227
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
A. Kerényi, R. W. McIntosh, Sustainable Development in Changing Complex Earth Systems,
Sustainable Development Goals Series, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21645-0_6
Steps Towards Realising Global
Sustainable Development
6.1
Sciences
and the Implementation
of Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) of UN
The following fundamental steps have to be taken
in order to realise global sustainable
development.
• Studying interactions is highly important
regarding both the global Earth system and the
operation of the society. Further research shall
include studying the relationship of nature and
the society and the effects of scientific technical development on the society.
• Development and transformation of the complete institutional system of the global society
with special regard to institutes of education.
(Establishment of global brake and counterbalance systems. Paying attention to the
dependence of humanity on nature: our harmony with nature is essential and institutes
have to be adjusted to it.)
• Increasing production and improving its quality with reducing environmental effects at the
same time: a new technological revolution.
• Significant reduction of economic and life
standard differences between societies (countries) and also between people (groups of people) fulfilling the basic needs of people.
• Stabilisation of the population of Earth. Living
space is necessary for both the growing number
of people and remaining wildlife. Global population growth, however, has to be stopped
within a reasonable time.
• Peace among religious-cultural civilisations
and
strengthening
positive
human
relationships.
The above demands for changes are discussed
below analysing the sustainable development
goals of UN briefly in relation to scientific results
supporting them. After this, those SDGs are discussed separately that play a fundamental role in
implementing the rest of the goals.
In the twenty-first century, decision makers
rely increasingly on scientific results.
In IPCC reports (as presented in Sects. 2.6.2
and 4.5) the operation of the global climate system is interpreted as the interaction of an increasing number of environmental factors and climate
change is studied with models based on the
above. Then the consequences of climate change
are analysed in relation to their intensive effects
on the society (IPCC 2008, 2015).
Sustainability research became so widespread
that it has raison d’etre as an individual scientific
field (Clark and Dickson 2003). The science of
sustainability focuses on studying dynamic interactions between nature and the society. Recently
science and technology joined together to find
answers to issues related to sustainable development, and innovation has a major role in this process (Horbach 2005; Walz and Schleich 2009;
6
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
A. Kerényi, R. W. McIntosh, Sustainable Development in Changing Complex Earth Systems,
Sustainable Development Goals Series, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21645-0_6
Steps Towards Realising Global
Sustainable Development
6.1
Sciences
and the Implementation
of Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) of UN
The following fundamental steps have to be taken
in order to realise global sustainable
development.
• Studying interactions is highly important
regarding both the global Earth system and the
operation of the society. Further research shall
include studying the relationship of nature and
the society and the effects of scientific technical development on the society.
• Development and transformation of the complete institutional system of the global society
with special regard to institutes of education.
(Establishment of global brake and counterbalance systems. Paying attention to the
dependence of humanity on nature: our harmony with nature is essential and institutes
have to be adjusted to it.)
• Increasing production and improving its quality with reducing environmental effects at the
same time: a new technological revolution.
• Significant reduction of economic and life
standard differences between societies (countries) and also between people (groups of people) fulfilling the basic needs of people.
• Stabilisation of the population of Earth. Living
space is necessary for both the growing number
of people and remaining wildlife. Global population growth, however, has to be stopped
within a reasonable time.
• Peace among religious-cultural civilisations
and
strengthening
positive
human
relationships.
The above demands for changes are discussed
below analysing the sustainable development
goals of UN briefly in relation to scientific results
supporting them. After this, those SDGs are discussed separately that play a fundamental role in
implementing the rest of the goals.
In the twenty-first century, decision makers
rely increasingly on scientific results.
In IPCC reports (as presented in Sects. 2.6.2
and 4.5) the operation of the global climate system is interpreted as the interaction of an increasing number of environmental factors and climate
change is studied with models based on the
above. Then the consequences of climate change
are analysed in relation to their intensive effects
on the society (IPCC 2008, 2015).
Sustainability research became so widespread
that it has raison d’etre as an individual scientific
field (Clark and Dickson 2003). The science of
sustainability focuses on studying dynamic interactions between nature and the society. Recently
science and technology joined together to find
answers to issues related to sustainable development, and innovation has a major role in this process (Horbach 2005; Walz and Schleich 2009;
6