Seven Dimensions of Sustainable Development

Center For Alternative Development Initiatives
[Promoting Sustainable Development Through Threefolding Including Threefolding Partnerships]

The following discussion on sustainable development is drawn from Philippine Agenda 21, the Philippine's official framework for sustainable development. This framework has been validated and re-affirmed through numerous consultations, conferences, dialogues and workshops throughout the Philippines.

From the Philippine perspective sustainable development is a multidimensional concept, involving no less than seven dimensions. Sustainable development is viewed as the mutually beneficial interaction between the legitimate interests of business and the economy, government and the polity, and civil society and culture. However, these societal interactions do not exist in a vacuum. On the physical and material side, society is bounded by the carrying capacity of the varied ecosystems, landscape ecology, and ultimately the biosphere of the earth, of Nature. On the psychological and spiritual side, the threefold functional differentiation of society is contextualized by the caring capacity of individuals.

From this perspective, five dimensions of sustainable development are clearly visible. These are—the human being, culture, polity, economy, and Nature. However, to this five, we need to consider society as a separate dimension. Society can be understood as the integrative result of interactions of the different activities in culture, polity, and the economy. The population issue, for example, is a development issue that can only be addressed from a societal perspective, not just from culture alone, or the economy alone, or polity alone.

One must not confuse the societal dimension with the individual dimension. Ontologically, in the physical world, only individuals exist as such. Society, in effect, is an idea. Society is a cognitive construct arising from an individual’s or several individual’s perception of the differing patterns of interactions among human beings. It is within this context that the whole debate between Western and Asian values, between rights versus community and responsibility, can be understood. It is also within this context that the harmonious integration between human and social development is to be achieved.

With society, we therefore have the six dimensions of sustainable development before us. But these six are not enough. We need to add a seventh that pervades all the other dimensions. This seventh is the dimension of Spirit. Unless we see and explicitly acknowledge the spiritual in nature, human beings, and society in our framework of development, we can never do justice to the strong sense of Philippine spirituality that permeates Philippine Agenda 21.

These seven dimensions of sustainable development are the keys to understand the structure and substance of PA21. The definition, vision, principles, and parameters of the Principles of Unity as well as the Action Agenda of PA21 are all basically drawn out from the key concerns of these seven dimensions of sustainable development.

• Philippine Agenda 21 (PA21) – Long-term development plan finalized in 1996 to fulfill the Philippine commitments to the 1992 Earth Summit. Endorsed as the country’s blueprint for sustainable development, the Principles of Unity of PA21 is also considered one of the most widely consulted documents ever produced in the Philippines.
• Principles of Unity – Consensus portion of Philippine Agenda 21 that presents a holistic assessment of the Philippine development condition, and provides a responsive framework for Sustainable Development in the Philippine context, including fifteen principles and numerous multidimensional parameters and strategies for achieving sustainable development.

Philippine IT and Telecom Firms are ‘Going Green’

By Alexander Villafania [June 16, 2010]

MAKATI CITY, METRO MANILA – Thanks to the Al Gore documentary An Inconvenient Truth and environmental groups like the World Wildlife Fund and Greenpeace, government agencies and private companies have begun implementing projects aimed at protecting the environment and mitigating human impact.

High tech companies are also jumping into the fray. Some companies have started by incorporating environment-friendly materials in their next line of products, such as Apple’s lead-free devices and Samsung’s energy-efficient home appliances. In some cases, they utilize alternative energy sources for their operations.

But it doesn’t stop there. These companies are also holding their own green projects that involve their employees as well as the community they belong to. They essentially want to give back to the community and to the environment. More than this, these companies know the long-term economic impact of a damaged or weakened ecology.

Besides, “green is in”, according to Philippine Green Building Council President Christopher Cruz de la Cruz.

Here are some of the list of these companies and a few of their own green corporate projects:

• Globe Telecom Goes Green – The company started implementing environment programs in 2005 with solid waste management and used lead acid battery disposal. Part of this is the Eco-Action project where the company will be planting 250,000 trees in the next five years.  

• Smart Communications Alternative Power for Cell Sites – In 2009, Smart Communications won the “Green Mobile Award” during the GSM Association Conference in Barcelona. Smart was among the pioneers of using alternative power for their cell sites. Forty-one sites are powered by wind energy while 27 are hybrid of wind and solar.

• Sony Road to Zero – The Japanese electronics giant has a long-term global project aimed at reducing their greenhouse gas emission in their manufacturing process in the next five years.

• Nokia Recycling Project – Nokia commands the biggest mobile phone markets in the Philippines so it is just obvious to note that Nokia would produce the most number of discarded mobile devices. Nokia Philippines implemented a recycling program by putting trash bins in several malls where people can discard their used electronic devices, even non-Nokia items.

• HP My Backyard – In 2009, HP Philippines tied with the Center of Excellence Public Elementary School in Tondo, Manila for its My Backyard project, which inculcates ecology safeguards among students. They also had celebrity singer Charice Pempengco sing their jingle.

• Intel Philippines – Prior to the departure of Intel’s manufacturing plant in the Philippines, the chip giant has had various CSR projects that dealt with the environment. They are among the companies with a long list of environment-related initiatives, which they integrated into the International Science and Engineering Fair.

• IBM Smart Planet – It’s not exactly a CSR project for the environment but what IBM does is to get clients to implement their own cost-effective, energy-efficient and high capacity IT infrastructure. The result in adapting the IBM Smart Planet would be lower energy utilization, and low carbon emission.

