scholarly journals Do we need an ethics of planetary sustainability?

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claus Beisbart
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Conceptual Change ◽  
Moral Status ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Outer Space ◽  
Future Generations ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Ethical Theories ◽  
The United Nations

Abstract The politics of the United Nations aims at sustainable development (i.e., development that can continue with future generations). Andreas Losch has recently proposed to expand our current notion of sustainability to what he calls ‘planetary sustainability’, and he has urged an ethics of planetary sustainability. This comment article discusses these proposals. The proposed conceptual change is assessed, drawing on desiderata suggested by Carnap. To the extent to which the current notion of sustainability has excluded consideration of outer space, we gain in simplicity. To the extent to which it has been unclear about this issue, we gain in exactness. The proposed concept is fruitful because it points to important considerations, in particular if there are extra-terrestrial beings that share moral status with human beings. But to some extent this fruitfulness requires a clear deviation from the anthropocentric outlook of our current notion of sustainability, and costs regarding similarity arise. As far as an ethics of sustainability is concerned, we certainly need to address ethical issues that arise in relation to outer space. However, the notion of planetary sustainability is not likely to figure prominently in related thoughts because the notion of sustainability is not a key concept in known ethical theories.

scholarly journals Intergenerational Ethical Issues and Communication Related to High-Level Nuclear Waste Repositories

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 338-343
Author(s):  
Martin Tondel ◽  
Lena Lindahl
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Waste Management ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Nuclear Waste ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Future Generations ◽  
The Future ◽  
High Level Nuclear Waste ◽  
The United Nations ◽  
High Level

Abstract Purpose of Review The nuclear power industry started in the 1950s and has now reached a phase of disposing high-level nuclear waste. Since the 1980s, the United Nations has developed a concept of sustainable development and governments have accordingly made ethical commitments to take responsibility towards future generations. The purpose of this review is to examine ethical dilemmas related to high-level nuclear waste disposal in a long-term perspective including potential access to the waste in the future. The time span considered here is 100,000 years based on current experts’ assessment of the radiological toxicity of the waste. Recent Findings In this review, we take into account findings on ethical issues related to the disposal of high-level nuclear waste put forward by the Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMC), the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), nuclear waste management companies (SKB in Sweden and Posiva Oy in Finland), and several researchers. Some historical examples are presented for potential guidance on methods of communication into the future. Summary According to the sustainable development ethical principle, adopted by the United Nations, we conclude that governments with nuclear energy have committed themselves to protect future generations from harm related to high-level nuclear waste. This commitment involves the necessity to convey information together with the nuclear waste. Our paper examines disposal options chosen by Sweden and Finland, as well as some contemporary and historical efforts to design messages towards the future. We conclude that the international community still needs to find methods to communicate in an intelligible way over long periods of time.

Part III Human Health and Human Rights, 17 Intergenerational Equity, Ocean Governance, and the United Nations

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fitzmaurice Malgosia
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Intergenerational Equity ◽  
Future Generations ◽  
Basic Principles ◽  
Health And Human Rights ◽  
Ocean Governance ◽  
The United Nations ◽  
International Conventions

This chapter examines the role of the United Nations (UN) in fulfilling the concept of intergenerational equity as it relates to ocean governance. The concept of intergenerational equity is inexorably linked to the principle of sustainable development. Three basic principles underpin intergenerational equity: conservation of options, conservation of quality, and conservation of access. The chapter first considers the concept of intergenerational equity within the context of sustainable development and environmental protection before discussing international conventions and soft law instruments including the principle of intergenerational equity. It then explains how the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) takes into account intergenerational equity and goes on to review national and international case-law concerning intergenerational equity and the rights of future generations. It also analyses constitutional and institutional protection of the rights of future generations and concludes with an assessment of UN approaches addressing the needs of future generations.

scholarly journals Why is Complexity Science valuable for reaching the goals of the UN 2030 Agenda?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pier Luigi Gentili
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
Complex Systems ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Complexity Science ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Stimulate Action ◽  
Social Perspectives ◽  
2030 Agenda ◽  
The United Nations

AbstractThe goals and targets included in the 2030 Agenda compiled by the United Nations want to stimulate action in areas of critical importance for humanity and the Earth. These goals and targets regard everyone on Earth from both the health and economic and social perspectives. Reaching these goals means to deal with Complex Systems. Therefore, Complexity Science is undoubtedly valuable. However, it needs to extend its scope and focus on some specific objectives. This article proposes a development of Complexity Science that will bring benefits for achieving the United Nations’ aims. It presents a list of the features shared by all the Complex Systems involved in the 2030 Agenda. It shows the reasons why there are certain limitations in the prediction of Complex Systems’ behaviors. It highlights that such limitations raise ethical issues whenever new technologies interfere with the dynamics of Complex Systems, such as human beings and the environment. Finally, new methodological approaches and promising research lines to face Complexity Challenges included in the 2030 Agenda are put forward.

scholarly journals Big Data and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) at a Glance

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 28
Author(s):  
Hossein Hassani ◽  
Xu Huang ◽  
Steve MacFeely ◽  
Mohammad Reza Entezarian
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Big Data ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
The United Nations ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The Impact

The launch of the United Nations (UN) 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015 was a historic event, uniting countries around the world around the shared agenda of sustainable development with a more balanced relationship between human beings and the planet. The SDGs affect or impact almost all aspects of life, as indeed does the technological revolution, empowered by Big Data and their related technologies. It is inevitable that these two significant domains and their integration will play central roles in achieving the 2030 Agenda. This research aims to provide a comprehensive overview of how these domains are currently interacting, by illustrating the impact of Big Data on sustainable development in the context of each of the 17 UN SDGs.

scholarly journals Signals and Images in Sea Technologies

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 41
Author(s):  
Davide Moroni ◽  
Ovidio Salvetti
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Marine Resources ◽  
Sustainable Development Goal ◽  
Development Goal ◽  
The United Nations

Life below water is the 14th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) envisaged by the United Nations and is aimed at conserving and sustainably using the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development [...]

Insights on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals scope: Are they aligned with a ‘strong’ sustainable development?

2020 ◽  
Vol 252 ◽  
pp. 119574 ◽  
Author(s):  
Biagio F. Giannetti ◽  
Feni Agostinho ◽  
Cecília M.V.B. Almeida ◽  
Gengyuan Liu ◽  
Luis E.V. Contreras ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
The United Nations

scholarly journals Sustainable Public Administration

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 6382
Author(s):  
Harald Heinrichs ◽  
Norman Laws
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Public Administration ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Member States ◽  
2030 Agenda ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
The United Nations

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), was agreed upon by 193 member states of the United Nations in September 2015 [...]

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