10.5 Social Sustainability
283
and identity between communities in order to organize themselves and form relevant
governance where institutions are democratic and remain true to the sustainable
economic growth instead of simply following an old ideal of the global market
economy. When individuals come together and form this type of “front,” one can
argue that a widespread political organization, participation, and representation
of citizens exists on levels that not only involve electoral procedures but also
participation in a sustainable matter. If individuals are represented, a sense of
integration within the community is also presented and transmitted to the next
generation through some sorts of dialogues, activities, and actions, which in turn will
help next generations to see and understand the strengths and weaknesses of current
communities. Ultimately, the way governance works in a sustainable environment is
through values such as transparency. Transparency can lead to trust because people
view decisions and leaders as accountable. This prevents conflicts that often emanate
from societies that lack transparency and accountability. The more at peace the
community is, the better chance the leaders they choose will follow these values
too.
In 1995, the Commission on Global Governance (CGG) proposed seven core
values for sustainable governance: mutual respect, equity, respect for life, caring,
liberty, justice, and integrity (Bosselmann et al. 2008). It proposed a global civic
ethic described as a new philosophy to be introduced. However, there were many
complaints that these values were too often looked at under the eyes of the
western world, thus making it impossible for other cultures to comprehend or even
participate on this project. Even though “soft” and “hard” themes were previously
described, the relevant aspects of social sustainability and how one can achieve them
as a society must be considered. Increased analysis has created an instructional
sphere on social sustainability, but this debate will continue for the foreseeable
future as larger communities and societies become more affluent and others become
less protected by current governments. It is also important to know that in order to
obtain a just society, the basic needs of individuals must first be met. Furthermore,
even though sometimes it is difficult to obtain, there must be a selection of indicators
that monitor the framework of different policies across communities worldwide,
thus deeper analysis and studies must be made.
Lastly, all of these definitions and measures must be taken as a whole to obtain
a positive result from a socially sustainable environment. In terms of policies, an
open discussion and planning approach should be necessary in order to reestablish
what the community really wants to accomplish. Thus, an integral commitment from
individuals within a society is also a must. A societal consensus could be formed to
establish an urban development that forms part of the natural environment. Within
sustainability, a balance between the three pillars is necessary to live in a genuine
healthy environment, where future generations understand the basics of economics
and how it can destroy communities and nature if they are addressed in an aggressive
matter, instead of linking the cities to sustainable natural systems.
283
and identity between communities in order to organize themselves and form relevant
governance where institutions are democratic and remain true to the sustainable
economic growth instead of simply following an old ideal of the global market
economy. When individuals come together and form this type of “front,” one can
argue that a widespread political organization, participation, and representation
of citizens exists on levels that not only involve electoral procedures but also
participation in a sustainable matter. If individuals are represented, a sense of
integration within the community is also presented and transmitted to the next
generation through some sorts of dialogues, activities, and actions, which in turn will
help next generations to see and understand the strengths and weaknesses of current
communities. Ultimately, the way governance works in a sustainable environment is
through values such as transparency. Transparency can lead to trust because people
view decisions and leaders as accountable. This prevents conflicts that often emanate
from societies that lack transparency and accountability. The more at peace the
community is, the better chance the leaders they choose will follow these values
too.
In 1995, the Commission on Global Governance (CGG) proposed seven core
values for sustainable governance: mutual respect, equity, respect for life, caring,
liberty, justice, and integrity (Bosselmann et al. 2008). It proposed a global civic
ethic described as a new philosophy to be introduced. However, there were many
complaints that these values were too often looked at under the eyes of the
western world, thus making it impossible for other cultures to comprehend or even
participate on this project. Even though “soft” and “hard” themes were previously
described, the relevant aspects of social sustainability and how one can achieve them
as a society must be considered. Increased analysis has created an instructional
sphere on social sustainability, but this debate will continue for the foreseeable
future as larger communities and societies become more affluent and others become
less protected by current governments. It is also important to know that in order to
obtain a just society, the basic needs of individuals must first be met. Furthermore,
even though sometimes it is difficult to obtain, there must be a selection of indicators
that monitor the framework of different policies across communities worldwide,
thus deeper analysis and studies must be made.
Lastly, all of these definitions and measures must be taken as a whole to obtain
a positive result from a socially sustainable environment. In terms of policies, an
open discussion and planning approach should be necessary in order to reestablish
what the community really wants to accomplish. Thus, an integral commitment from
individuals within a society is also a must. A societal consensus could be formed to
establish an urban development that forms part of the natural environment. Within
sustainability, a balance between the three pillars is necessary to live in a genuine
healthy environment, where future generations understand the basics of economics
and how it can destroy communities and nature if they are addressed in an aggressive
matter, instead of linking the cities to sustainable natural systems.