Having a CSR project helps a company get closer to its employees and with communities that are in need of help. But it becomes even nobler when the environment is put on top of all priorities. The smallest project dedicated to the environment can go a long way.

Environment For Development

Cooperative Efforts in Environmental Management in the Philippines

In the Philippines, the Kabang Kalikasan ng Pilipinas Foundation, Inc, a non-governmental organization geared toward the protection of the country’s fishery resources, has entered into a memorandum of agreement among the different government agencies, namely the Departments of Environment and Natural Resources, Agriculture, Interior and Local Governments, National Defense, Transportation and Justice. Its purpose is to consolidate efforts in order to efficiently manage the country’s marine resources as well as effectively implement and enforce law and regulations relative thereto.

Philippine Council for Sustainable Development

The Philippine Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) was created by Executive Order to monitor environment and sustainable initiatives in the country. It provides guidance in the form of policy reforms, programmes, and new legislation to address continuing and emergent issues. The PCSD includes government representatives as well as members of civil society. Through the Council, the Philippines undertook concrete steps toward sustainable development, for example by formulating the Philippine Agenda 21 as the State’s blueprint for sustainable development. The PCSD is mandated to oversee the implementation of the Philippine Agenda 21 by providing the coordinating and monitoring mechanisms for its implementation. It is also authorized to mobilize coordinating bodies, including regional and local councils for sustainable development, for this purpose. 

To effectively carry out its functions, the PCSD created committees and sub-committees with mandates to address specific concerns. The Director General of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) is the Chairperson of the PCSD, while the Secretary of the DENR is the Vice-Chairperson. The membership of the Council is composed of various governmental departments and civil society organizations. The four Committees created correspond to the four major areas of concern in the global Agenda 21, and they are: the Committee on the Social and Economic Dimension, the Committee on Strengthening the Role of Major Groups, the Committee on Means of Implementation, and the Committee on Conservation and Management of Resources for Development. 

For more information, contact pcsd@neda.gov.ph 

Philippine Blueprint For Sustainable Development

Agenda 21

Agenda 21, adopted at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, reflects a global consensus and political commitment at the highest level on development and environment cooperation. The Agenda deals with both the pressing problems of today and the need to prepare for the challenges of the next century.

It recognizes that sustainable development is primarily the responsibility of governments, and this will require national strategies, plans and policies. The efforts of nations need to be linked by international cooperation through such organizations as the United Nations. The broadest public participation and the active involvement of the non-governmental organizations and other groups should also be encouraged.

The objectives of Agenda 21 require substantial assistance for developing countries. They need this additional support to cover the incremental costs of actions to deal with global environmental problems, and to accelerate sustainable development. Money is also needed to allow international bodies to implement the recommendations of Agenda 21.

Philippine Agenda 21

Philippine Agenda 21 is the nation's blueprint for sustainable development. In concreting the vision, it describes a path for individuals, families, households and communities; an action plan for each ecosystem (coastal/marine, freshwater, upland, lowland, and urban); and across ecosystems in consideration of the interaction of the various life-scapes and landscapes found therein. The path is grounded on respect and active advocacy for the empowerment of the various social groupings of society to manage the economy, critical resources, society and culture, politics and governance and in the arena of foreign relations.

Philippine Agenda 21 advocates a fundamental shift in development thinking and approach. It departs from traditional conceptual frameworks that emphasize sector-based and macro concerns. Philippine Agenda 21 promotes harmony and achieves sustainability by emphasizing.  

• A scale of intervention that is primarily area-based. The national and global policy environment builds upon and supports area-based initiatives. 
• Integrated island development approaches where applicable. This recognizes the archipelagic character of the Philippines which includes many small island provinces. 
• People and integrity of nature at the center of development initiatives. This implies the strengthening of roles, relationships, and interactions between and among stakeholders in government, civil society, labor and business. Basic sectors have an important role to play in achieving equity and managing the ecosystems that sustain life.

PA 21 envisions a better quality of life for all Filipinos through the development of a just, moral and creative, spiritual, economically vibrant, caring, diverse yet cohesive society characterized by appropriate productivity, participatory and democratic processes, and living in harmony and within the limits of the carrying capacity of nature and the integrity of creation.

PA 21 was adopted on 26 September 1996, with the issuance of Memorandum Order No. 399 by then President Fidel V. Ramos which identified the roles of the Philippine Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) and each sector in the "operationalization" of PA 21. The action agenda is based on the imperatives of the current national situation and emerging landscape for sustainable development.

PA 21 is a dynamic document that will continue to evolve as new challenges and opportunities emerge, as the level of consensus continue to deepen in the Philippine society, as the Filipinos attempt to solidify the framework, as the government continue to refine the processes, and as the Filipinos strive to widen and enrich their understanding of each other to pave the way for new modes of collaboration.

Local Agenda 21

The PA 21 emphasizes the importance of localization as a strategy for its implementation. It defines localization as a process that involves the formulation of local sustainable development action agenda, and the establishment of local SD councils to implement the said agenda. PA 21 sees that localization will ensure that SD takes root in each region, province, city, and municipality.

On the 25th day of January 1999, Memorandum Order No. 47 was issued by the Office of the President to strengthen the operation and localization of PA 21 and to monitor its implementation.

A number of regions have already formulated their own Local Agenda 21, serving as the region's guide and springboard for the formulation by the local governments, regional line agencies, and all other entities of their respective Sustainable Development Agenda.

