CIELAP’s Understanding of Sustainable Development
As an organization that was an early leader in the Canadian environmental movement, CIELAP today acknowledges that a thriving natural environment is supported by mutually reinforcing relationships and connectivity among the environmental, social and economic bases of sustainable development. We need to take a multi-disciplinary perspective and examine our society’s systemic and structural challenges to develop comprehensive and meaningful solutions for environmental concerns.
CIELAP understands Sustainable Development and Sustainability:
- to be of the highest importance to human development;
- to be both a theory and practice that equitably entails environmental, social, and economic dimensions; and
- as being defined as: development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
The Sustainability approach provides an easy entry-point for connecting to other people’s individual frames of reference, opening up possibilities for conversation, understanding, and shared problem-solving.
For instance, depending on the lens through which a person looks at our world, they may understand the value in ensuring clean and healthy water systems from a variety of different perspectives, such as from:
- The need to support healthy ecosystems and wildlife;
- The need for responsible stewardship of the earth (e.g. a faith perspective);
- That clean water contributes to agriculture, aquaculture, fishing, manufacturing, food production, and other economic activities;
- That healthy water bodies can be a source of play, competition, relaxation, and finding peace (i.e. for those who enjoy sport, cottage-going, or watching wildlife);
- That the abundance of clean water reduces the opportunity for conflict and ensures greater food and water security; and/or
- That clean water is crucial for human health and the health of our children.
The sustainability lens helps us connect our issues to the interests of others at a personal level. It provides the required space for finding synergistic approaches to mutual challenges and concerns.
CIELAP also supports the benefits that participatory processes have for Sustainability. Finding effective ways to engage diverse perspectives, as well as building national strategic alliances and partnerships, will give us greater capacity to establish strong frameworks and models for the development of good public policy.