Linking Methodologies to Theories in Sustainability Science

Lennart Olsson & Barry NessLUCSUS – Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies, Sweden

www.lucsus.lu.se

Hunger and malnutrition

Poverty and inequality

Violation of human rights

Lack of health services

Epidemic diseases

Corruption

Illiteracy Clim

ate

chan

ge

Def

ores

tatio

n

Dep

letio

n of

fish

sto

cks

Land

deg

rada

tion

Wat

er s

carc

ity

Bio

dive

rsity

loss

World View

From science to society

Scientific understanding

Goals

Strategies

Implementation

By accidentDeliberately

What is Sustainability Science?

A science that explores two voids:• between natural and social science• between science and the workings of society

A science that studies and contributes to sustainability transitions.

A science that seeks new solutions to wicked problems.

A science that seeks syntheses rather than specialisations.

The dominating belief underpinning science:

the piecemeal study of the real world.

biology

history

fluid mechanics

physical geography

chemistry

ethnology

philosophy

sociology

literature

pedagogics

epidemiology

law

theology

limnologylinguistics

business law

economic history

micro biology

orthopedics

economicshuman ecology

archeologyquarternary geology

political science

psychology

arts

nuclear physics

atomic physics

sociology of law

social anthropology

statistics

mathematics

electronicswater resources eng.

genetics

chemical engineering

business adm.

psychiatry

radiophysics

environmental engineering

informatics media and communication

geophysics

nutrition

social works gender studiessocial geography

economic geography

ecology

public health

innovation studies

Natural science doesn’t question its ontologySocial science constantly questions its ontology

Example 1.

Water is a bio-physical entity (H2O) that can exist in three forms – solid, liquid, and gas. It can be studied objectively.

Water-flows in nature are driven by gravity and thermodynamics.

Water is an economic good.

Water is primarily a source of conflict

Water is primarily a source of co-operation

Water-flows in society are driven by power relationships

Natural science doesn’t question its ontologySocial science constantly questions its ontology

Example 2.

Carbon is a bio-physical entity. In the form of CO2, it contributes to global warming. The cycling of CO2 can be studied by quantitative and objective methods

The cycling of carbon is embedded in almost all human activities. This cycling is determined by economic, political and social drivers.

Fig. 5. Global C cycle showing fossil C stock, CO2 emissions, and fate of CO2 in the 1990s. Carbon stocks are in units of Pg C; annualflows and changes in atmospheric CO2 are in PgC per year. Net annual absorption by terrestrial and ocean sinks is only roughly known(House et al., 2003; Houghton, 2003); values shown are from IPCC (2001a). Other sources include: IPCC (2000), Sundquist (1993) andRogner (2000). Janzen H.H.: 2005: Carbon cycling in earth systems—a soil science perspective. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment

Sustainability assessment

Indicators/indices

Product related assessments

Integrated assessment

Non-Integrated

Environmental Pressure Indicators

Regional flow assessments

Integrated

UNCSD 58

Input-Output Energy Analysis

Regional Emergy Analysis

Regional Exergy Analysis

Economy-wide Material Flow Analysis

Sustainable National Income

Genuine Progress Indicator and ISEW

Adjusted Net Savings (Genuine Savings)

Ecological Footprint

Wellbeing Index

Environmental Sustainability Index

Human Development Index

Conceptual Modelling

System Dynamics

Multi-Criteria Analysis

Risk Analysis

Uncertainty Analysis

Vulnerability Analysis

Cost Benefit Analysis

Impact assessment

Environmental Impact Assessment

Strategic Environmental Assessment

EU Sustainability Impact Assessment

Life Cycle Assessment

Product material flow analysis

Material Intensity Analysis

Substance Flow Analysis

Product energy analysis

Process Energy Analysis

Emergy Analysis

Exergy Analysis

Life cycle costing

Full Life Cycle Accounting

Life Cycle Cost Assessment

Assessment focus

ForecastingRetrospective

Ness, B., Urbel-Piirsalu, E., Anderberg, S., Olsson, L., 2007: Categorising tools for sustainability assessment. Ecological Economics. Vol 60, pp 498-508

www.lucsus.lu.se

Sustainability science needs to bridge these scientific gaps!

• Within universities

• Between universities

• Across world regions

… and contribute to social change towards sustainability transitions!