Sustainche™ thinks about Public Participation and a Grass-Root-Parliament in the Spa (I)

No, Sustainche doesn’t like to comment the recent United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen; at least not directly and not now … . Sustainche likes to think about participation.

Sustainche is absolutely sure that Sustainable Development can only be achieved on the basis of broad public participation. Public participation may start in the villages, spreads into the region and finally arrives on a country and EU-wide level. Sustainche is quite aware of the difficulties of such a process: The higher level public participation reaches the farer it disappears from citizens’ normal life. This is why Sustainche sees the driving engine of Sustainable Development still being allocated in the village, towns and regions, even though a framework of common understanding is being formulated on a national or even supra-national level.

Sustainche has learnt that in Germany as early as 1995 – only 3 year after the UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 – Agenda 21 groups started to be founded by their own right on a community level. This was a real grass-root approach. Although the enthusiasm of the first years in the meantime disappeared, various Agenda 21 processes simply collapsed because of unprofessional guidance and today there is a general feeling that the most obvious things have been done, local communities supported by regional management keep on being the heart of the change management towards a better quality of life. 

In this respect, Sustainche asks himself what Parliaments do at the moment and what shall be the future tasks of Parliaments. In the past parliaments at all levels only jumped behind the citizens’ serious wish in favour of sustainable development. During the first years during the 1990ies local mayors as well as local parliaments feared that with the Agenda 21 groups some kind of competing parliament with a true revolutionary spirit would be established. This fear of course was unjustified; revolutionary spirit is not a German behavioural speciality. Agenda 21 groups and fora rather found their place as an advisory board to support local parliaments in designing and implementing specific projects. 

To be concluded

Sustainche™ thinks about Buridan’s Donkey (II)

Concluded

Sustainche, although being only a small Polar Bear and refugee due to climate change, knows that it is possible to eat and drink one by one. For those whose free mind is a bit stuck it might be helpful to first of all have a look on Buridan’s Donkey’s belly: fat belly – drink first; slim belly – eat first. In natural environments like Polar Regions and African deserts this way of decision making is very natural and quick. In chubby artificial environments and societies, however, it seems already enough to organize a ‘Global Climate Conference’ in Copenhagen following the perception: ‘Isn’t it good that we’ve talked about drinking and eating ?’ However, even if (perhaps … ?) the international drinking-or-eating-community? would agree on the target that it is ‘acceptable’ to ‘allow’ the Earth’s atmosphere to warm up maximum 2°C: What is than ? Would this make human mammals start drinking more and eat less ? And, if there would be no agreement on limiting greenhouse gases emissions (which means no move at all): Can THIS be regarded as to be THE disaster ? “Well, this can only be called ‘disaster-entertainment’, a topic which can be discussed over and over again in all world media for months. Strange human mammals”, Sustainche shakes his head. Sustainche and his friends in the Polar Regions would never ever have thought about doing something that could have destroyed their surrounding environment ! 

Sustainche is quite aware of the fact that Germany has a very special Buridan’s Donkey problem. The problem’s name is Angela Merkel, who is the recently re-elected Chancellor and the felt ‘mother’ of this great country. Pictorially speaking, Angela (‘Mutti’) Merkel has the deliberate opinion that Planet Earth and the automobile jobs in Germany should sit together and achieve a common solution. Common solutions are important ! “Well, ‘Mutti’ Merkel,” Sustainche thinks, “I’d like to invite you to real Mother Nature – not only for a few hours of photo shooting … – and to organize such a meeting in my home Polar World. I can ensure you that Mother Nature provides enough stimulating arguments, and thus will teach you in the shortest possible time where to start … eating or drinking. Hello, honourable Mrs. Chancellor and Doctor of Physics, Planet Earth is a real wild thing and you can not discuss with a chaotic atmospheric system … this system will simply wipe out everybody who can not understand anything … ”

http://www.stuttmann-karikaturen.de/karikaturen/kari_20081211_Eisschollen.gif

Sustainche™ thinks about Buridan’s Donkey (I)

