Your career and sustainable development

The document argues that scientists and engineers possess significant power to reshape the world and should take responsibility for planning its sustainable use. It introduces 'sustainability appraisal' as a methodology to assess the environmental, social, and economic impacts of activities, moving beyond traditional cost-benefit analysis to seek 'win-win-win' solutions. The author emphasizes that a revolution in design is necessary, targeting reductions in energy use by 90% and resource use by 80%. Practical examples of sustainable re-engineering are provided, such as the Interface Company's reduction of chemicals in floor coverings and a sustainable hanging basket project in West Yorkshire.

• Scientists and engineers have a critical role in sustainability because they are typically involved in the design stage of projects and possess the technical means to significantly alter the world's ecological and social state.
• Addressing the environmental crisis requires a fundamental revolution in design rather than gradual modification, specifically aiming for a 90% reduction in energy use and an 80% reduction in resource use.
• Sustainability appraisal is a methodology that evaluates environmental, social, and economic impacts simultaneously to find solutions where all three criteria are satisfied, rather than trading one off against another.
• The Interface Company demonstrates a successful transition to sustainable design by reducing the chemicals used in floor covering processes from hundreds to approximately 16 and eliminating most fossil fuel fibres to make products biodegradable.
• Modern developed lifestyles are unsustainable because they rely on the depletion of 'natural capital' (fossil fuels, minerals, and fertile soil) and exceed the ecosystem's capacity to process waste, such as CO2 and methane.
• The document identifies specific regions where critical environmental declines are occurring, including dropping sub-surface water levels in Africa, China, and India.

APA

Webber, P. (2003). Your career and sustainable development. Scientists for Global Responsibility. https://www.sgr.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-02/sus_dev_final.pdf

Chicago

Webber, Philip. Your career and sustainable development. Scientists for Global Responsibility, 2003. https://www.sgr.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-02/sus_dev_final.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Webber |first1=Philip |title=Your career and sustainable development |publisher=Scientists for Global Responsibility |date=2003 |url=https://www.sgr.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-02/sus_dev_final.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{webber2003your, author = {Webber, Philip}, title = {{Your career and sustainable development}}, institution = {Scientists for Global Responsibility}, year = {2003}, url = {https://www.sgr.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-02/sus_dev_final.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }