Order information...A UNU Public Forum on Defining and Measuring Sustainability: The Biogeophysical Foundations was held on Tuesday, 7 November 1995, from 1:15 to 2:45 p.m. in the Dag Hammarskjold Library Auditorium. Dr. Walter Shearer, Senior Economic Affairs Officer at the United Nations, was the guest speaker.
Dr. Shearer's presentation was based upon a recent study jointly undertaken by the UNU and the World Bank with the primary aims of exploring the prospects of establishing a scientifically rigorous definition and set of measures for sustainability, and providing useful policy considerations for the international development community. The motivation for the study derives from the age-old concern about humanity's impact on the environment and the ultimate carrying capacity of the earth.
A volume emanating from the study has been published by the UNU and the World Bank. The contributions to the volume are organized into the following sections: (1) major issues that affect all ecosystems in relation to biogeophysical sustainability, including the key concepts and terminology of sustainable development, limits to the sustainable use of resources, cumulative effects, and atmosphere and climate; (2) case studies of locations where the environment and society's reactions have been examined in great depth by specialists; and (3) reports on a variety of managed ecosystems for which leading scientists provide their expert opinion on the current status of biogeophysical indicators of sustainability.
Approximately 45 people attended the Forum, including staff members from the Department of Development Support and Management Services (DDSMS), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Department for Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis (DESIPA), Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development (DPCSD), Department of Public Information (DPI), and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Representatives from the Missions of China, Indonesia, Kenya, and Portugal, as well as from the Near East Foundation, the United Nations Association (UNA-USA) and the City University of New York also attended.