Sustainche enjoys watching ‘Polar Bear, Zebra and Company’ zoo animals TV. Today he followed how penguinche named Fritz tried to escape from his small zoo world. When Fritz found himself in freedom he immediately asked himself the famous sentence: ‘Now I’m in freedom, but where to go ?’ Fritz was captured. Sustainche also is happy seeing Indian elephantche babies Shila, Shahrukh und Rani playing around. One day he would love to observe elephantches in their natural savannah environment in Africa … real African elephantches ! Sustainche is fascinated by donkey Charlie. He remembers that from time to time he took pleasure in visiting a similar donkey near to his home in Stip, Macedonia. Sustainche has the impression that it is quite pleasant being a donkey: Charlie always finds something to eat and if he doesn’t want to move, nothing and nobody can make him move …

Charlie reminds Sustainche on Buridan’s Donkey. Buridan’s Donkey is an illustration of a paradox in philosophy in the conception of free will. It refers to a hypothetical situation wherein a donkey, placed precisely midway between a stack of hay and pail of water, will die of both hunger and thirst since it cannot make any rational decision to choose one over the other and therefore makes no move at all. The paradox is named after the 14^th century French philosopher Jean Buridan, although it did not originate in Buridan’s time. It dates to ancient times, being first found in Aristotle’s – of course ! – On the Heavens. 

Sustainche can’t ignore his feeling that human mammals behave like Buridan’s Donkey. Mankind makes no move because it is as hungry as it is thirsty and is positioned exactly between food and drink: ‘Clear, climate change is a problem, but so is to keep our achieved living standard’. ‘Yes, human mammals enjoy watching small Polar Bear Knut in Berlin Zoo, but why driving less with private cars in order to preserve Knut’s ancestors original Polar home ?’ ‘Of course we want and we need to fight climate change, but not at the expense of our 833,000 employees somehow connected with the German automobile industry.’ Sustainche feels that human mammals experience a classical ‘but’-dilemma of free will. This refers to mankind in large, as well as to societies and social groups. Even farmers in Afghanistan and drug dealers on a worldwide scale can argue that their jobs are endangered if heroin production is prohibited. 

To be concluded

Sustainche™ remembers a Good Banker

Sustainche in the meantime is well known for his – let’s say – scepticism against banks and bankers. Banks and bankers are something like a different universe that Sustainche can’t enjoy. To enjoy is important for Sustainche :-) 

For Polar Bear Sustainche it is very natural to think about ‘Bad Banks’. In this respect he was surprised when during the public discussion about the ‘Global Financial Crisis’ ‘Bad Banks’ became a terminus technicus in the official banking world. “Comical human mammals”, Sustainche has a good laugh. Today accounts are virtually washed clean by allocating tremendous losses (or what is called ‘toxic assets’ … language is unmasking) in Bad Banks. In consequence and if there exist Bad Banks, it is only logic if there are also Good Banks.

Good Banks would be something that Sustainche likes. However, Good Banks need ‘Good Bankers’ … ? Sustainche undertook extensive efforts in finding good bankers. Mr. Josef Ackermann, the famous CEO of the famous German Bank, was dismissed first. With his research Sustainche, however, found another CEO of the German Bank who complied with his personal perception. It is Mr. Alfred Herrhausen. Alfred Herrhausen was assassinated on 30^th November 1989, a few weeks after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Sustainche already reported about this historic event. Although until today nobody could be personally named as to be suspect in murder of Mr. Herrhausen, third generation terrorists of the German Red Army Faction (RAF) are held accountable. 

Not only Sustainche wonders why the RAF should have murdered Mr. Herrhausen. Barely because he was the highest representative of a huge capitalistic institute … ? Sustainche found an interesting document. During the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund in Washington D.C. in 1987 and after intensive discussions with the Mexican President Miguel de Madrid, Alfred Herrhausen made his international bankers colleagues outraged by proposing a debt relief for developing countries. Mr. Herrhausen’s analysis was clear and easy enough so that also Sustainche can understand the central message: developing countries will never be able to pay back their credits, and in any case they would, it would even worsen the entire economical situation. Thus an agreed re-launch of the economy is more feasible. 