Business Agenda 21

In 1998, the Philippine Business for Environment (PBE) was commissioned to consolidate the various medium and long-term initiatives of industry associations into an integrated plan to be called Philippine Business Agenda 21. This was under the project of the Philippine government called Private Sector Participation in Managing the Environment (PRIME).

Business Agenda 21 or BA21 was completed and released in May 2000. It reflects the business sector’s response to Philippine Agenda 21 which provides the broad vision and implementing strategies and parameters for sustainable development in the country. BA21 is a consolidated plan specifically developed by the business sector consistent with and in support of Philippine Agenda 21.

Why We Need To Go Back To Mars

Joel Levine studies the atmospheres of Earth and Mars, looking at their origin, evolution, structure and chemistry and climate change. He's the principal investigator of the proposed ARES Mars Airplane Mission.

He is a senior research scientist in the Science Mission Directorate at NASA's Langley Research Center, and the principal investigator and chief scientist of the proposed ARES Mars Airplane Mission. ARES (Aerial Regional-scale Environmental Survey) is a robotic, rocket-powered Mars airplane designed to investigate the atmosphere, surface and sub-surface of Mars.

In his research, he studies the atmospheres of Earth and Mars, tracking their development and changes: How similar are they? What can Earth learn from Mars?

At TEDxNASA, planetary scientist Joel Levine shows some intriguing -- and puzzling -- new discoveries about Mars: craters full of ice, traces of ancient oceans, and compelling hints at the presence, sometime in the past, of life. He makes the case for going back to Mars to find out more.

Video Link: Need To Going Back To Mars

Philippine Oil Palm Industry Community Impact

This video was released 2007, but the growing concern of climate change and sustainable resources continuously bring environmental discussions. Plans towards renewable and alternative energies.

Al Jazeera's Marqa Ortigas in the Southern Philippines reports on how the palm oil industry has raised fear for local food supplies and sustainable practices.

Video Link: Philippine Oil Palm Cultivation Raises Food Concerns

Philippines Environment Monitor: Water Quality

Here is an educational video that illustrates our country's water quality at the same time gives relevant information to the nurture of one of the indispensable sources of life. An advocacy to care for the environment in general and act towards sustainable community living.

Poor water quality has large economic and quality of life costs, in terms of health impacts and foregone revenues. According to the Philippine government's monitoring data, just over 36 percent of the country's river systems are classified as sources of public water supply and that up to 58 percent of groundwater sampled is contaminated with coliform and needs treatment. Approximately 31 percent of illnesses monitored for a five-year period were also caused by water-borne sources, and many areas are experiencing a shortage of water supply, during the dry season [World bank, March 19, 2008].

Video Link: Philippine Water and Environmental Management

Highest-Paid MBA Alumni

An outlier topic - just want to share how big schools control the business world.

[Bloomberg Businessweek]

Harvard University

Median cash compensation for Harvard graduates

Less than two years' experience: $133,000 10 years' experience: $182,000 20 years' experience: $232,000 Career total: $3,867,903.

Notable alumni: James Dimon, chairman, president, and CEO, JPMorgan Chase Donna Dubinsky, co-founder, Palm; former president and CEO, Handspring John Paulson, founder and president, Paulson & Co. Meg Whitman, former president and CEO, eBay Gary Rodkin, president and CEO, ConAgra Foods.

Why students choose Harvard: "It's cliche to say that HBS is 'transformational,' so I won't say it. But the program did fundamentally alter the way I think about the world and my position in it. There is almost no part of me that it hasn't touched and affected for the better." - Consulting student.

University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)

Median cash compensation for Wharton graduates

Less than two years' experience: $137,000 10 years' experience: $161,000 20 years' experience: $203,000 Career total: $3,491,372.

Notable alumni: Lewis Platt, former chairman, president, and CEO, Hewlett-Packard Peter Lynch, vice-chairman, Fidelity James Tisch, president and CEO, Loews Peter Nicholas, founder, chairman, and former CEO, Boston Scientific David Pottruck, former president and CEO, Charles Schwab.

Why students choose Wharton: "Wharton has a well-rounded program that is particularly good for those interested in consulting. The school has a great reputation and is able to attract lots of companies to on-campus recruiting. The diversity and talents demonstrated by the student body are also unbeatable." - Consulting student.

Columbia University

Median cash compensation for Columbia graduates

Less than two years' experience: $119,000 10 years' experience: $165,000 20 years' experience: $194,000 Career total: $3,349,669.

Notable alumni: Cesareo Alierta Izuel, chairman and CEO, Telefonica Keith Sherin, vice-chairman and CFO, General Electric Jerome Chazen, founder, Liz Claiborne Henry Kravis, co-founder, co-chairman, and co-CEO, KKR Rochelle Lazarus, chairman and former CEO, Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide.

Why students choose Columbia: "Columbia is a fantastic finance school with opportunities to connect with and learn from 'heads of industry.' The adjunct faculty -- particularly in the asset management area -- is truly amazing." -Finance student.

Stanford University

Median cash compensation for Stanford graduates

Less than two years' experience: $123,000 10 years' experience: $149,000 20 years' experience: $206,000 Career total: $3,327,145.

Notable alumni: John Browne, former CEO, BP Stephen Ellis, worldwide managing director, Bain & Co. Richard Fairbank, co-founder, chairman, president, and CEO, Capital One Charles Schwab, founder and chairman, Charles Schwab Scott McNealy, co-founder, chairman, and former CEO, Sun Microsystems.

