Peter Tom Jones

In Terra Reversa werden alle citaten vertaald naar het Nederlands. Hieronder geven we de belangrijkste, oorspronkelijke Engelstalige citaten weer. Cf. p. 12 Terra Reversa. 

Hoofdstuk 1: Business as usual is geen optie meer 

‘Every society clings to a myth by which it lives. Ours is the myth of economic growth. For the last five decades the pursuit of growth has been the single most important policy goal across the world. The global economy is almost five times the size it was half a century ago. If it continues to grow at the same rate the economy will be 80 times that size by the year 2100. This extraordinary ramping up of global economic activity has no historical precedent. It’s totally at odds with our scientific knowledge of the finite resource base and the fragile ecology on which we depend for survival.’ (Tim Jackson, 2009)

Hoofdstuk 1 (vervolg)  

‘The growth imperative has shaped the architecture of the modern economy. It motivated the freedoms granted to the financial sector. It stood at least partly responsible for the loosening of regulations and the proliferation of unstable financial derivatives. Continued expansion of credit was deliberately courted as an essential mechanism to stimulate consumption growth. This model was always unstable ecologically. It has now proven itself unstable economically. The age of irresponsibility is not about casual oversight or individual greed. If there was irresponsibility it was systematic, sanctioned widely and with one clear aim in mind: the continuation and protection of economic growth. The failure of this strategy is disastrous in all sorts of ways. Not least for the impacts that it is having across the world, in particular in poorer communities. But the idea that growth can deliver us from the crisis is also deeply problematic. Responses which aim to restore the status quo, even if they succeed in the short term, simply return us to a condition of financial and ecological unsustainability.’ (Jackson, 2009) 

‘Growth (making an economy bigger) is not always consistent with development (making it better): the nearly fivefold expansion of global economic output per person between 1900 and 2000 caused the greatest environmental degradation in human history and coincided with the stubborn persistence of mass poverty.’ (Gardner en Prugh, 2008)

 ‘Global economic growth during the past century has lifted many into lives of unprecedented luxury. The cost has been the degradation of vital ecosystems – a cost borne disproportionately by the world’s poor.’ (Turner en Fisher, 2008) 

‘Scientists and society as a whole need to ask of our current economic paradigms in an era of globalization: why do they produce such inequities; who pays the costs; and are they ecologically and socially sustainable?’ (Turner en Fisher, 2008) 

‘The starting point for action and political leadership is recognition on the part of governments that they are confronted by what may be the gravest threat ever to have faced humanity. Facing up to that threat challenges at many levels. Perhaps most fundamental of all, it challenges the way that we think about progress.’ (UNDP, 2007)

 ‘Above all, there is an urgent need to develop a resilient and sustainable macro-economy that is no longer predicated on relentless consumption growth. The clearest message from the financial crisis of 2008 is that our current model of economic success is fundamentally flawed. For the advanced economies of the Western world, prosperity without growth is no longer a utopian dream. It is a financial and ecological necessity.’ (Jackson, 2009) 

‘The consequence of unequal footprints in an increasingly populated world is that for every country exceeding the global average capacity, there should be countries with a lower EF (either on the basis of less consumption or more efficient production).’ (van Vuuren & Smeets, 2000) 

Hoofdstuk 2: Mondiale klimaatpoker

 ‘Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable. We are faced now with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history there is such a thing as being too late…’ (Martin Luther King Jr., geciteerd in UNDP, 2007) -

 ‘…over the past 20 years, all the trends in the Sun that could have had an influence on the Earth’s climate have been in the opposite direction to that required to explain the observed rise in global mean temperatures’. (Lockwood en Fröhlich, 2007) 

‘Many people, some living, others yet to be born, will die from the effects of climate change. Is each death equally bad? How bad are those deaths collectively? Many people will die before they bear children, so climate change will prevent the existence of children who would otherwise have been born. Is their nonexistence a bad thing? By emitting greenhouse gases, are the rich perpetrating an injustice on the world’s poor? How should we respond to the small but real chance that climate change could lead to worldwide catastrophe?’ (Broome, 2008) 

‘The effects of climate change on health are inextricably linked to global development policy and concerns for health equity. Climate change should catalyse the drive to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and to expedite development in the poorest countries. Climate change also raises the issue of intergenerational justice. The inequity of climate change – with the rich causing most of the problem and the poor initially suffering most of the consequences –  will prove to be a source of historical shame to our generation if nothing is done to address it.’ (Costello e.a., 2009) 