This example shows how much Mr. Herrhausen was ahead of the times and therefore his banker colleagues immediately declared his initiative as to be something like an ‘intellectual remark’ … nothing else. It was not ! Today many reasonable people around the globe realize as precisely as Alfred Herrhausen 22 years ago that the International Monetary Fund’s and World Bank’s policy is nothing to nominate for the Nobel Peace Prize awarded in Oslo. Being a refugee due to climate change, Sustainche would rather send these IMF and WB guys to be awarded in The Hague …  

Sustainche has no doubt that Mr. Herrhausen broke a taboo of the international banking world. He looked beyond the small plate of banking business and shareholder value, and felt the traditional banking responsibility for people and societies in large. Therefore he was murdered by left-wing radical RAF terrorists … ? Well, Sustainche is sure that in November 1989 there were many others who had a vivid interest that this ‘socialistic’ Alfred Herrhausen should leave this planet … . 

“We need to say what we think. We need to do what we say. We need to be what we do.” Alfred Herrhausen wrote. Sustainche is reminded on Mahatma Gandhi’s sentence: “Be the change you want to see in the world.” For Sustainche Mr. Herrhausen indeed is the best practise example of a Good Banker and he would be glad if today such a personality would exist to support Sustainable Development. 

Perhaps, German Universities should start educating economy students in the spirit of Alfred Herrhausen …

Sustainche™ thinks about Germany’s National Strategy for Sustainable Development (II)

Concluded

Sustainche today was surprised in receiving substantial help in fully understand Germany’s National Strategy for Sustainable Development. The Federal Government was handed over a report prepared by a team of international experts reviewing the present German National Strategy for Sustainable Development. Well, to make it short: The expert team does not consider the strategy to be a strategy, not to mention that they can’t recognize a comprehensive and cross-cutting vision for the future, which they deem necessary until the year 2050. Sustainche is not surprised to reading something as strong as this ! 

Sustainche fully agrees that the document For a Sustainable Germany is far away from what he personally would consider being a vision. A well-known vision is for example when United States President John F. Kennedy in 1961 announced that until the end of the decade Americans will walk on the moon and will safely return to Planet Earth … which – by the way – is perfect objective formulation.

For Polar Bear Sustainche a vision is more than a technical description of individual isolated pieces; it is rather a mosaic of nicely designed, comprehensive and cross-cutting objectives and full of positive energy and joy which makes people say: WOW, YES, we want to discover this unknown territory ! Sustainche is sure that if Christopher Columbus would just have told his comrades how to technically build a ship to cross the great ocean, they would have never ever arrived in America … which at that time they thought to be the Indies ! “If you want to realize a vision, you need to implant a GREAT wish deep in the heart ! Only than the entire universe will provide support”, Sustainche thinks and Aristotle would add: “The whole is more than the total of its individual pieces.” 

So, we return to joy and happiness … which seems to be a major problem in Germany … . Of course, we know that Polar Bear Sustainche has a very special understanding of happiness; this includes simply to ‘zivej’ … However, Sustainche knows that also some human mammals perceive that gross national happiness (GNH) is more appropriate than gross national product (GNP) to describe the quality of life. The term gross national happiness (GNH) was coined in 1972 by Bhutan’s former King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, who has opened up Bhutan to the age of modernization, soon after the demise of his father, King Jigme Dorji Wangchuk. It signaled his commitment to building an economy that would serve Bhutan’s unique culture based on Buddhist spiritual values. Gross national happiness is the unifying vision for Bhutan’s five-year planning process and all the derived planning documents that guide the economic and development plans of the country. While conventional development models stress economic growth as the ultimate objective, the concept of GNH claims to be based on the premise that true development of human society takes place when material and spiritual development occur side by side to complement and reinforce each other. The four pillars of gross national happiness (GNH) are the promotion of sustainable development, preservation and promotion of cultural values, conservation of the natural environment, and establishment of good governance. “How nice !” Sustainche is happy  

Germany’s National Strategy for Sustainable Development does not know words like joy and happiness. This is although ‘quality of life’ is indeed mentioned ! However, what is understood as to be quality of life ? The indicator areas outlined are: Economic prosperity (gross domestic product per capita and growth – of course !), Mobility (Is it … ?), Farming (Bravo !), Air quality (Yes !), Health (Wow … hunting smokers !), Nutrition (Yeah !) and Crime (Burglaries in homes … hmmm … strange Germans; do they think that quality of life is improved if there arrives only one bandit per year in your home ?). “This is a rather technical perception, isn’t it”, Sustainche wonders. 

