Sustainable Development

Lecture Objectives

PS3 - PROFESSIONAL
AWARENESS • Provide an understanding of the key issues
and challenges of Sustainable Development

Sustainable Development • Provide examples for the role and responsibilities

Brian Procter. BSc, PhD, AIBA of engineers

Engineering Management Group

Professional Studies - Unit 3

Dr Brian Procter

Sustainable Development
The principles of Sustainable Development
Agenda
• Principles
• Evidence Definitions:
• Goals “ Development that meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations
• The triple bottom line to meet their own needs”
☺ 3 min break
• Human factors
“Our Common Future”
• Market Forces World Commission on Environment and Development
• Progress The Brundtland Report 1987
☺ 3 min break
• The Engineer’s role with Examples
Dr Brian Procter Dr Brian Procter

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The principles of Sustainable Development
EU Article 37: Environmental protection
- A high level of environmental protection and the
improvement of the quality of the environment must
be integrated into the policies of the Union and
ensured in accordance with the principle of
sustainable development.
The principles of Sustainable Development
“ Sustainable development is a dynamic process,
which enables all people to realise their potential and
to improve their quality of life in ways which simultaneously
protect and enhance the Earth’s life support systems”
Forum for the Future
“ The great race between development and degradation”
Paul Portney of Resources for the Future (USA Think Tank)
OR
“not to leave the world as we found it in detail, but rather
to leave the option or the capacity to be as well off as we are”
Robert Solow, economist at MIT

• Implicitly arguing that natural resources are substitutable.

Dr Brian Procter Dr Brian Procter

Evidence of Environmental Impact Evidence of Environmental Impact

The Important Greenhouse Gases

Approx contributions to climate change

(ignoring the effects of CFC’s and Ozone)

%
• Carbon Dioxide 70
• Methane 24
• Nitrous Oxide 6

Dr Brian Procter Dr Brian Procter

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Evidence of Environmental Impact Evidence of Environmental Impact

Dr Brian Procter Dr Brian Procter

Evidence of Environmental Impact Evidence of Environmental Impact

Facts and figures: Facts and figures:
A century that changed the world
Change between 1890 (=1) and 1990 Resource Number of Earths needed to support
consumption sustainably
Industrial output 40 At current In 2050 if all countries
Marine fish catch 35 global rate consume as GB does
Carbon dioxide emissions 17 now (1998)
Energy use 16 Energy (CO2) 2 8
World economy 14
World urban population 13 Construction 2 2
Coal production 7 minerals
Air pollution 5 Metals 2 ~7
Irrigated area 5
World population 4 Land 1 1.5
Bird and mammal species 0.99
Wood 0.8 3.5
Forest area 0.8

Source “Something New Under the Sun” by John McNeill Dr Brian Procter Mclaren et al 1998 Tomorrow’s World Earthscan, London

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 International Goals International Goals
Agreements Kyoto Protocol Targets
Developed countries agreed to targets that will reduce their emissions of six
Examples: greenhouse gases to 5.2% below 1990 levels over the period 2008 to 2012.

• 1987 Montreal Protocol on substances that • European Community - 8%

deplete the ozone layer • United States - 7%
• Japan - 6%
• 1989 Basel Convention on the control of • Russia and Ukraine 0%
transboundary movements of hazardous • Australia + 8%
wastes and their disposal
• 1997 Kyoto Protocol to UN convention on The European Community’s target was redistributed between the member
climate change States e.g.
• UK - 12.5%
• Germany and Denmark - 21%
• Netherlands - 6%
• Ireland + 13%
Dr Brian Procter • Portugal + 27%

International Goals International Goals

UK Government actions UK Government actions
The UK Government uses a Sustainable Development Commission (SDC)
which is an independent advisor reporting to the PM:
SDC website: www.sd-commission.gov.uk
Government website: www.sustainable-development.gov.uk
The SDC reported (12 Feb 2003):
Progress is measured against 15 sustainable development indicators: The UK government is likely to achieve its Kyoto target (-12.5%) for
reduction in greenhouse gasses, but the Government’s own domestic
The report measures progress against 15 sustainable development
goal to reduce CO2 emissions by 20% from 1990 to 2010 was not
indicators. These indicators cover economic output; investment; yet in place.
employment; poverty and social exclusion; education; health; housing;
crime; climate change; air quality; road traffic; river water quality; wildlife;
land use; waste.

