152
U. Maruyama et al.
useful to those who are interested in governmental and sustainable developmental
issues.
Keywords Sustainable development goals · A3P · Higher education institution ·
Environmental governance · Sustainability
1 Environmental Agenda: General Scenario
Recent increase in social upheavals around the globe, particularly in developing
countries, has become an unequivocal evidence of dissatisfaction. Much of this relates
to a bitter disappointment with capitalism and its production modes, which generates
an unequal income distribution and high level of social injustices. In an increasingly
globalized world, environmental impacts raises inequalities in society.
During the second half of the twentieth century, globalization has increased the
integration of economies and societies, especially goods and services, financial markets and information. However, globalization also means a growing integration of
transnational corporations, in a context of free trade and ‘invisible hands’, in which
large corporations can operate (and exploit) in many different countries at the same
time based on variations in local conditions (Granja 2008). Reduced trade barriers
and better transportation and logistics, for example, have accelerated deforestation in
South America by ‘shortening the distances’ between urban consumers and producers
in distant agricultural lands. Above all, globalization privileges a smaller number of
groups, which concentrate knowledge, science, new technologies and critical goods
such as information.
There is an urgent need to perceive the environment in a different perspective,
with a “passage from an isolated and loser environment to another situation, where
the environment aligns with economics, social equity and inclusion” (Camargo 2012,
p. 50). The Conference on Sustainable Development, or Rio+20 as it is widely known,
has left a legacy about the possibilities of a sustainable reality and the necessary
roles and commitments to achieve this reality. In line with Sanson (2014) and with
the need to make theory into practice, changing this situation requires going beyond
traditional static models, bringing greater coherence to arguments, and involving all
social actors in a debate characterized by unequal power relationships.
The United Nations (UN) has recommended building transparent and monitored
management through clear indicators and targets for sustainable development during Rio+20. In practice, there must be more participatory planning (Camargo 2012).
Unfortunately, more than twenty years after the Second World Conference on Environment and Development, which brought together over one hundred Heads of State
in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 (ECO 92), there was no significant progress. Once again, the
sustainable development challenge remained in the social ‘agenda’. In some places,
there were not even institutional conditions to implement an environmental policy
due to the lack of an active State to act as ‘protagonist’. It is expected that the State
adopt a regulatory role and encourage the process of change, bringing together all
U. Maruyama et al.
useful to those who are interested in governmental and sustainable developmental
issues.
Keywords Sustainable development goals · A3P · Higher education institution ·
Environmental governance · Sustainability
1 Environmental Agenda: General Scenario
Recent increase in social upheavals around the globe, particularly in developing
countries, has become an unequivocal evidence of dissatisfaction. Much of this relates
to a bitter disappointment with capitalism and its production modes, which generates
an unequal income distribution and high level of social injustices. In an increasingly
globalized world, environmental impacts raises inequalities in society.
During the second half of the twentieth century, globalization has increased the
integration of economies and societies, especially goods and services, financial markets and information. However, globalization also means a growing integration of
transnational corporations, in a context of free trade and ‘invisible hands’, in which
large corporations can operate (and exploit) in many different countries at the same
time based on variations in local conditions (Granja 2008). Reduced trade barriers
and better transportation and logistics, for example, have accelerated deforestation in
South America by ‘shortening the distances’ between urban consumers and producers
in distant agricultural lands. Above all, globalization privileges a smaller number of
groups, which concentrate knowledge, science, new technologies and critical goods
such as information.
There is an urgent need to perceive the environment in a different perspective,
with a “passage from an isolated and loser environment to another situation, where
the environment aligns with economics, social equity and inclusion” (Camargo 2012,
p. 50). The Conference on Sustainable Development, or Rio+20 as it is widely known,
has left a legacy about the possibilities of a sustainable reality and the necessary
roles and commitments to achieve this reality. In line with Sanson (2014) and with
the need to make theory into practice, changing this situation requires going beyond
traditional static models, bringing greater coherence to arguments, and involving all
social actors in a debate characterized by unequal power relationships.
The United Nations (UN) has recommended building transparent and monitored
management through clear indicators and targets for sustainable development during Rio+20. In practice, there must be more participatory planning (Camargo 2012).
Unfortunately, more than twenty years after the Second World Conference on Environment and Development, which brought together over one hundred Heads of State
in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 (ECO 92), there was no significant progress. Once again, the
sustainable development challenge remained in the social ‘agenda’. In some places,
there were not even institutional conditions to implement an environmental policy
due to the lack of an active State to act as ‘protagonist’. It is expected that the State
adopt a regulatory role and encourage the process of change, bringing together all