In a widely cited study, ‘A Global Projection of Subjective Well-being: A Challenge to Positive Psychology?’ by Adrian G. White of the University of Leicester in 2007, Bhutan ranked 8th out of 178 countries in Subjective Well-Being, a metric that has been used by many psychologists since 1997. In fact, it is the only country in the top 20 “happiest” countries that has a very low gross national product (GNP). 

By the way: “Happy” Germany is ranked 35th … “GNP” Germany is ranked 4th …

Sustainche™ thinks about Germany’s National Strategy for Sustainable Development (I)

Sustainche during the past days was busy reading the National Strategy for Sustainable Development of the Republic of Germany, or – more precisely – the Progress Report 2008 on the National Strategy for Sustainable Development: For a Sustainable Germany. “Well, there can be no doubt that the Germans have thought about Sustainable Development !” So far, Sustainche is satisfied.

First of all, Sustainche is delighted to notice that both the political Coalition Agreement of 2005 and 2009 expressly professed support for sustainability as a political guiding principle and the further development of the National Strategy for Sustainable Development. Thus, it is clear that sustainability as a long-term approach is independent of particular legislative periods and is supported by a broad political consensus. This is already more than Sustainche saw in Macedonia ! Beyond this, Sustainche has the strange feeling that politicians enjoy using the word sustainable whenever it is possible … and even if it makes no sense at all. This might be due to the specifics of German language, which – in general – understands sustainable equal to long-lasting. Ok, long-lasting seems to be a word that German speaking human mammals like …  

On the other hand politicians are not necessarily the most important species on Planet Earth and sometimes normal citizens’ brains think more practical. It appears to Sustainche that specific aspects of Sustainable Development are extremely popular among German citizens, for example renewable energies. While looking around in his new neighbourhood and thanks to the Feed-In Tariff (FIT) legislation, it seems that private investments in solar, wind and biomass energies are something very normal in real daily life. Entire villages in Germany made themselves independent from global playing electricity suppliers. Isn’t this excellent civic commitment !  

Since the Progress Report 2008 presents the state of the art as of July 2008 the State Secretaries’ Committee on Sustainable Development enjoys highlighting the ‘sound budgetary policy’ as a foundation stone of sustainable development. Having the target formulated that the federal budget shall be without net borrowing from 2011 at latest, consolidating the budget is defined as to be the key element in creating intergeneration equity and improving the quality of State expenditure. Sustainche can virtually smell the happiness of the State Secretaries that such a goal was indeed realistic in July 2008. However, – we all know – then September and October 2008 arrived and the so-called ‘Global Financial Crisis’ washed away everything like a tsunami … ! 

Sustainche asks himself what this means: Very simply speaking the key indicator in creating ‘intergeneration equity’ and ‘improving the quality of State expenditure’ turned from ‘sunshine’ to ‘thunderstorm’ ! Every year tremendous state debts are envisaged: A total of 243 Billion Euro between the year 2010 and 2016 ! And, by taking the sentence above literally: NO intergeneration equity and NO improvement of the quality of State expenditure will be possible for years to come, and, thus no sustainable development ! 

“Hmmm … ,” Sustainche’s Blog readers might think, “perhaps it wasn’t so wise to newly introduce the ‘national debt’ as a key indicator in 2008 … ?” “In fact, it was wise”, Sustainche is sure ! Yes, the indicator indeed shows that the development goes in the wrong direction and if the annual trend continues unaltered the distance to be covered to reach the goal would become even greater. The state is indeed not operational any more and this not only refers to Germany. Today, Banks, Investment Banks and General Motors dictate what they want and they simply play around with Governments and people. Complete states today are taken hostage by a handful of Anglo-Saxon style capitalists. This is the fact, which – of course – has nothing to do with Sustainable Development of the people, by the people and for the people !

