo)

I agree. I also think it’s interesting to expand and define capitalism in this context. we now exist in a world dominated by capitalism, one which was formed upon a base of early middle-aged Western European trading companies (like the Dutch and British East India companies). This type of economy was structured in a way that focused on international projects of importation and exportation, and rarely focused on localisation. In the context of this special form of western capitalism which has dominated the world through colonisation and globalisation, i would argue the word sustainability often just means how can we continue an international project rather than downsize and localise.

Jakob Lewis