254
required for supplying a globally growing population. The opposition between the limited
amount of natural goods and unlimited economic
growth cannot be avoided.
The financial sector within economy has to
change as well for realising sustainable development. Financial sector is one of the most globalised and greatest sized sectors of global
economy making up more than three times the
global GDP. This enormous sector serves sustainable development if banks provide loan and
financial support for activities targeting sustainable development, i.e., following the green banking model. This means not only the support of
environmental protection programmes and
investments but taking social responsibility in the
wider sense as well (Goss and Roberts 2011; Bae
et al. 2016). Although there are positive examples
for this in the banks of the developed world (e.g.,
Dutch Tridos Bank, Danish Merkur Bank) those
are far from sufficient on the global scale. Maybe
the international financial system has to develop
the most regarding economic mechanisms if sustainable development is to be achieved.
6.7.2 Effects of Technical
Development on the Society
Certain views regarding the future development
of the society promote technical development.
However, these raise numerous questions as well
to which currently no answers can be found.
According to John Seely Brown, society is built
on infrastructure, and so far infrastructure has
been stable for a long time and institutions were
formed accordingly (in Stevenson 2011). For
example, the basis of the current education system
was established by the demands of the classical
industrial revolution (eighteenth–nineteenth century) and hardly changed over two hundred years.
Nowadays, however, digital technology demands
for new infrastructure and new institutions. For the
time being, no one knows how the new society will
be built on this new infrastructure but major
changes are expected at every aspects of life
(Toffler 1970). Experts already discuss the concern that the digital revolution may increase the
volume of unemployment. According to Ford
(2015), practically all currently existing industrial
branches will demand less labour while newly
formed branches will apply technologies probably
with which labour force can be saved. (One estimation considers that 50% of jobs in the U.S. are
already at risk.) Even this single problem could be
too extensive for the society not to mention the
series of effects to be triggered. Long-term unemployment and underemployment strongly reduce
the mass of solvent consumers, and inequality may
expand greater than ever. Social concerns could be
further intensified by completely automated nanoproduction to be realised in the future.
What other fundamental questions could arise
in the above post-capitalist world? First of all,
will legislation (national and supranational) be
able to follow technical and technological and
eventually social changes? Will the society support the changes? What tension could develop
among different social groups? (Nanofactory
owners and unemployed people, intellectuals and
digital illiterates.) What kinds of new tension
may develop among the countries? Could networks replacing hierarchies sort out conflicts
within and among countries? Will the majority of
humanity be able to understand that its survival
depends on the decisions of global institutes and
the operation of global networks? Will the environmental effects of the advancing new technologies really that beneficial as we incline to believe
today?
All evidence indicate that the urgent development of technology raises a flood of questions to
which, for the time being, there are no answers to
be found.
6.7.3 Development of the Society
on the Basis of the Current
Favourable Changes (the
Theory of the “Second Curve”)
The authors think that finding out the institute
types that could keep the pace of changes it has to
begin today. Probably Handy (2015) outlined the
peaceful transition into the post-capitalist world
in understandable and acceptable form. His views
6 Steps Towards Realising Global Sustainable Development
required for supplying a globally growing population. The opposition between the limited
amount of natural goods and unlimited economic
growth cannot be avoided.
The financial sector within economy has to
change as well for realising sustainable development. Financial sector is one of the most globalised and greatest sized sectors of global
economy making up more than three times the
global GDP. This enormous sector serves sustainable development if banks provide loan and
financial support for activities targeting sustainable development, i.e., following the green banking model. This means not only the support of
environmental protection programmes and
investments but taking social responsibility in the
wider sense as well (Goss and Roberts 2011; Bae
et al. 2016). Although there are positive examples
for this in the banks of the developed world (e.g.,
Dutch Tridos Bank, Danish Merkur Bank) those
are far from sufficient on the global scale. Maybe
the international financial system has to develop
the most regarding economic mechanisms if sustainable development is to be achieved.
6.7.2 Effects of Technical
Development on the Society
Certain views regarding the future development
of the society promote technical development.
However, these raise numerous questions as well
to which currently no answers can be found.
According to John Seely Brown, society is built
on infrastructure, and so far infrastructure has
been stable for a long time and institutions were
formed accordingly (in Stevenson 2011). For
example, the basis of the current education system
was established by the demands of the classical
industrial revolution (eighteenth–nineteenth century) and hardly changed over two hundred years.
Nowadays, however, digital technology demands
for new infrastructure and new institutions. For the
time being, no one knows how the new society will
be built on this new infrastructure but major
changes are expected at every aspects of life
(Toffler 1970). Experts already discuss the concern that the digital revolution may increase the
volume of unemployment. According to Ford
(2015), practically all currently existing industrial
branches will demand less labour while newly
formed branches will apply technologies probably
with which labour force can be saved. (One estimation considers that 50% of jobs in the U.S. are
already at risk.) Even this single problem could be
too extensive for the society not to mention the
series of effects to be triggered. Long-term unemployment and underemployment strongly reduce
the mass of solvent consumers, and inequality may
expand greater than ever. Social concerns could be
further intensified by completely automated nanoproduction to be realised in the future.
What other fundamental questions could arise
in the above post-capitalist world? First of all,
will legislation (national and supranational) be
able to follow technical and technological and
eventually social changes? Will the society support the changes? What tension could develop
among different social groups? (Nanofactory
owners and unemployed people, intellectuals and
digital illiterates.) What kinds of new tension
may develop among the countries? Could networks replacing hierarchies sort out conflicts
within and among countries? Will the majority of
humanity be able to understand that its survival
depends on the decisions of global institutes and
the operation of global networks? Will the environmental effects of the advancing new technologies really that beneficial as we incline to believe
today?
All evidence indicate that the urgent development of technology raises a flood of questions to
which, for the time being, there are no answers to
be found.
6.7.3 Development of the Society
on the Basis of the Current
Favourable Changes (the
Theory of the “Second Curve”)
The authors think that finding out the institute
types that could keep the pace of changes it has to
begin today. Probably Handy (2015) outlined the
peaceful transition into the post-capitalist world
in understandable and acceptable form. His views
6 Steps Towards Realising Global Sustainable Development