Backcasting

We look for ways to live happy and healthy. That is what sustainability is about, taking into account that the generations to come and places elsewhere in the world are not to be damaged. Here, there, now and later are keywords to put our behaviour into a framework of space and time.

What is sustainability?

‘Creating new ways to live and prosper while ensuring an equitable, healthy future for all people and the planet.’ according to Karl-Henrik Robèrt

The Swedish scientist Karl-Henrik Robèrt founded The Natural Step (www.naturalstep.org) in 1989. He provides individual people, organisations and communities with guidelines to develop a healthy and happy lifestyle by a method called ‘Backcasting from principles’.

Backcasting is much used in strategy forming. You envision the future you prefer (a point at the horizon) and then look for ways to get there. Robèrt envisioned society to advance towards sustainability.

Based on the laws of thermodynamics Robèrt formed four system conditions to reach the goal:

1. do not mine (like fossil fuels, heavy metals)
2. don’t use natural supplies faster than they can recover (like clean air, fertile land and water)
3. stop using and producing unnatural materials nature can’t break down (like chemicals)
4. act fair and social towards other people (everybody should be able to provide in his or her basic needs)

nonfixe, 3 november 2009

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