To be concluded

http://www.bundesregierung.de/nsc_true/Content/DE/__Anlagen/2009/05/2009-05-13-fortschrittsbericht-englisch-nachhaltigkeit,property=publicationFile.pdf/2009-05-13-fortschrittsbericht-englisch-nachhaltigkeit

Sustainche™ thinks about his new surrounding environment (II)

Never mind, beyond the organized historical joy and happiness, Sustainche by following the news and trying to read newspapers also identifies tremendous problems in the land he arrived now. Just to mention the most obvious problems at the moment: Schweinche flue (the pharmacy industry apparently found a pleasant environment to organize an economically blooming pandemic event), a new Federal Government hasn’t find its compass yet and the state debts have reached the astronomic magnitude of 1.6 Trillion Euro. Just for visualization: Sustainche found a very interesting calculation that 1.6 Trillion Euro composed of 500-€ banknotes form a tower as high as about 320 kilometres. “Unbelievable”, Sustainche is speechless. 

There can be no doubt that money plays a major role in this society. No matter what you are and what you do: money is most important. Concordantly, people work to have money for enjoying a good life … or whatever they understand as to be a good life. To work is most important ! Since in fact quite some time, however, and in particular thanks to dramatically increased efficiency of production, many citizens became unemployed – many of them for years. Unemployment of course is a tragic situation, both economically and socially for any member of a society, which in large defines itself by working. This in particular refers to the génération précaire ? These youngsters even accept a tenth internship without adequate payment, just to have warm meals and being able to declare that they work. Clear: Everything needs to have its order ! Sustainche is puzzled to notice something like this. He, Polar Bear Sustainche himself neither has money nor is he working in the traditional sense of the meaning. And, he has not the impression that it is HIS path just to function like a single ant in an ant colony. Sustainche is a mammal – although not a human mammal – and he is self confident enough to show his big heart. 

It might be that it is because of all these problems that Sustainche feels – although this is only his first impression – that the 82 million people in his now surrounding environment seem to have a problem with real joy of life. Grey weather might create grey souls. “Hmmm … this is really strange”, Sustainche thinks, “Macedonia also has tremendous problems, but since the sun is shining more, people seem to be happier.” Sustainche wants to think more about his observation and perhaps it’s simply to wait until spring time for final conclusions. 

‘Fine Sustainche’, Sustainche hears his blog readers say, ‘but you still haven’t told us where you arrived now’. Well, Sustainche thought that his descriptions were good enough. The country is called Germany … and Sustainche wonders what he should do here in terms of Sustainable Development … . Perhaps it is a good idea to start reading the National Strategy for Sustainable Development

Sustainche™ thinks about his new surrounding environment (I)

Sustainche during the past days enjoyed making substantial progress in identifying his new surrounding environment.

Sustainche – although he hoped to see Africa – is sure: Hmmm … he migrated from Macedonia not towards the south, but to the north ! Based on his Polar home experience Sustainche knows that during the Northern Hemisphere winter daylight time becomes shorter the more we proceed towards the north. No question, compared to Macedonia the daylight time here is indeed shorter. The land where Sustainche finds himself now is grey, wet and cold … sometimes even foggy; until now only occasionally he could enjoy some sunbeams. Ok, Sustainche’s blog readers might think: ‘Bravo, Sustainche, you returned to your roots.’ No, this land is far away from what he knows from his Polar Ocean home. Here, there live many more human mammals. Interesting enough and despite so many people everything appears to be clean – nothing to compare with Macedonia. People here seem to have a good life and everything has its order. However, Sustainche wonders whether people are also happy and can enjoy … .

During this week Sustainche followed on TV some rather ‘organized’ or ‘institutionalized’ joy. The event of joy was the ‘Fall of the Berlin Wall’ 20 years ago. Until now Sustainche hasn’t heard anything about a ‘Berlin Wall’ and that this thing collapsed; but he can’t know everything yet. Sustainche learnt with his online research that 20 years ago the movement of normal citizens inspired by their wish for freedom and in particular because of their wish to travel wherever they want made them overcome a rather strange political system which thought that it is necessary to transform an entire country into a prison. Finally the citizens start to escape from their prison – which was also a prison for the mind – and the walls and fences around the prison were peacefully torn down. The ‘Berlin Wall’ was the most prominent part of this prison wall. Sustainche is impressed what human mammals are able to do !

