Advances in Phytochemistry, Textile and Renewable Energy Research for
Industrial Growth – Nzila et al. (Eds)
© 2022 Copyright the Author(s), ISBN: 978-1-032-11871-0
Open Access: www.taylorfrancis.com, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license
Responsible consumption and production for wholistic transformation of
universities: Campus innovation through a sustainable livelihoods approach
Roger A. Petry*
Luther College, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Jocelyn Crivea
Institute for Energy, Environment and Sustainable Communities, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan,
Canada
ABSTRACT: Of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted as global goals from 2015 to
2030, Sustainable Development Goal #12 on Responsible Consumption and Production has been described
by some as the “heart” of the Goals: our production systems are central to meeting our human needs and
aspirations along with important dimensions of human well-being (SDGs #1-5); they shape and organize our
economic practices, our choice of material inputs, and their efficient and effective long-term sustainable use
(SDGs #6-11); they also ensure whether or not we live within the carrying capacity of our natural ecosystems
and whether these systems are healthy and resilient (SDGs #13-15).Yet in addition to these social, economic, and
environmental sustainability goals, SDG 12 is central at a deeper cultural level. It enables (and is enabled by)
peace, justice, and strong institutions (SDG 16), and motivates new productive partnerships between a variety
of organizations at all geographic scales (SDG 17 on “Partnerships for the Goals”). This paper explores the
cultural dimensions of SDG 12 through its potential for a whole institution approach on university campuses. In
particular, its role in reshaping university governance and scholarly identities (particularly around the concept
of sustainable livelihoods and political dimensions as discussed by Ian Scoones (2015), understandings of
scholarly impact, and greater inclusivity of our disciplinary specializations (through living laboratories and
development of transformative technologies) are explored. The University of Regina in Saskatchewan, Canada,
is then used as a case study to illustrate these cultural dimensions in the recent development of its strategic plan
and living laboratories on campus. The paper demonstrates that a traditional sustainable livelihoods approach to
development can be used to create a new sustainable scholarly livelihood identity on campuses.This new scholarly
identity allows for substantive transformations in university governance to advance campus sustainability, address
core livelihood anxieties within communities, and develop key innovations in the scholarship of sustainable
livelihoods.
Keywords: sustainable consumption and production, sustainable development goal 12, sustainable livelihoods,
cultural sustainability, whole-institution approach, whole-university approach, university governance, living
laboratories.
1 INTRODUCTION
In 2015 the United Nations adopted 17 Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) to advance the global
development agenda from 2015 to 2030, replacing
the earlier Millennium Development Goals (2000–
2015). As “global goals,” they focus on both developed
and developing countries mobilizing governments at
multiple geographic scales including national, state,
provincial, regional, and local governments. Other sectors, however, are also willingly contributing to these
goals—something central to achieving the SDGs if
∗ Corresponding author
we recognize the diverse productive capacities held by
each organizational type. These organizations include
the business sector, non-governmental and other civil
society organizations, faith organizations, and professions. Concerns, however, have been raised that
the achievement of the SGDs might be substantially
impaired due to the impact of COVID-19 that has
exposed significant weaknesses and lack of resilience
in the global economy. Attempts are being made to
get the economy “back to normal,” reflecting preCOVID-19 days, despite the unsustainability of this
earlier system. Depressed markets and lack of investment (particularly in least developed countries) have
created fragile businesses, heightened government and
28
DOI 10.1201/9781003221968-4
Industrial Growth – Nzila et al. (Eds)
© 2022 Copyright the Author(s), ISBN: 978-1-032-11871-0
Open Access: www.taylorfrancis.com, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license
Responsible consumption and production for wholistic transformation of
universities: Campus innovation through a sustainable livelihoods approach
Roger A. Petry*
Luther College, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Jocelyn Crivea
Institute for Energy, Environment and Sustainable Communities, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan,
Canada
ABSTRACT: Of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted as global goals from 2015 to
2030, Sustainable Development Goal #12 on Responsible Consumption and Production has been described
by some as the “heart” of the Goals: our production systems are central to meeting our human needs and
aspirations along with important dimensions of human well-being (SDGs #1-5); they shape and organize our
economic practices, our choice of material inputs, and their efficient and effective long-term sustainable use
(SDGs #6-11); they also ensure whether or not we live within the carrying capacity of our natural ecosystems
and whether these systems are healthy and resilient (SDGs #13-15).Yet in addition to these social, economic, and
environmental sustainability goals, SDG 12 is central at a deeper cultural level. It enables (and is enabled by)
peace, justice, and strong institutions (SDG 16), and motivates new productive partnerships between a variety
of organizations at all geographic scales (SDG 17 on “Partnerships for the Goals”). This paper explores the
cultural dimensions of SDG 12 through its potential for a whole institution approach on university campuses. In
particular, its role in reshaping university governance and scholarly identities (particularly around the concept
of sustainable livelihoods and political dimensions as discussed by Ian Scoones (2015), understandings of
scholarly impact, and greater inclusivity of our disciplinary specializations (through living laboratories and
development of transformative technologies) are explored. The University of Regina in Saskatchewan, Canada,
is then used as a case study to illustrate these cultural dimensions in the recent development of its strategic plan
and living laboratories on campus. The paper demonstrates that a traditional sustainable livelihoods approach to
development can be used to create a new sustainable scholarly livelihood identity on campuses.This new scholarly
identity allows for substantive transformations in university governance to advance campus sustainability, address
core livelihood anxieties within communities, and develop key innovations in the scholarship of sustainable
livelihoods.
Keywords: sustainable consumption and production, sustainable development goal 12, sustainable livelihoods,
cultural sustainability, whole-institution approach, whole-university approach, university governance, living
laboratories.
1 INTRODUCTION
In 2015 the United Nations adopted 17 Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) to advance the global
development agenda from 2015 to 2030, replacing
the earlier Millennium Development Goals (2000–
2015). As “global goals,” they focus on both developed
and developing countries mobilizing governments at
multiple geographic scales including national, state,
provincial, regional, and local governments. Other sectors, however, are also willingly contributing to these
goals—something central to achieving the SDGs if
∗ Corresponding author
we recognize the diverse productive capacities held by
each organizational type. These organizations include
the business sector, non-governmental and other civil
society organizations, faith organizations, and professions. Concerns, however, have been raised that
the achievement of the SGDs might be substantially
impaired due to the impact of COVID-19 that has
exposed significant weaknesses and lack of resilience
in the global economy. Attempts are being made to
get the economy “back to normal,” reflecting preCOVID-19 days, despite the unsustainability of this
earlier system. Depressed markets and lack of investment (particularly in least developed countries) have
created fragile businesses, heightened government and
28
DOI 10.1201/9781003221968-4