LAS555
JAN 2021
SUSTAINABLE ETHICS
LAr RAFIUDDIN ROSLAN
CoSLA
To understand sustainable ethic, we first examine the predominant
ethic of today industrial society – Frontier Ethic
A frontier ethic assumes that the earth has an
unlimited supply of resources. If resources run out in
one area, more can be found elsewhere or alternatively
human ingenuity will find substitutes. This attitude sees
humans as masters who manage the planet. The
frontier ethic is completely anthropocentric (human-
centered), for only the needs of humans are considered.
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Frontier Ethic tenetby
is characterized
s
1. The earth has an unlimited supply of resources for exclusive human
use. In other words, “ there is always more, and it’s all for us. The
belief that the earth has an unlimited capacity to assimilate
pollution from human activities.
2. Human are apart of nature, rather than a part of it. In other words,
we can survive without nature systems and are immune to the
natural forces and Ecological laws that effect all other organisms.
3. Human success is best achieved through the domination and control
of nature. The Frontier mentality has been a part of human thinking
for tens of thousand of year 3
Sustainable Ethics
A sustainable ethic is an environmental ethic by which
people treat the earth as if its resources are limited and
that humans must use and conserve resources in a manner
that allows their continued use in the future. A sustainable
ethic also assumes that humans are a part of the natural
environment and that we suffer when the health of a
natural ecosystem is impaired.
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Sustainab The earth has a limited supply of resources.
le Ethics
Tenets Humans must conserve resources.
Humans share the earth’s resources with other
living things.
Growth is not sustainable.
Humans are a part of nature.
Humans are affected by natural laws.
Humans succeed best when they maintain the
integrity of natural processes and cooperate with
nature.
Sustainable Ethics
Frontier Ethics Sustainable Ethics
• Earth’s resources is limited by • Materials needed to build
size and content. societies are limited.
• Humans have carrying • Materials that can regenerate
capacities and limiting factors like wood or livestock are
that control our population just called renewable resources.
like any other organism. • Materials that can not
• Each human measures their regenerate like oil and
success differently with respect minerals are called non-
to their environment. renewable resources.
• Indefinite frontier ethic can not • Successful societies will
be successful. concentrate on using
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conservation and renewable
resources.
The frontier ethic may be replaced by a more
sustainable view
Aldo Leopold described a land ethic that
called on people to view themselves as a
part of the environment and to discard the
notion of humans as conquerors of nature
Because ethics are the foundation of human behavior,
changes in the way we think could begin to alter the
way we act.
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Ethics and
SUSTAINABILITY
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Sustainable is characterized by
1. Learn to live within our means
2. Everything must remain in balance
3. If we could not attain the whole balance, we should at
least make sure that humanity and ecosystem survive
4. We must imagine that earth is a closed system
5. We have to re examine the ides of growth, social, equity,
consumption and standard of living.
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To predict We have to
the stop being
consequence too
s of your own anthropocent
actions ric
To imagine Without
how the ethics we will
future is become
going to look predatorily
like arrogant
The ability To “Always at
Ask The king and
Ethics and
Question never giving
‘WHAT Sustainability back”
THEN’ attitude
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Principles of
Sustainability
Develop a new way of
understanding ourselves and
our relationship with nature.
Accept the fact that our cultural
beliefs and practices are
disrupting the sustaining
capacities of ecosystem.
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Principles of
Sustainability
We should not dominate other
species on earth.
Study more on deep ecology –
seek balance and harmony
between individuals,
communities and the whole
nature.
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Principles of
Sustainability
Develop the approach : “Cause
no unnecessary harm” to all
creatures, beings and lives.
Individualism is very outdated,
we do have community and
responsibility.
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Principles of
Sustainability
Stop being ignorant about the
relationship of trade, finance
and sustainability.
Quality is more important than
quantity.
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SUSTAINABLE
Development & Society
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“Development that meets
the needs of the present
without compromising the
ability of future generations
to meets their needs.”
World Commission on Environment
and Development, WCED
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The AIM is to meet human
needs without bankrupting
the earth
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HUMAN NEEDS
..the need for clean, healthy environment.
..the need for recreation and good living
environment.
..and a long and healthy life, good education
and a good standard of living.
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Sustainable Development
Embodies a powerful idea – the
notion of intergenerational
equity or fairness to future
generations.
Intergenerational equity is the
responsibility of each generation
to ensure that the next
generation receive
undiminished natural resources
and economic opportunity.
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Sustainable Development
All generations are stakeholders
in the planet’s well being and
given certain rights and
obligations.
The present generation have the
right to enjoy and profit from
the Earth; but we are also
obligated to our descendants in
a condition as good as or better
than we received it.
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stainable development : CREATING A NEW RELATIONSHI
Environm
ent Physical
Social
Environm
Social
Physical ent
Addressed Addressed
independently 21 simultaneously
Sustainable Dependence – human are dependent on a clean,
Developme healthy environment for many goods and services vital to
nt our personal and economic well-being
Principles
Biophysical Limits – very real biophysical limits exist in
(Ecological) the planet’s ability to supply resources and absorb wastes
from human civilization
Living Within The Carrying Capacity Of The
Environment – living sustainably on the Earth require
steps to live within the Earth’s biophysical limits
Interdependence – the fate of the environment is in our
hands. What we do or don’t do will profoundly affect the
natural environment in ways that could have serious
consequences for virtually all living thing.