‘Environmental scepticism is an elite-driven reaction to global environmentalism, organised by core actors within the conservative movement. Promoting scepticism is a key tactic of the anti-environmental counter-movement coordinated by CTTs, designed specifically to undermine the environmental movement’s efforts to legitimise its claims via science. Thus, the notion that environmental sceptics are unbiased analysts exposing the myths and scare tactics employed by those they label as practitioners of ‘junk science’ lacks credibility. Similarly, the self-portrayal of sceptics as marginalised ‘Davids’ battling the powerful ‘Goliath’ of environmentalists and environmental scientists is a charade, as sceptics are supported by politically powerful CTTs funded by wealthy foundations and corporations.’ (Jacques, Dunlap en Freeman, 2008)

Hoofdstuk 3: Transities meervoudig bekeken 

 ‘A tenfold reduction in resource consumption in the industrialised countries is a necessary long-term target if adequate resources are to be released for the needs of developing countries.’ (UNEP, 2000)  

‘Simplistic assumptions that capitalism’s propensity for efficiency will allow us to stabilise the climate or protect against resource scarcity are nothing short of delusional. Those who promote decoupling as an escape route from the dilemma of growth need to take a closer look at the historical evidence – and at the basic arithmetic of growth.’ (Jackson 2009)

 ‘Such is our present dilemma: politically acceptable policies for sustainability would be ecologically ineffective, while ecologically meaningful policies remain politically impossible (if not heretical). This situation is likely to remain as long as social schizofrenia and denial outweighs public awareness that our current mode of living is self-destructive’ (Wackernagel & Rees, 1997)

 ‘Particularly in the case of debt-laden individuals and companies, the present monetary and financial system exerts systematic pressure to achieve growth at any costs – regardless of whether it makes sense for the entities involved, or enhances the quality of life in a society or not. As we always have to pay back more than we got in the first place, we are forced to produce a cash-flow to pay back the debt.’ (Bruhnhuber e.a., 2005) 

 ‘We have no model for how common macro-economic ‘aggregates’ (production, consumption, investment, trade, capital stock, public spending, labour, money supply and so on) behave when capital doesn’t accumulate. Nor do our models properly account for the dependency of macro-economic variables such as resource use, reserves, emissions and ecological integrity.’ (Jackson, 2009)

 ‘Reducing the working week is the simplest and most often cited structural solution to the challenge of maintaining full employment with non-increasing output. (…) But it’s worth noting that there are some other more radical suggestions for reorganizing work to ensure equity and to encourage creative participation in society. These include the introduction of a basic (or citizen’s) income.’ (Jackson, 2009)  

‘Contrary to the mainstream participatory approach to policy-making that opt for developing broad consensus for policies, transition management can be seen as a selective participatory approach based on a ‘narrow’ and temporary consensus amongst frontrunners. The consensus is mainly sought in terms of problem definition and long-term ambition, allowing for innovation and competition between ideas, options and agendas on the short-term.’ (Loorbach, 2007)

 ‘Much more difficult is the guidance in the acceleration phase, because the direction of development in this phase is mainly determined by reactions which reinforce (or weaken) each other and cause autonomous dynamics, so that processes become more rapid. It is still possible at this stage to adjust the direction of development, but it is almost impossible to reverse it.’ (Rotmans e.a., 2001) 

‘Twenty years on from the Brundtland Report, the feasibiliy of such win-win outcomes looks more doubtful. Despite the two Earth Summits at Rio and Johannesburg, the publication of corporate environmental sustainability strategies becoming commonplace, and the launch of many innovative greener products, environmental and economic data demonstrate that the majority of trends continue to move away from sustainability.’ (Peattie en Peattie, 2009)

‘The current systems of governance are not sufficiently able to facilitate such a process: in existing policy and governance frameworks traditional instruments are used for sustainable development. Sustainable development is taken up in the context of regular policies as a separate subject, perhaps as part of the environmental agenda. However, through the establishment of for example new organizations, sustainability programmes or sustainability debates, sustainable development remains in a (environmental) niche, without leading to the much desired and needed shift in government and governance in general.’ (Loorbach, 2007) 