Why students choose Stanford: "The small class size and the non-grade disclosure student policy create a unique collaboration atmosphere in the school that permits you to maximize learning from your peers. Being in the middle of Silicon Valley also generates a unique opportunity for anyone interested in entrepreneurship." - Entrepreneurship student.

Dartmouth College (Tuck)

Median cash compensation for Tuck graduates

Less than two years' experience: $124,000 10 years' experience: $142,000 20 years' experience: $181,000 Career total: $3,146,031

Notable alumni: Peter Dolan, former CEO, Bristol-Myers Squibb Christopher Sinclair, former chairman and CEO, PepsiCo Kevin McGrath, former president and CEO, Digital Angel Roger McNamee, co-founder and managing director, Elevation Partners Don Wilson III, former chief risk officer, JPMorgan Chase.

Why students choose Tuck: "There is nothing like being at Tuck. The community is so strong, and you learn so much about business and about yourself in two years. I'm leaving with more confidence, more knowledge, and more connections than I ever expected to get from an MBA program." - Investment Banking student.

Click here to see the full list of Highest-Paid MBA Alumni

Environmental Policy and Technological Innovation

Technological change is undoubtedly one of the keys to ensuring that economic growth and environmental improvements co-exist. As such it is vitally important that environmental policies and policy instruments provide the right incentives for the development and diffusion of ‘environmental’ technologies.

As part of its work on decoupling environmental pressures from economic growth, the OECD’s Environment Directorate has launched a project on the effects of public policy on technological innovation with the aim of improving the design, implementation and evaluation of environmental policies. Drawing upon patent data, the links between public policy and technological change are being examined.

As a prerequisite for any such work, appropriate indicators need to be developed. This underlying developmental work includes:

• Development of the methodological basis for indicators of invention and transfer and the associated programming of extractions from PATSTAT.
• Development of patent search strategies for various areas of ‘environmental’ technologies.
  

In the analytical work, data on selected OECD countries is analyzed to study innovation effects of alternative policy instruments (such as emission or technology standards, investment incentives, taxes, tariffs, and tradable permits).

• More generally, recent work has analyzed the characteristics of environmental policy framework (stringency, predictability, flexibility) that may be amenable, or not, to induce innovation and technology transfer;
• Dedicated work in energy and climate change mitigation technologies has been undertaken, including a study on the determinants of inventive activity in renewables and a study on the determinants and consequences of international technology transfer.
  

Innovation in Climate Change Mitigation Technologies, Compared to All Sectors

OECD 2010. OECD Project on Environmental Policy and Technological Innovation.
Based on data extracted from the EPO Worldwide Patent Statistical Database (PATSTAT).
Transfer of wind power technologies from Annex I to non-Annex I countries: 1988-2007

OECD 2009. OECD Project on Environmental Policy and Technological Innovation.
Based on data extracted from the EPO Worldwide Patent Statistical Database (PATSTAT).

Assets and Access Poverty

Poverty is more than a lack of income. It is a deprivation of and lack of access to essential assets. These assets fall into the categories of human capital, physical capital, natural capital, financial capital, and social capital. The idea is to start thinking about poverty as deprivation of these essential assets, and to highlight the role poverty reduction role to be played by improving access.[adb.org]

Human Capital

Human capital is defined as the skill, knowledge, and good health that together allow people to work and earn a living. The two most important human capital investments are in education and health. Human capital expands the opportunities and choices people have, and this in turn can impact economic growth. The WHO (World Health Organization) Commission on Macroeconomics and Health confirms the link between human capital and macroeconomic performance. Empirical evidence bears out that countries with the weakest conditions of health and education have a much more difficult time achieving sustained growth than do countries with better conditions of health and education (WHO, 2001).

Physical Capital

Physical capital comprises the basic infrastructure and services that help to keep people out of poverty. Essential infrastructure and services include access to roads and affordable transportation, adequate shelter/housing, potable water supply and sanitation, affordable energy, and communications. The lack of these types of infrastructure is a core dimension of poverty. Without adequate access to services such as water and energy, health can deteriorate and people are forced to spend more time in nonproductive activities like collecting water and fuel wood. Without access to affordable transportation, the poor might opt to keep their children at home rather than send them to school. This in turn prevents human capital formation and perpetuates poverty.

Financial Capital

Financial capital denotes the financial resources that people are able to access. DFID (Department of International Development) defines two main sources of financial capital: available stocks (such as savings, or credit) and regular inflows (the most common types, aside from wage earnings, are pensions and other transfers from the state, and remittances) Financial capital is thought to be the most versatile of the five categories of assets, since it can be turned into other types of capital, but it is also the asset that tends to be least available to the poor (DFID, 1999). Increased access to financial capital for the poor can be supported in a number of ways.












Natural Capital

Natural capital comprises a variety of resources, from intangible public goods such as the atmosphere and biodiversity to divisible assets used directly for production. As explained by DFID (1999) the relationship between natural capital and vulnerability to poverty is particularly pronounced. Many of the shocks that devastate the livelihoods of the poor are processes that destroy natural capital, such as fires that destroy forests, or floods that destroy agricultural land. Natural capital is particularly significant to those who derive all or even part of their livelihoods from resource-based activities, like farming, fishing, and so on. But it is vital for everyone – health and therefore human capital are compromised in areas where air quality is poor.