The UK Government has set a target to reduce CO2 emissions by 60%

between 2000 and 2050.
Dr Brian Procter Dr Brian Procter

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 International Goals
Kyoto targets may not be enough
Guardian 7 August 2003
The Institute of Public Policy Research
states that the 60% cut in CO2 emissions
for the UK may not be enough.
Scientists predict temperatures to rise 5C
in northern hemisphere by 2100, but new
calculations show that it could be 8C.
Developed countries must cut emissions
by 80%.
Dr Brian Procter
The Triple Bottom Line
Connecting economic, social, and environmental factors
Challenge of the Development needs of poorer countries
Balancing helping the poor by economic growth
without causing degradation of natural resources.
The difficult part …
How to reconcile the moral obligation to today’s poor
without compromising what we owe future generations.
Economist, July 2002.
Dr Brian Procter
The Triple Bottom Line
Connecting economic and environmental factors
• An early view:
Environmental and economic policy goals are distinct,
and the actions needed to achieve them are not the same.
Daniel Esty of Yale University
• A current view:
There are trade-offs between environment and
development in the real world.
• A consensus view:
Environmental laws must take economic cost-benefit
trade-offs into account. Leading to the concept of …
Natural capital (an Environmental value)
… which economists now accept.
Dr Brian Procter
The Triple Bottom Line
Competition for resources
Over the past decade fish stocks in West Africa have become
over-exploited. Now scientists are warning that many of them
could collapse.
If they do, Europe, which has already fished out its own
common seas, will bear some of the blame for it has just
renewed an agreement with Senegal and spends £127 million
a year buying access for mainly Spanish, French, Greek and
Italian trawlers to the waters of other countries, mostly in
Africa, including Angola, where millions of people risk
starvation.
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 The Triple Bottom Line The Triple Bottom Line
Connecting economic, social, and environmental factors Connecting economic, social, and environmental factors

Eco - efficiency The challenge is to satisfy a multiple bottom line:

“The delivery of competitively priced goods • Economic

and services which satisfy human needs and • Social
bring quality of life, while progressively • Environment
reducing ecological impacts and resource OR
intensity throughout the life cycle,
cycle to a level
at least in line with the Earth’s estimated • Prosperity
• People
carrying capacity” • Planet

Dr Brian Procter Dr Brian Procter

Human Factors Human Factors

Human behaviour makes it difficult to achieve a win-win

Quality of life eco-efficiency: factor “x” improvements
Car fuel efficiency x2
• The rebound effect: we will continue to spend what is Carry 2 people x2
available, so saving in one area diverts spending into Less distance to workplace, or combined errands xxx
another area which does not necessarily save resources. final possible decoupling:
e.g. saving in car fuel consumption > larger cars / more extras Travel achieved without fossil fuel e.g. walking, cycling
e.g. saving in domestic fuel > more international travel or without moving e.g. info technology
e.g. having tele-conferencing > stimulates desire to meet more

• Feedback loops: the propagation effects of personal choice:

• To win some eco improvements new technology solutions Decision not to use the bus service > worse bus service >
must have decline of peripheral bus services > more driving >
a) rapid penetration and movement of shops/services to car-accessible locations etc.

b) no rebound effects.

“Sustainable Development”, Roger Levett of Levett-Therivel sustainable consultants “Sustainable Development”, Roger Levett of Levett-Therivel sustainable consultants

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 Human Factors Market Forces
The Marketing Process
• Effect of collective v. individual responsibility:
a collective mechanism is needed to restrain individual self interest
for the common good. How will we do it ? What are the
> Social contract applied to quality of life. Competences and means by which What do our
= Legislation resources to we will best fulfil target customers
execute ? our customer’s wants ? want ?
• Implications for Engineers: crucial role for technology is to get more
quality of life with less environmental damage:
Company Market
• improve eco-efficiency of the whole system (including “users”) – Market
capabilities mix segment
not just the product / installation / device
• look at how behaviour and engineering interact
• don’t assume that market demand only means meeting • Technical
• Product • Technical values
traditional needs • Manufacturing the • Position • Service values
• Financial X5
• value old and simple technologies – new and complex aren’t • Promotion • Reputation /
necessarily better. P’s • Price Relationship values
• Policies • Price

Dr Brian Procter
“Sustainable Development”, Roger Levett of Levett-Therivel sustainable consultants

Market Forces Market Forces

Applied to Sustainable Development
The Marketing Process
InInitially the imposition
time consumer demandsof legislation and
will play an agreements
increasing role
Push – legislation, ISO 14001
Pull

Pull – customers, shareholders,

competition, field maintenance
Company Market Market Legislation
Sustainable Consumer /
capabilities mix segment Development Society

• Technical • Kyoto protocol

• Product • Technical values • Prosperity • Technical values
• Manufacturing
• Position • Service values
• Johannesburg the • People • Service values
• Financial • EU directives X3
• Promotion • Reputation / • Planet • Reputation /
• UK gov. directives
• Price Relationship values • ISO standards P’s Relationship values
• Policies • Price • Price

Dr Brian Procter Dr Brian Procter

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 Making Progress Making Progress
Environmental data is beginning to become available
4 factors are helping to make progress
Attempts are being made to improve environmental data;
the most ambitious being the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment.
more decision-making at local level A revolution in environmental data collection is resulting from:
(conscience and Kyoto)
Computing power and modelling
• improving environmental data Satellite mapping
Remote sensing
Information technologies
• technology innovation
Good data will help markets work more robustly:
rise of market forces in environmental matters
Trading emission of CO2
Tracking fishing catches
Keeping track of elephants
Deforestation trends
Dr Brian Procter Climate change Dr Brian Procter