Sustainable Intergenerational Equity – present generation have an
Developme obligation to meet their needs in ways that do not
nt foreclose on future generations.
Principles
(Social)
Intragenerational Equity – Present generations also
have an obligation to act in ways that do not impair the
present generation from meeting their needs.
Ecological Justice – Human actions should not
endanger other species which also have an inherent right
to the resources they need to survive.
Sustainable Participation – building a sustainable future will require
Developme unprecedented participation from all sectors of society
nt
Principles
(Political)
Cooperation – creating a sustainable society will require
cooperation among many different participants.
Addressing The Root Causes – successful solution will
require efforts that address the root causes of the
problems
Our Common
Future
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The opportunity for improvement
arrived when a new philosophy
called ‘sustainable development’
was introduced in 1987 in
Brundtland Report.
Gro Harlem Brundtland
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The Brundtland Report:
Our Common Future
The World Commission on
Environment and Development
(WCED) Report (1987) by Gro
Harlem Brundtland
Inform world the urgency of
making progress toward
economic development that
could be sustained without
depleting natural resources, or
harming environment. 27
Sustainable Development
Components
Economic
Environment Social Equity
Growth
• Conserve and • Developing • Developed
enhance our nations must nations shd be
resource base, be allowed to allowed a
by changing meet their growth of
the ways we basic equal equity to
develop and employment, developing
use technology food, energy, nations.
water and
sanitation.
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World Event
Many progressive world events had taken place to
increase the awareness on environment and
sustainability agendas, including:
Kyoto Washington
Johannesbu
Rio Earth Conference Earth
Maastricht rg Earth
Summit on Global Observation
Treaty 1992 Summit
1992 Warming Summit
2002
1997 2003
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The ideas and strategies initiated by these
world events have prompted positive actions
and plans by many countries to implement
and absorb this philosophy within their
industries.
Subset to this philosophy is sustainable
construction, which described the
responsibility of the construction industry to
attain sustainability
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Rio Earth Summit 1992
The largest environment
conference held (30,000
attended inc 100 heads of
states) in Rio de Janeiro, 1992.
Focused and agreed on 3 major
issues:
Biodiversity,
Climatic change and
Forest Management.
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Rio Earth Summit 1992
The Convention on Biological
Diversity
Principles of Forest Management
Rio Declaration on Environment
and Development
Agenda 21
The Framework Convention on
Climatic Change 32
Sustainable Construction in
Malaysia
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Sustainable Construction
in Malaysia
Since 2000, the industry
consistently contribute 3- 5% of
the national GDP
Challenges have been in the
areas of productivity, quality,
safety, technology, and
unproductive practices.
The government is now striving
to upgrade the country,
including its construction
industry, by committing toward
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Vision 2020.
Sustainable Construction
in Malaysia
One of the basic visions that
emerged is for the country to be
ecologically sustainable. This
basic vision has become an
impetus toward sustainability
agenda in the country.
The issue of sustainable
development has emerged as
one of the top issues in the
Eight Malaysia Plan (2001–
2005). 35
SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABLE
CONSTRUCTION
Principle Principle Principle Principle Principle
Principle 3 4 5 6 7
1 Principle
2 Use Protect Create a Apply life Pursue
Minimize renewable the healthy, cycle cost quality in
resource Maximize
or natural non-toxic analysis creating
consumpti resource
recyclable environm environm and true the built
on reuse
resources ent ent cost environm
(conserv (reuse) ent
e) (renew - (protect (non- (economi
recycle) nature) toxics) cs) (quality)
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Sustainable Construction
Project
Tanarimba in Malaysia
at Janda Baik,
Pahang.
Tanarimba is a sustainable
housing project that blends
man-made and natural elements
in an exciting concept of
ecologically sensitive
community development and
also introduces the world to eco-
tourism opportunities in
Malaysian highlands. The project
has been dubbed as the 37
forefront of the ecological
Sustainable Construction
Project in Malaysia
DDC Project
Demonstration and
Documentation Centre for
Sustainable Urban Household
Energy Usage launched in 2004
by the Centre for Environment,
Technology and Development,
Malaysia (CETDEM). This project
pioneered the construction of
urban energy saving house
(CETDEM, 2006). 38
Sustainable Construction
Project in Malaysia
Malaysia Energy Centre (PTM)
An energy-efficiency building by
constructing a zero energy
office building (ZEO) at Bandar
Baru Bangi, Selangor (PTM,
2006).
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It’s a Wrap!
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Sustainable Thinking
• The term ‘sustainable
development’ should be
changed to ‘developing
sustainability
• We should show some respect
for biodiversity and on-going
ecological system
• Most of the efforts are only
superficial, it is actually not
only concerned on what
material to choose in building
a visitor Centre, it is more
than that.
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Sustainable Thinking
• A good designer would inquire
deeply into purposes and
consequences, is it worth
doing.
• Sustainable thinking involves
everyone, not only the built
environment professionals.
Even the smallest matter like
how to handle your own
backyard need sustainable
thinking.
• Sustainable thinking would
address the problem not the
symptoms.
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THANK YOU!
LAr Rafiuddin Roslan
Phone
012-6453523
Email
[email protected]
Revision!
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What to look into?
Fundament Ethical Worldwiew Ethics + Sustainable
al Definition Foundation Arguments Religion Ethics
• Environment • Principles • Ideology • Direction • Developmen
al • Impacts • Human • Characteristi t Concept
Phenomeno Response c • Technology
n and Ethics
• Theories
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