Social Capital

Social capital comprises the social resources upon which people are able to draw. These social resources are developed through networks and connectedness, membership of groups and organizations, and relationships of trust, reciprocity, and exchanges that facilitate cooperation and can provide informal safety nets among the poor (DFID, 1999). Social capital is based on relationships. As Portes (1998) defines it: social capital stands for the ability of actors to secure benefits by virtue of membership in social networks or other social structures”. Portes clarifies the distinction between social and other forms of capital. “Whereas economic capital is in people’s bank accounts and human capital is inside their heads, social capital inheres in the structure of their relationships. To possess social capital, a person must be related to others, and it is these others, not himself, who are the actual source of his or her advantage.” Participation is a key ingredient of social capital.

Participation—involving people in decision-making on issues that directly affect them—builds social capital, and social capital stocks directly improve people’s welfare. This has been empirically demonstrated by Grootaert (2002) who studied social capital and poverty in Indonesia to conclude that membership of local associations correlates positively with household welfare. Main findings included that social capital reduces the probability of being poor and that the returns to household investment in social capital are higher for the poor than for the population as a whole. There is thus a high potential pay-off to the poor from participating actively in local associations and creating social capital.

Environmental Problems In The Philippines

WWF For A Living Planet

Saving Precious Remains

There are few signs today of the Philippines' once sprawling rain forests. With a growing trend in human population, it is hoped that the country's marine environment will not suffer the same fate.

Overfishing and Destructive Fishing

Fishers in the Philippines are increasingly coming home with pitiful catches. Of a number of factors which have led to this situation, one stands out: over-fishing in many areas. According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), there has been a drop of 90% in the quantity of marine organisms that can be trawled in some traditional fishing areas of the Philippines.

This isn’t just a question of declining fish stocks and biodiversity, but also of social impacts and economic losses. Mismanagement of fisheries resources is estimated to cost US$ 420 million annually in lost revenues.

At the root of the overfishing problem is weak fisheries management, ineffective policies and poor enforcement of fishery laws.

Coastal Infrastructure Development

Coastal zone development has been particularly damaging to the Philippines’ marine environment, especially to coral reefs, mangroves, and sea-grasses.

As populations have increased, so have their needs for construction materials and living space. Excavation, dredging, and coastal conversion to accommodate coastal development have seen corals being extracted for reclamation and construction, especially in coastal villages.

Mangroves have particularly suffered from coastal development, notably at the hands of the aquaculture industry. In the Philippines, aquaculture has reduced mangrove stands to only 36% of 1900 levels.

Deforestation

After decades of deforestation, which has left about 3% of the original cover, forests continue to be under threat from agriculture and urbanization, illegal logging and forest fires.

Sustained forest loss in the Philippines is causing severe soil erosion, and is threatening the country’s rich biodiversity. This is particularly worrying as many of the Philippines’ species, which depend on these forests, are endemic (they cannot be found anywhere else in the world). For example, of 180 native terrestrial mammal species here, about 61% are endemic.

Inconsistent laws, inadequate regulations, weak enforcement and lack of funding are making forest conservation a major challenge.

Pollution

Only about 10% of sewage in the Philippines is treated or disposed of in an environmentally sound manner. The rest goes back to nature – usually the sea.

In this context of poor waste treatment and high population growth, water pollution is a growing problem for the country’s groundwater, rivers, lakes, and coastal areas. Polluting industrial material is also found in abandoned mining areas, with mercury pollution affecting water bodies in these areas.

These problems are unfolding in a context of poor planning, and weak management and enforcement of regulations.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

William Kamkwamba, from Malawi, is a born inventor. When he was 14, he built an electricity-producing windmill from spare parts and scrap, working from rough plans he found in a library book called "Using Energy" and modifying them to fit his needs. The windmill he built powers four lights and two radios in his family home.

Now at 22, William Kamkwamba, who speaks at TED, here, for the second time, shares in his own words the moving tale of invention that changed his life. You can view the video of his inspiring life story and innovative invention.

http://www.ted.com/talks/william_kamkwamba_how_i_harnessed_the_wind.html

The Necessary Revolution

I have always been a follower of Peter Senge’s books since I learned about the concepts and possibilities of “learning organization” and “systems thinking”. These philosophies, from my own perspectives - are important disciplines and building blocks of corporate sustainability and innovations. It creates an environment of creativity and relentless human development in the business community. It is the primary principle of a revolutionary management philosophy. In his book The Fifth Discipline he proposes that a systems thinking method would help a corporation to become a learning organization. He suggested an integrated corporate framework, which is structured around "personal mastery," "mental models," "shared vision," and "team learning. He describes requisite disciplines, of which systems-thinking is the fifth.

In his new book “The Necessary Revolution: How Individuals and organizations are working together to create a Sustainable World”, he and his colleagues again proposes a timely hypothesis that introduces ways and shows experiences of organizations in contributing to the contemporary issues of global warming, climate change, and unbalance consumption of world resources. It complements his early opinions on sustainability and proposes some thesis on how we can contribute in our own ways to help a better world. These are concepts that are inter-related with the the triple-bottom line theories of economic growth, social development, and environmental sustainability. It is an indispensable reference and guide to corporations and concern individuals that wants to make a difference while towards the community and at the same time achieving its business goals and profit objectives.

Product Description of the book, “The Necessary Revolution” From Amazon.com

Imagine a world in which the excess energy from one business would be used to heat another. Where buildings need less and less energy around the world, and where “regenerative” commercial buildings – ones that create more energy than they use – are being designed. A world in which environmentally sound products and processes would be more cost-effective than wasteful ones. A world in which corporations such as Costco, Nike, BP, and countless others are forming partnerships with environmental and social justice organizations to ensure better stewardship of the earth and better livelihoods in the developing world. Now, stop imagining – that world is already emerging.

