Michael von Hauff

Sustainable Product Lifecycle Management: A Lifecycle based Conception of Monitoring a Sustainable Product Development

Several solutions for the monitoring of sustainability of product development processes have been developed but the subject is still not solved satisfactorily. All of them focus on the three dimensions of sustainability as single pillars. In this paper a monitoring concept is being proposed, that is based on the Integrated Sustainability Triangle. The concept introduces a method for the quantification and monitoring of sustainability by using an integrated interpretation of the 21st century paradigm dimensions. In addition, the concept includes parameters on the whole product lifecycle. It contributes to extending the Product Lifecycle Management concept.

International cooperation in the protection of the environment in emerging markets – the case of India

The continuation of Indias positive economic development in the future depends to a great extent on whether India succeeds in significantly reducing its enormous environmental problems. International cooperation on improving environmental quality could benefit both, India as well as industrialised countries supporting sustainability – by means of financial as well as technological transfers – in the developing world. In future, especially policies in the shape of adaptation to climate change will become very important, as we illustrate for the water sector in India.

Sustainable Development – Background and Context

The debate about sustainability can be traced back into the eighteenth century. It was revived following the publication of the Brundtland Report “Our Common Future” (1987) and the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro (1992). Since then, interest has been focused on developing new concepts between the seemingly opposing paradigms of strong and weak sustainable development as well as on their application in practice. Moreover, sustainable development entails normative implications that affect inter- and intragenerational justice.

Sustainable Development in Economics

The new paradigm of sustainable development has not yet penetrated all of the business sciences. Although the concept has found its way into management studies in business administration programs, as well as into marketing and other subdisciplines, most economists have ignored the topic. Two contrasting positions are identifiable in the relatively few publications to date that deal with this subject: The position advocated in neoclassical economics stands in irreconcilable opposition to that of “ecological” economics. The proponents of both disciplines, however, initially start with the premise of intergenerational equity, which states that the lifestyles of current generations may not jeopardize the quality of life of future generations (WCED, Our common future, Oxford, 1987, p. 43).

Economic Growth: Opportunity or Risk

The assessment of economic growth is a subject of intensive controversy. This controversy is not a new one. In 1967, Mishan outlined the negative consequences of economic growth in his book entitled “The Costs of Economic Growth”. A characteristic feature of the current debate is that the controversy is becoming more diversified through the approaches of proponents and opponents.

Sustainable Development Policy: A European Perspective

In working with our clients, we recognize that many projects have the potential to change and sometimes transform local environmental and social conditions, generating both positive and negative effects. Our role is to provide engineering and scientific expertise to support our clients in addressing sustainable development challenges, working within a framework in which the use of natural capital and the creation of economic and social capital will be achieved in a balanced way, in the interest of existing and future generations.

Towards Sustainable Economies

In the current sustainability debate with economic justifications, other areas such as sustainable consumption clearly indicate that a decentralized level of execution is required to implement a sustainable development paradigm.

Anforderungen an nachhaltige Gewerbegebiete

Die Volkergemeinschaft hat sich auf der Konferenz der United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCTAD) in Rio de Janeiro im Jahr 1992 zu dem Leitbild der Nachhaltigen Entwicklung verpflichtet. Es waren 178 Nationen die sich zur Nachhaltigen Entwicklung als Leitbild des 21. Jahrhunderts bekannten. Die Weltkonferenz, aber auch die Folgekonferenz im Jahr 2002 in Johannesburg fuhrte dazu, dass dieses Leitbild international eine grose Popularitat und eine wachsende Gestaltungsorientierung erfahren hat. Besondere Beachtung erfuhr die Agenda 21 als handlungsleitendes Programm. Das Programm besteht aus einer Vielzahl von Zielen und Masnahmen die fur die Trager Nachhaltiger Entwicklung eine klare Richtung vorgeben. In der Folge wurden Ansatze bzw. Konzepte entwickelt, die versuchen die Forderungen der Agenda 21 in Politik, Gesellschaft und Wirtschaft zu integrieren (v. Hauff, Kleine 2009, S. 11). Besondere Bekanntheit haben die zahlreichen Aktivitaten von Kommunen zur lokalen Agenda 21 erfahren. Aber auch auf nationaler und internationaler Ebene entstanden handlungsorientierte Ansatze wie beispielsweise die nationalen Nachhaltigkeitsstrategien. Als weitere Trager Nachhaltiger Entwicklung werden in der Agenda 21 auch Unternehmen genannt. Gewerbegebiete wurden jedoch bisher als potenzielle Trager nicht erkannt, obwohl sie – wie in diesem Beitrag gezeigt wird – einen grosen Beitrag zur Nachhaltigen Entwicklung leisten konnen, d.h. vielfach einen groseren Beitrag als einzelne Unternehmen zu leisten vermogen.

Von der Ökologischen Ökonomie zur Industrial Ecology Science

Das Thema von der okologischen Okonomie zur Industrial Ecology Science erfordert zunachst einige inhaltliche Klarungen der zentralen Kategorien bzw. Ansatze. Fur die Okologische Okonomie steht ein umweltpolitisch orientiertes Leitbild nachhaltiger Entwicklung, das die Beziehung der beiden Kategorien Okologie und Okonomie in den Mittelpunkt stellt. Die Okologische Okonomie geht weit uber die herrschenden Ansatze, insbesondere der neoklassischen Orientierung, hinaus. Die Okologische Okonomie basiert auf der starken Nachhaltigkeit die eine Substitution von Natur- durch Sachkapital grundsatzlich in Frage stellt. Die Vertreter der Okologischen Nachhaltigkeit pladieren fur die uneingeschrankte Erhaltung lebenswichtiger Okosysteme. Die Industrial Ecology wiederum basiert ganz wesentlich auf der Okologischen Okonomie, wobei sie sich – wie aus der Begrifflichkeit deutlich wird – auf den Industriesektor konzentriert.

Challenges for the National Sustainability Strategy of India

A commitment was made by the international community of nations to develop national sustainability strategies by the year 2002. The World Summit of Sustainable Development (WSSD) convened in Johannesburg in 2002 and pressed once again those nations that had not developed a national sustainability strategy as of the deadline to honor their commitments. A sustainability strategy, according to Agenda 21, develops and implements sustainable growth as a collaborative, participative, and comprehensive process: