Vol. XXXVIII / 1 - Studia Moralia
Vol. XXXVIII / 1 - Studia Moralia Vol. XXXVIII / 1 - Studia Moralia
218 HANS J. MÜNK assuring that these criteria are fulfilled in the long run. This also applies with respect to the criterion of “ecological tolerance”. 2. Characteristics of the Model A review of the evolution of the concept of “sustainable development” 2 may be omitted here, and the definition of sustainable development as formulated in the final report of the World Commission on Environment and Development (“Brundtland-Kommission”) may be directly adopted: “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It contains within it two key concepts: the concept of needs, in particular the essential needs of the world’s poor, to which overriding priority should be given; and the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organisation on the environment’s ability to meet present and future needs”. 3 This conceptual definition continues to represent the standard in contemporary political thinking on sustainable development. The essential structural components (identified on the basis of existing interpretations) may be characterised as follows: a) A globally structured, cross-border concept of development which serves to link together social sub-systems in a variety of ways. b) Re-coupling of developmental processes – especially those of the economic system – with the long-term conservation of natural resources. c) Securing of basic needs; furthermore, assuring that all human beings currently living on the planet (the poor in particular) receive an adequate share of the world‘s goods 2 Cf. Schanz, H., Forstliche Nachhaltigkeit. Sozialwissenschaftliche Analysen der Begriffsinhalte und –funktionen, Dissertation an der forstwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg (Freiburg: Institut für Forstökonomie, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, 1996). 3 WCED, The World Commission on Environment and Development, Our Common Future (Oxford: University Press 1987), p. 32.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AS A TASK OF THE STATE. ETHICAL ASPECTS 219 and adequate development opportunities (just distribution worldwide: intra-generational justice). d) Securing the physical pre-requisites for a worthy human existence for future generations (intergenerational justice). This model implies a number of basic ideas that are significant from social ethics point of view [the goal of maintaining living standards, while also conserving natural resources (industrialised countries); the goal of upgrading economic-social conditions without destroying natural resources (developing countries); the goal of peaceful global partnership] 4 . This list of tasks shows that the model of sustainability I propose belongs to the systemic and structural level. The central function, in both conceptual and practical terms, is the appropriate inter-connecting of the three main components: ecology, economics and social concerns. These components are understood to be three autonomous but nonetheless interdependent dimensions of social development. To distinguish and specify this networking function, the German Council of Experts on Environmental Issues (Deutscher Sachverständigenrat für Umweltfragen, SRU) has suggested using the expression “retinity” (“Retinität” in German; derived from the Latin word “rete” which means “net”) or the “principle of retinity” 5 . This neologism precisely captures the essence of the sustainability theme: sustainability requires first and foremost balanced allocation and reciprocal facilitation of integration among the three component areas – with a forwardlooking, precautionary view for the good of the whole. In the 4 For a detailed discussion of the implications of the model cf. Münk, H.J., ”Nachhaltige Entwicklung und Soziallehre”, Stimmen der Zeit 216 (4) (1998), pp. 231-245. 5 Der Rat von Sachverständigen für Umweltfragen (SRU), Umweltgutachten 1994, Für eine dauerhaft-umweltgerechte Entwicklung (Stuttgart: Metzler-Poeschel, 1994), pp. 54f. The Commission, which is joined to the German Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Reactor Security, thereby took up a proposal of Wilhelm Korff; cf. Korff, W., ”Wirtschaft vor der Herausforderung der Umweltkrise”, Zeitschrift für Evangelische Ethik 36 (1992), p. 168.
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218 HANS J. MÜNK<br />
assuring that these criteria are fulfilled in the long run. This also<br />
applies with respect to the criterion of “ecological tolerance”.<br />
2. Characteristics of the Model<br />
A review of the evolution of the concept of “sustainable<br />
development” 2 may be omitted here, and the definition of<br />
sustainable development as formulated in the final report of the<br />
World Commission on Environment and Development<br />
(“Brundtland-Kommission”) may be directly adopted:<br />
“Sustainable development is development that meets the needs<br />
of the present without compromising the ability of future<br />
generations to meet their own needs. It contains within it two<br />
key concepts: the concept of needs, in particular the essential<br />
needs of the world’s poor, to which overriding priority should be<br />
given; and the idea of limitations imposed by the state of<br />
technology and social organisation on the environment’s ability<br />
to meet present and future needs”. 3 This conceptual definition<br />
continues to represent the standard in contemporary political<br />
thinking on sustainable development. The essential structural<br />
components (identified on the basis of existing interpretations)<br />
may be characterised as follows:<br />
a) A globally structured, cross-border concept of development<br />
which serves to link together social sub-systems in a variety<br />
of ways.<br />
b) Re-coupling of developmental processes – especially those of<br />
the economic system – with the long-term conservation of<br />
natural resources.<br />
c) Securing of basic needs; furthermore, assuring that all<br />
human beings currently living on the planet (the poor in<br />
particular) receive an adequate share of the world‘s goods<br />
2<br />
Cf. Schanz, H., Forstliche Nachhaltigkeit. Sozialwissenschaftliche<br />
Analysen der Begriffsinhalte und –funktionen, Dissertation an der<br />
forstwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg<br />
(Freiburg: Institut für Forstökonomie, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, 1996).<br />
3<br />
WCED, The World Commission on Environment and Development,<br />
Our Common Future (Oxford: University Press 1987), p. 32.