A revolution is underway in today’s organizations. As Peter Senge and his co-authors reveal in The Necessary Revolution, companies around the world are boldly leading the change from dead-end “business as usual” tactics to transformative strategies that are essential for creating a flourishing, sustainable world. There is a long way to go, but the era of denial has ended. Today’s most innovative leaders are recognizing that for the sake of our companies and our world, we must implement revolutionary—not just incremental—changes in the way we live and work.

Brimming with inspiring stories from individuals and organizations tackling social and environmental problems around the globe, The Necessary Revolution reveals how ordinary people at every level are transforming their businesses and communities. By working collaboratively across boundaries, they are exploring and putting into place unprecedented solutions that move beyond just being “less bad” to creating pathways that will enable us to flourish in an increasingly interdependent world. Among the stories in these pages are the evolution of Sweden’s “Green Zone,” Alcoa’s water use reduction goals, GE’s eco-imagination initiative, and Seventh Generation’s decision to shift some of their advertising to youth-led social change programs.

At its heart, The Necessary Revolution contains a wealth of strategies that individuals and organizations can use — specific tools and ways of thinking — to help us build the confidence and competence to respond effectively to the greatest challenge of our time. It is an essential guidebook for all of us who recognize the need to act and work together —now — to create a sustainable world, both for ourselves and for the generations to follow.

What is Green Technology

Strategy and Leadership for Clean and Sustainable Communities

The term "technology" refers to the application of knowledge for practical purposes.

The field of "green technology" encompasses a continuously evolving group of methods and materials, from techniques for generating energy to non-toxic cleaning products.

The present expectation is that this field will bring innovation and changes in daily life of similar magnitude to the "information technology" explosion over the last two decades. In these early stages, it is impossible to predict what "green technology" may eventually encompass.

The goals that inform developments in this rapidly growing field include:

Sustainability - meeting the needs of society in ways that can continue indefinitely into the future without damaging or depleting natural resources. In short, meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

"Cradle to cradle" design - ending the "cradle to grave" cycle of manufactured products, by creating products that can be fully reclaimed or re-used.

Source reduction - reducing waste and pollution by changing patterns of production and consumption.

Innovation - developing alternatives to technologies - whether fossil fuel or chemical intensive agriculture - that have been demonstrated to damage health and the environment.

Viability - creating a center of economic activity around technologies and products that benefit the environment, speeding their implementation and creating new careers that truly protect the planet.

Examples of green technology subject areas

• Energy - perhaps the most urgent issue for green technology, this includes the development of alternative fuels, new means of generating energy and energy efficiency.
• Green building - encompasses everything from the choice of building materials to where a building is located.
• Environmentally preferred purchasing - this government innovation involves the search for products whose contents and methods of production have the smallest possible impact on the environment, and mandates that these be the preferred products for government purchasing.
• Green chemistry - the invention, design and application of chemical products and processes to reduce or to eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances.
• Green nanotechnology - nanotechnology involves the manipulation of materials at the scale of the nanometer, one billionth of a meter. Some scientists believe that mastery of this subject is forthcoming that will transform the way that everything in the world is manufactured. "Green nanotechnology" is the application of green chemistry and green engineering principles to this field.
  

Criticism on Environmental Technology

Extreme radical environmentalism, exhibited in publications such as Green Anarchy, criticizes the concept of environmental technology. From this viewpoint, technology is seen as a system rather than a specific physical tool. Technology, accordingly, requires the exploitation of the environment through the creation and extraction of resources, and the exploitation of people through labor, specialization and the division of labor. Thus, no “neutral” form of technology; things are always created in a certain context with certain aims and functions. Green technology is rejected as an attempt to reform this exploitative system, merely changing it on the surface to make it seem environmentally friendly, despite continued unsustainable levels of human and natural exploitation [Source Wikipedia]

The statements above might be true to some extent but, the main thesis of using technology is to address the degrading environmental sustainability. I believe that with the proper processes and intentions environmental technologies will be an inherent weapon towards sustainable development.

What is Good Governance

United Nations ESCAP

Recently the terms "governance" and "good governance" are being increasingly used in development literature. Bad governance is being increasingly regarded as one of the root causes of all evil within our societies. Major donors and international financial institutions are increasingly basing their aid and loans on the condition that reforms that ensure "good governance" are undertaken.

GOVERNANCE

The concept of "governance" is not new. It is as old as human civilization. Simply put "governance" means: the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented (or not implemented). Governance can be used in several contexts such as corporate governance, international governance, national governance and local governance.

Since governance is the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented, an analysis of governance focuses on the formal and informal actors involved in decision-making and implementing the decisions made and the formal and informal structures that have been set in place to arrive at and implement the decision.

Government is one of the actors in governance. Other actors involved in governance vary depending on the level of government that is under discussion. In rural areas, for example, other actors may include influential land lords, associations of peasant farmers, cooperatives, NGOs, research institutes, religious leaders, finance institutions political parties, the military etc. The situation in urban areas is much more complex. Figure 1 provides the interconnections between actors involved in urban governance. At the national level, in addition to the above actors, media, lobbyists, international donors, multi-national corporations, etc. may play a role in decision-making or in influencing the decision-making process.

