ROUNDTABLE: Sustainable Development in a Contested World

Abstract

Sustainable development aims to develop mechanisms that allow civilization’s progress without degradation of the environment and natural resources, while pursuing the socio-economic aspirations of contemporary and future societies. The process of defining and studying sustainable development is dominated by the paradigm, within which the phenomenon is divided into three dimensions: ecological, economic and social. The triple paradigm, is also evident when defining the objectives of sustainable development, which are Environmental objectives The protection of the Earth’s atmosphere, natural resources and human health. Economic objectives Full employment at acceptable quality of work, adequate income, and economic development within the natural space and price stability. Social (or socio-cultural) objectives Social security, social integration and equitable life chances, quality of life and health. The Roundtable will emphasise that such a division is not justified because it results in divided, partial implementation of these aspects in strategies and programs within public policies. The Roundtable is built upon a holistic paradigm of sustainable development in the sense of simultaneous, collision-free implementation of all aspects of development leading to the wellbeing of societies. However, depending on the adopted axiological system and the level of socio-economic development, the paradigm and scope of its implementation is being contested. It therefore gathers representatives from all the research areas involved: political and social effects of climate change, including environmental justice and gender perspective alternative visions of anti-capitalist socio-economic models the spiral of economic growth as a modern version of the age-old question of social relationships between the capital and work alternative modes of economic and social exchange, including credit unions, alternative currencies, sustainable consumption, social enterprises, and their performance in relation to and beyond the economic mainstream.