Making Progress The Engineer’s Role

Translating ideals into actions
New technology is not keeping pace with demand Volvo’s environmental priority strategy (EPS)
• apply a life-cycle analysis to evaluate environmental impact to
Industries have achieved dramatic improvements in guide designers, using an Environmental Index (EI)
• the EI developed with the Federation of Swedish Industries and
resource productivity, but … the Swedish Environmental Research Institute
these have not kept pace with resource consumption.
EI = scope x distribution x frequency or intensity x
durability x contribution x remediability
From 1970 to 1998 Where:
Scope = General impression of the environmental impact
• improvements in energy - 60% Distribution = Extent of affected area
efficiency reduced demand Frequency or = Regularity or intensity of the problem
per product unit Intensity in the affected area
Durability = Permanency of the effect
• while total energy consumption + 10% Contribution = Significance of 1 kg of the emission of the
increased substance in relation to the total effect
Remediability = Relative cost to reduce the emission by 1 kg
Dr Brian Procter The “environmental load factor” ELU per kg = EI x amount released

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 The Engineer’s Role The Engineer’s Role
Translating ideals into actions
VEKA upvc Windows example
Environmental Policy at 3M
Started in 1974, by introducing a corporate environmental policy. Previously, 100k windows were deposited in land fill sites in Germany.
New legislation introduced to control disposal of PVC material.
It set measurable environmental goals, e.g. to reduce its emissions
to land/sea/air by the year 2000 to 10% of its 1987 levels. VEKA is the world’s largest producer of PVC windows.
In 14 years this programme cut pollution by 50%.
VEKA developed a recycling process:
Prevention is more efficient than Containment • DM 30m plant built in Behringen
Initially effort was focused toward “end-of-line” containment, i.e. capturing • shredded windows are sorted into reusable glass, metals, PVC
emissions and pollution before it could reach the environment. • PVC is used in new products
3M later found it more efficient and less costly to focus on prevention by: • only 3% materials go to waste
- product reformulation
- process modifications Benefits:
- equipment redesign • customers are impressed with the whole life product philosophy
- resource recovery • VEKA have a sustained source of low cost material

Dr Brian Procter Dr Brian Procter

The Engineer’s Role The Engineer’s Role

Life cycle assessment examples
Rolls Royce Design for Sustainable Development DfSD Actions:
Aerospace: Blended Wing Body (BWB)
Systematic consideration of design performance 95% of emissions take • airframe design “BWB”
with respect to environmental, health and safety • engines & fuel
place over the operating life.
• operation & traffic
objectives over the full product and process life
Environmental Impact

management
cycle, without impairing the ability of the product to
fulfil its function.
Domestic appliance: Actions:
Energy and Resources most environmental impact • material selection
• clean manufacture
occurs at manufacture and disposal
• disposal controls
Raw Manu- Mainten-
materials facture Product
Assembly Life
Test Cycle
Use
ance
Disposal

Waste and emissions

Raw Manu- Mainten-
Assembly Test Use Disposal
materials facture ance
Environmental impacts
Rolls Royce lecture

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 The Engineer’s Role The Engineer’s Role
Life cycle assessment Life cycle assessment
A tool to assist in the evaluation of the environmental
burdens associated with a product from its cradle Increasing difficulty of application
(raw material extraction) to its grave (final disposal). and up-front costs

Design plays a key role because …

… 80% of all characteristics, including health, safety Cleaner

and environmental aspects are determined by the end Processes
of the design phase.
Cleaner
therefore … Products
… the design phase provides us with the greatest Sustainable
opportunity to balance environmental issues with Resource
existing considerations Use
Rolls Royce lecture Rolls Royce lecture

The Engineer’s Role The Engineer’s Role

Sustainable Development Sustainable Development
Cleaner Processes … … to cleaner products …

• Good housekeeping • Removing harmful environmental

practices by design
• Material substitution

• Process change • Shifting from “end-of-pipe” solutions

to “clean” design concepts
• Resource recovery

Rolls Royce lecture Rolls Royce lecture

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 The Engineer’s Role
Summary
Sustainable Development
• Principles
… to sustainable resource use.
• Evidence
• Goals
Product function achieved using new
design concepts which balance • The triple bottom line
• Prosperity
• People

economic, • Human factors • Planet

• Market Forces
social, and
the
environmental • Progress
X3
P’s

aspects • The Engineer’s role / Examples

Dr Brian Procter
Rolls Royce lecture

Websites
• Institute for European Environment Policy:
www.ieep.org.uk
• UK Government: www.defra.gov.uk/environment
• Forum for the Future: www.forumforthefuture.org.uk
• 2002 Earth Summit: www.johannesburgsummit.org
• World Business Council for Sustainable Development:
www.bcsd.org
• Centre for Sustainable and Environmental Management:
www.csem.org.uk
• Department of Trade and Industry – Sustainable Technologies Initiative:
www.dti.gov.uk/sti
• EUROPA - Directorate–General Energy and transport:
www.europa.eu.int/comms/dgs/energy_transport
• Conference: Design and Manufacture for Sustainable Development:
Cambridge 3-4 September 2003:
www.liv.ac.uk/sustain
Dr Brian Procter

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