All actors other than government and the military are grouped together as part of the "civil society." In some countries in addition to the civil society, organized crime syndicates also influence decision-making, particularly in urban areas and at the national level.

Similarly formal government structures are one means by which decisions are arrived at and implemented. At the national level, informal decision-making structures, such as "kitchen cabinets" or informal advisors may exist. In urban areas, organized crime syndicates such as the "land Mafia" may influence decision-making. In some rural areas locally powerful families may make or influence decision-making. Such, informal decision-making is often the result of corrupt practices or leads to corrupt practices.

















Figure 1: Urban actors

GOOD GOVERNANCE

Good governance has 8 major characteristics. It is participatory, consensus oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive and follows the rule of law. It assures that corruption is minimized, the views of minorities are taken into account and that the voices of the most vulnerable in society are heard in decision-making. It is also responsive to the present and future needs of society.

Figure 2: Characteristics of good governance












Participation

Participation by both men and women is a key cornerstone of good governance. Participation could be either direct or through legitimate intermediate institutions or representatives. It is important to point out that representative democracy does not necessarily mean that the concerns of the most vulnerable in society would be taken into consideration in decision making. Participation needs to be informed and organized. This means freedom of association and expression on the one hand and an organized civil society on the other hand.

Rule of law

Good governance requires fair legal frameworks that are enforced impartially. It also requires full protection of human rights, particularly those of minorities. Impartial enforcement of laws requires an independent judiciary and an impartial and incorruptible police force.

Transparency

Transparency means that decisions taken and their enforcement are done in a manner that follows rules and regulations. It also means that information is freely available and directly accessible to those who will be affected by such decisions and their enforcement. It also means that enough information is provided and that it is provided in easily understandable forms and media.

Responsiveness

Good governance requires that institutions and processes try to serve all stakeholders within a reasonable time frame.

Consensus oriented

There are several actors and as many view points in a given society. Good governance requires mediation of the different interests in society to reach a broad consensus in society on what is in the best interest of the whole community and how this can be achieved. It also requires a broad and long-term perspective on what is needed for sustainable human development and how to achieve the goals of such development. This can only result from an understanding of the historical, cultural and social contexts of a given society or community.

Equity and inclusiveness

A society’s well being depends on ensuring that all its members feel that they have a stake in it and do not feel excluded from the mainstream of society. This requires all groups, but particularly the most vulnerable, have opportunities to improve or maintain their well being.

Effectiveness and efficiency

Good governance means that processes and institutions produce results that meet the needs of society while making the best use of resources at their disposal. The concept of efficiency in the context of good governance also covers the sustainable use of natural resources and the protection of the environment.

Accountability

Accountability is a key requirement of good governance. Not only governmental institutions but also the private sector and civil society organizations must be accountable to the public and to their institutional stakeholders. Who is accountable to whom varies depending on whether decisions or actions taken are internal or external to an organization or institution. In general an organization or an institution is accountable to those who will be affected by its decisions or actions. Accountability cannot be enforced without transparency and the rule of law.

CONCLUSION

From the above discussion it should be clear that good governance is an ideal which is difficult to achieve in its totality. Very few countries and societies have come close to achieving good governance in its totality. However, to ensure sustainable human development, actions must be taken to work towards this ideal with the aim of making it a reality.

High Five Hopes

In our own simple ways, we can make a difference in promoting sustainable community development and poverty alleviation. Realities reveal that our country's main issue is the deepening roots of poverty among poor families.

Most of the big companies are already doing their share to address these perennial problems. Philanthropic way of helping is important, but how can we give our own share if we don't have these resources? Are there other means to extend our help and make a step by step nurturing development?

I recently bumped into a program that is called "High Five Hopes: Bringing Hope Through Hoops", sponsored by "Olympic Village Group". This advocacy identifies the need of children on the basic needs such as food, shelter, and clothing. In addition, they are pursuing and promoting the importance or necessity of sports as one of the building blocks of giving hope. With these activities, the children are being transformed to have a strong character and build self confidence as part of their growth and development to be good and responsible citizens of our country.

High Five Hope

"High Five Hope is an effort to help more children experience greater self esteem, confidence, pride, leadership, teamwork and most importantly, happiness and hope through the power of sports. Every child deserves the opportunity to develop, to smile, and to have greater hope.[ Form http://www.highfivehope.org]

High Five Hope works with street children in the Philippines, specifically those with the greatest needs. It is estimated there are 85,000 street children in Metro Manila alone. High Five Hope uses multi-month basketball and volleyball programs to help both boys and girls living on the street from across Metro Manila."[From http://www.highfivehope.org]

It is their main thrust to bring a little more hope to children around the world through the magic of sports.

The Discipline of Innovation

by Peter F. Drucker

In business, innovation rarely springs from a flash of inspiration. It arises from a cold-eyed analysis of seven kinds of opportunities.

• Unexpected occurrences
• Incongruities
• Process Needs
• Industry and market changes
• Demographic changes
• Changes in perceptions
• New knowledge
  

Innovations require knowledge, ingenuity, and above all else, focus.