Doing something spontaneously with joy and happiness on the one hand and celebrating this event 20 years later on the other hand seems to be something completely different. Sustainche has the feeling that the historical joy organized and presented as a Saturday evening show event by national TV was embarrassing and only served the desired ‘panem et circensis’ mentality of those who by themselves would have never ever made any wall fall … and this was not only because of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s public catnap … probably dreaming on what kind of blond Italian TV show girl he can propose next to become a Minister of the Republic … .

Sustainche™ meets his Guardian Angel

“Good Morning Sustainche ! Did you sleep good ?” Sustainche is still sleepy and therefore it is difficult for him to recognize who is talking to him; additionally he is blinded by bright light. Sustainche very slowly opens his big, brown and round eyes … . “Am I dead ?”, Sustainche with his question tries to find some orientation. “Far away from that”, Sustainche hears the voice saying. … / … “Fine ! So, who are you … ?” Sustainche starts waking up. “Well, I’m your Guardian Angel, Sustainche.” “Hmmm … ‘Guardian Angel’ … I’ve never heard about you. What is a Guardian Angel ?” Sustainche tries to find out. “Well, a Guardian Angel is a spiritual being that helps and guards you finding the path of your life”, Sustainche’s Guardian Angel explains. “Well, this is nice … thank you very much”, Sustainche, although still sleepy, appreciates. “May I call you ‘Angelche’ ?” Sustainche kindly asks. “Yes, you may”, Angelche answers with a smile. “And, although I don’t know you, you know me ?” Sustainche asks. “Yes, Sustainche, I know you from the very first day when you were born. I know quite a lot,” Angelche make Sustainche a bit curious. “So, you know everything ?” Sustainche wants know precisely. “No, not everything, but I know enough”, Angelche concludes. “Hmmm … well … enough should be enough,” Sustainche agrees. 

Sustainche now recognizes his Guardian Angel sitting next to him. “I feel that I like you; you are as small as I am”, Polar Bear Sustainche concludes. “And I like you. And although we are both small I can see that you have a good big heart !” Angelche tries to cheer up Sustainche. “Yes, I have a big heart … this is exactly my problem. And, I’m a refugee due to climatic change, my mission is Sustainable Development and I’m on the way to find a better quality of life … three more problems …,” Sustainche explains. “I know Sustainche,” Angelche agrees, “but there is no other path, neither for you, nor for this world !”

“Hmmm … well …,” Sustainche becomes ‘Sleepy Bear’ again and he doesn’t know what to say more. He additionally still doesn’t know where he is – which is important for Geography student Sustainche. However, for the time being it is good enough to know that he has a Guardian Angel … Angelche. Polar Bear Sustainche’s eyes become smaller again … and smaller … and smaller … .

Sustainche™ leaves Macedonia

Polar Bear Sustainche™ leaves Macedonia. Some of Sustainche’s Blog readers might have noticed already that he packed a small parcel in his post on The Grapes of Wrath. Yes, Sustainche now lines up with those young people who leave Macedonia for ever. We know that Sustainche doesn’t need any travel document to go anywhere he likes on Planet Earth. Starting from 1^st January 2010 also Macedonian youngsters won’t need a Schengen visa … . 

Sustainche™ did in Macedonia what he had to do: His mission was to create the climate for change towards a better quality of life; Sustainche’s mission is and always will be Sustainable Development ! 

Somehow Sustainche has the strange feeling that Macedonians only like those people whom they lost; also Tose was not appreciated by all who mourned after his short lifetime. Never mind, now it is time to leave the territory. Macedonia has had its chance. Sustainche kindly asks pardon for his great passion in promoting Sustainable Development in Macedonia. Sustainche would have been glad if HE, who can only speak with his BIG RED HEART, could pardon many others for the same passion in favour of Sustainable Development as well. 

Wishing ‘Golden Macedonia’ all the best,
Sustainche