Hoofdstuk 4: Op weg naar fundamentele gedragswijzigingen

 ‘A concerted strategy is needed to make it easy to behave more sustainably: ensuring that incentive structures and institutional rules favour sustainable behaviour, enabling access to pro-environmental choice, engaging people in initiatives to help themselves, and exemplifying the desired changes within Government’s own policies and practices.’ (Jackson, 2005) 

‘To question consumption is, at one level, to question history itself. To engage in attempts to change consumption patterns and consumer behaviours is, in one sense, to tinker with fundamental aspects of our social world. And to proceed without acknowledging this degree of complexity and sophistication is to invite an inevitable failure.’ (Jackson, 2005)

 ‘Genetic succession depends on two critical factors: surviving long enough to reach reproductive age and finding a mate. So human nature is conditioned by the need to get the material, social and sexual resources required for these tasks. In particular, argues evolutionary psychology, people are predisposed to ‘position’ themselves constantly in relation to the opposite sex and against their sexual competitors.’ (Jackson, 2008)

 ‘We believe that the misrepresentation of facts and views, both of which occur in your programme, are so serious that repeated broadcasts of the programme, without amendment, are not in the public interest… In fact, so serious and fundamental are the misrepresentations that the distribution of the DVD of the programme without their removal amounts to nothing more than an exercise in misleading the public.’ (geciteerd in Adam, 2007) 

 ‘Lured by humanity’s evolutionary roots, bombarded with persuasion, and seduced by novelty: consumers are like children in a candy store, knowing that sugar is bad to eat, but unable to resist the temptation. This is a system in which no one is free. People are trapped by their own desires.’ (Jackson, 2008)

 ‘The competitive market system [also] rewards companies that make people dependent via the promotion of greed, fear, and addictions, that externalize costs, and draw hitherto freely available non-market goods into a market context.’ (Tukker e.a., 2008)

 ‘It seems that a coherent planetary politics for a sustainable and just future will need a powerful new historical agent to drive it forward. Specifically, this is likely to require a far more aware and engaged global citizenry to broaden and deepen the political space for a Policy Reform platform, and to put the possibility of Great Transition on the agenda.’ (Raskin, 2008)

 ‘The greening of economies and provision of decent work for just a few will not suffice to meet the environmental and sociale challenges currently faced worldwide. Such a piecemeal approach will generate neither the consensus nor the momentum needed to avert climate change and will be hardly conductive to the creation of stable societies. Just transitions are needed both for those affected by the transformation to a green economy and also for those having to adapt to climate change. (…) Meaningful social dialogue will be essential to ease tensions and to arrive at effective cost-sharing and resource allocations (…) The affected workers and communities need adequate sociale protection, along with access to new opportunities.’ (UNEP e.a., 2008)

 ‘... only the changes which keep up the existing order, or enhance the narrow power-related interests of the dominating actors, will materialize more or less easily. The rest is a power struggle in which timing, coalition-building, persistence and thorough knowledge about the field in question is of importance.’ (Bogelund, 2007) 

Hoofdstuk 5: De transitie naar duurzame mobiliteit 

‘A wide range of intractable problems such as polluting emissions, noise, accidents, resource depletion, and inaccessibility of amenities are associated with the current transport regime. Given the slow movement towards a more sustainable mobility system, more radical, systemic innovation – a ‘transition’ – is required. Broadly speaking, this may be achieved via three routes: technological change, modal shift, and reduced travel demand.’ (Nykvist en Whitmarsh, 2008) 

‘The development of these [sustainable mobility] solutions presents a great challenge to society, the governance system, and the market place, owing to the entrenchment of the car-petroleum system. The resilience of this system is enormous, not only for economic and infrastructural reasons, but also because of the resistance by the vested interest of powerful societal actors, such as car and gasoline manufacturers, filling stations, dealers and repair shops, and of the scientific and technological infrastructure that endorses the present situation.’ (Vergragt en Brown, 2007)  

Hoofdstuk 6: De transitie naar duurzame voeding

 ‘Current trends in food choices point toward increased environmental effects. More environmentally friendly diets need to be identified. When environmental and health aspects of diets are considered, there is no apparent contradiction. (…) a Mediterranean diet, which consists mainly of plant-origin foods but not excluding a small proportion of meat and other animal products, is closer to public health recommendations issued by the World Health Organization and has a lower environmental effect than the current average US diet. Current agricultural policies may be counterproductive for achieving diets that are healthy and environmentally friendly. New agricultural policies are needed that consider a reduction of environmental effects as well as a shift toward improved public health and, in particular, a reduction of noncommunicable chronic diseases.’ (Carlsson-Kayama en Gonzalez, 2009) 