Energy, Development, and Security

Energy Issues in the Current Macroeconomic Context

by United Nations Industrial Development Organization

Introduction

• The development of a sustainable, long-term solution to meeting the world’s energy needs is a defining issue of our time. Energy is directly linked with the key global challenges that the world faces -- poverty alleviation, climate change, and global, environmental and food security.
• Current energy systems are failing to meet the needs of the world’s poor. Worldwide, 2.6 billion people rely on traditional biomass for cooking and 1.6 billion people – about a quarter of the human race - do not have access to electricity. The projected cumulative investment required between 2005 and 2030 to meet energy needs is almost US$20.1 trillion, but even if this investment is secured over the next thirty years, 1.4 billion people will still lack access to electricity in 2030 and 2.7 billion will still rely on traditional biomass for cooking and heating.
• Global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) will increase by some 50 percent between 2004 and 2030 unless major policy reforms and technologies are introduced to transform the way energy is produced and consumed. Coal has overtaken oil as the leading contributor to global CO2 emissions. Developing countries will account for three quarters of the increase in carbon dioxide emissions between 2004 and 2030 unless major transformative policies and technologies are introduced in the next few years.
• Per capita emissions in developing countries will remain small compared with those in developed countries. Yet, the share of developing country emissions is expected to rise from 39 percent in 2004 to over half of the total world emissions in 2030 unless mitigated by policies that promote more efficient production and use of energy, switching to cleaner fuels, more efficient transportation, and cleaner electricity supply. Many fast-growing developing countries will make their major energy-related investments in the next decade. There is a short window of opportunity to ensure that the energy infrastructure and industrial facilities are as energy efficient as possible.
  

Growing global vulnerability in a rapidly changing environment

• The global economy is currently caught between a severe credit crunch, slowing demand in many developed countries and rising inflationary pressures in emerging and developing economies. This is compounded by volatility in energy and commodities prices. The most pressing global challenges such as energy and climate change will now have to be addressed in an increasingly more fragile macroeconomic context, especially in poor developing countries. For the first time since 1973, the world is witnessing a combination of high oil and food prices, undermining gains achieved in fighting poverty. The current financial and economic crisis will require protracted adjustment as developing countries face a shortfall in capital flows, reduced demand for exports and rising inflation.
• For many developing countries, the recent food, commodities, and oil price shocks are already having severe implications particularly among the poorest. The World Bank estimated that for countries in Africa, the impact of high food, oil, and other commodity prices since January 2007 have reduced their gross domestic product by 3 to 10 percent. The terms-of-trade effects of the combined food and energy price increases are in excess of 10 per cent of GDP in more than 15 developing countries, where the room for maneuver on the macroeconomic front is limited. With millions living on the margin between subsistence and starvation, high food and fuel prices may represent a threat to their survival. Thirty-six countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America now face acute food security crises requiring external assistance.
• Most commodity prices have now peaked and are expected to fall in response to improved supply and slowing demand. Food prices are expected to fall on good supply prospects and weaker oil prices. However, food and fuel prices will remain high and their volatility will continue to be a major concern. While global prices of food and fuel have dropped in recent months, domestic prices remain much higher than in previous years and show few signs of abating.
• The global credit and financial crisis could have a major impact on infrastructure financing in general and energy financing in particular. Some sources suggest that the financing for energy infrastructure will be severely affected – a view that is somewhat moderated by a more optimistic outlook from the renewable energy market. However, some shortfall in the financing for energy sector could be expected.
• For regions such as Africa, where the provision of electricity is by far the greatest infrastructure challenge, this is indeed bad news. Compared to other regions of the world, Sub-Saharan Africa has one of the lowest rates of energy access, capacity per capita and electricity consumption per year. But Africa will not be the only region affected. Immense investment requirements still exist in most developing countries to build additional generation capacity, extension of electricity grids in urban areas, mini-grids in medium-sized settlements, and decentralized installations providing energy services to remote and rural areas. Given the prominent role that foreign banks play in developing countries, scaling back on financing will likely decrease energy financing. According to the World Bank, private capital flows in the energy sector are also expected to decline.
• On the other hand, the economies of the Asia-Pacific region, despite the financial crisis, will continue to have robust economic growth and high energy demand. This, in turn, will have a deleterious effect on climate change. Widening access to energy services will continue to be a major challenge to the region along with addressing climate change. In Asia and the Pacific, a low carbon development path would effectively meet the region’s development needs while addressing the challenges of climate change and local pollution.
  

Energy, poverty reduction and climate change

• Energy today is at the heart of every economic, environmental and developmental issue. The world needs clean, efficient and reliable energy services to meet its long-term needs for economic growth and development. Developing countries need to expand access to reliable and modern energy services to alleviate poverty and increase productivity, to enhance competitiveness and economic growth.
• Climate change is an urgent and critical challenge that the international community needs to address now. An effective response to climate change must combine mitigation of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions — to avoid the unmanageable — and adaptation at regional, national, and local levels -- to manage the unavoidable.
• According to the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report, the largest growth in GHG emissions between 1970 and 2004 has come from the energy supply sector (an increase of 145 per cent). During this period, the growth in direct emissions from transport was 120 percent. From industry it was 65 percent, and from land use, land use change, and forestry (LULUCF) 40 percent.
• If business-as-usual trends in the global energy mix continue, fossil fuels will maintain their dominant position, resulting in continuing growth of CO2 emissions. The projected increase in carbon emissions is expected to reach 40 to 110 per cent over the period of 2000-2030. Two thirds of this increase is expected to come from developing regions. However, per capita emissions in developing countries will remain substantially lower than those in developed countries. Decisions taken today on the choice of energy technology will thus have profound consequences for global development over the next 40 to 60 years.
• The demand for primary energy is expected to increase significantly in the next few decades5. Increased energy demand will give rise to challenges in poverty reduction, development and macroeconomic stability worldwide. Some of these challenges will have distinct economic effects on developing and developed countries.