Roundtable Discussion on Sustainability at UMass Boston Sparks Lively Debate

On November 3, authors and collaborating scholars working on the 2012 United Nations Global Environmental Outlook (GEO-5) met at UMass Boston for a roundtable discussion titled “Trajectories to Sustainability: Balancing People, Planet, and Prosperity." The panelists included Ivar Baste and Fatoumata Keita-Ouane of  the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Trista Patterson of the U.S. Forest Service, Professor Laszlo Pinter of the Central European University (Budapest, Hungary), and Bernice Lee of Chatham House. Close to a hundred students, academics, and professionals attended the roundtable to hear the stories of hope, frustration, perseverance, and achievement from the distinguished environmental scholars and practitioners.

Professor Maria Ivanova, director of McCormack Graduate School’s Center for Governance and Sustainability, organized and hosted the event. After opening remarks from Provost Winston E. Langley concerning the global dimension of environmental sustainability, Ivanova presented the panelists with the opportunity to speak briefly about their personal opinions regarding the successes and failures of global environmental governance. Opinions varied amongst the panelists and the audience gained insight into the challenges faced by environmental professionals and the achievements of international environmental organizations. The issue of “have we succeeded or failed?” sparked a lively, cordial debate amongst the panelists.

The event was stirring, and the contributions from the panelists inspired the audience with a sense of hope and a trajectory for the future. Laszlo Pinter, an expert on global sustainable development, spoke of our collective struggle with sustainability as a journey with successes and failures alike. Ivar Baste, chief of UNEP’s Scientific Assessment Branch, Division of Early Warning and Assessment, warned that the threat of environmental collapse is looming, but that mechanisms and political will to preserve our planet are falling into place. Engaging the audience directly, Bernice Lee, research director of Energy, Environment and Resource Governance at Chatham House, noted that the future of environmental prosperity rests on the shoulders of young environmental scholars, professionals, and activists. Lee also stressed the need to engage the financial and industrial sectors, if we are to preserve our planet.

The 2012 Global Environmental Outlook report is due to be published ahead of Rio+20, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development.

Read Maria Ivanova’s bio

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