Author(s)

SØREN NORS NIELSEN

Abstract

Environmental sciences have developed into a multitude of disciplines concerned with sustainability aspects. All these subdisciplines must be involved in developing a truly interdisciplinary set of solutions. At present, a constructive dialogue between interested parties is hampered and we need more stringent definitions of the concepts we use as conversations are often lost in translation. A higher level of insight into the various disciplines involved is required from all participants. Nature and society can be characterised as complex systems, but it can be hard to explain exactly what makes up the difference between the two. Here the field of modern ecosystem theory offers several methods for analysing the differences in behaviours. Comparing society with nature makes it possible to formulate an ‘eco-mimetic’ development which will speed up the transition process towards sustainability ensuring more robust and cheaper solutions. Obvious issues to compare are complexity, adaptation and evolution/development, states and processes, organization/hierarchy, cycling and regulation – primarily discussed in terms of thermodynamics. The integration of a robust ecological understanding in management and policy presents an important way to solve this problem. Four issues stand out as essential to be improved: understanding and integrating the finiteness of resources, establishing an objective, scientifically defined vocabulary, a poor understanding of indeterminacy and risks and an improved understanding of differences between the two systems. Our challenge – to connect the two system worlds – is one of the core issues to be solved to establish sustainable development. Meanwhile, the realisation of the above ideas imposes new constraints on science, education, management, industrial production, policy-making as well as the necessary concerted actions to achieve goals. Next, we need to ensure a flexible democratic praxis that allows for decentralized, common-based solutions and not insist on a ‘one-size-fits-all’ policy. This can only be realized with a high level of equity and participation in both research and practice. In the end, what is needed most, is proper action.

Keywords

ecosystem, environmental management, society, network, thermodynamics, network analysis, growth, development, education, participation