‘The livestock sector emerges as one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global. The findings of this report suggest that it should be a major policy focus when dealing with problems of land degradation, climate change and air pollution, water shortage and water pollution and loss of biodiversity. Livestock’s contribution to environmental problems is on a massive scale and its potential contribution to their solution is equally large. The impact is so significant that it needs to be addressed with urgency. Major reductions in impact could be achieved at reasonable cost.’ (FAO, 2006) 

 ‘An agricultural landscape should simultaneously provide food and fiber, meet the needs of nature and biodiversity, and support viable livelihoods for people who live there. In terms of climate change, landscape and farming systems should actively absorb and store carbon in vegetation and soils (…) five strategies [that] are especially promising: enriching soil carbon, creating high-carbon cropping systemsn promoting climate-friendly livestock production systems (sic), protecting existing carbon stores in natural forests and grasslands, and restoring vegetation in degraded lands.’ (Scherr en Sthapit, 2009) 

Hoofdstuk 7: De transitie naar duurzaam toerisme

 ‘Evidence suggests that tourism is fundamentally changing the relationships individualshave with society and nature in a way detrimental to the goals of sustainable development.Ultimately, the findings might explain the rapid growth in this industry as a selfreinforcingprocess. Sustainable tourism—or the notion that development can be managedin an environmentally neutral way—might thus be a contradiction in terms.’ (Gössling, 2002b) 

‘In a global environment marked by rising intolerance and cross-cultural tensions, often exacerbated by the economic divide between nations, tourism can foster spiritual and cultural respect among and between peoples, while creating economic opportunities to benefit disadvantaged populations.’ (Ban Ki-moon, geciteerd in Cole en Razak, 2009) 

 ‘Uncontrolled tourism can have a number of negative impacts on the environment. It can lead to an over-exploitation of natural resources and generate significant increases in volumes of waste. It can also create irreversible changes to the landscape and historical and cultural heritage of regions.’ (European Commission, 2005)

 ‘“I don’t know if the Africans can make it to manage this place”, “they should improve their educational system”, “they are slow here”, “they feel like we can teach them something”, “their way of life is primitive” (…).’ (geciteerd in Gössling, 2002b) ‘Zanzibar is marketed by tourism as tropical paradise, a happier, “better” place characterised by individual freedom, peace, abundance of food, and free sex. Extensive white beaches, blue waters, green palm trees, fishermen at work, and topless or bikini-wearing women are the corresponding symbols, which are presented and marketed […] These symbols are ultimately built on the image of paradise that came into being during the 18th century and still persists today.’ (Fagan, 1998)

 ‘Most tools and strategies targeting the societal change needed for sustainable consumption belong to awareness raising category. (…) People have other reasons for not behaving in a responsible manner, related to habits, convenience, personal preferences. As research shows the effectiveness of measures to change tourist behavior depends directly on individual’s reason for acting wrongfully (…) While informative tools are indispensable for creating a shift to sustainable tourist consumption, they have to be completed with strategies addressing hindrance factors too.’ (Budeanu, 2007) 

Hoofdstuk 8: De transitie naar duurzaam wonen en (ver)bouwen

 ‘Lifestyle changes can reduce GHG [greenhouse gas] emissions. Changes in lifestyles and consumption patterns that emphasize resource conservation can contribute to developing a low-carbon economy that is both equitable and sustainable. (…) Changes in occupant behavior, cultural patterns and consumer choice and use of technologies can result in considerable reduction in CO₂ emissions related to energy use in buildings.’ (IPCC, 2007) 

 ‘The dream house is also a single-family house situated nearly alone in the nature with an excellent see view. (…) There is a large share of homeowners in Norway, and this is culturally rooted. (…) The main norm is that it should be comfortable and large. This is also linked to conspicuous [status] consumption…’ (Throne-Holst e.a., 2006) 

Hoofdstuk 9: Change or be changed

 ‘Future generations will pass a harsh judgment on a generation that looked at the evidence on climate change, understood the con­sequences and then continued on a path that consigned millions of the world’s most vulnerable people to poverty and exposed future generations to the risk of ecological disaster’ (UNDP, 2007)