Nora McNamara - Böcker

This title was first published in 2000:  Sustainable development has grown to compass cultural, socio-economic, political and environmental issues, and the use of Sustainability indicators (SIs) is seen by many as central to its implementation. After all, how can one ’do’ sustainable development unless one knows when it has been attained? The adoption of SIs in such a context is logical, but does present a number of practical difficulties. So far much of the published material consists of theoretical SI frameworks, with little practical experience on their use in development scenarios. In contrast, this volume is based on the results of a six year project designed to develop and evaluate the use of SLs in a Nigerian village. For the first time this takes into consideration the views and perspectives of the local population, and in doing so addresses key issues that are vital for anyone attempting to put sustainable development into practice.

This title was first published in 2000:  Sustainable development has grown to compass cultural, socio-economic, political and environmental issues, and the use of Sustainability indicators (SIs) is seen by many as central to its implementation. After all, how can one ’do’ sustainable development unless one knows when it has been attained? The adoption of SIs in such a context is logical, but does present a number of practical difficulties. So far much of the published material consists of theoretical SI frameworks, with little practical experience on their use in development scenarios. In contrast, this volume is based on the results of a six year project designed to develop and evaluate the use of SLs in a Nigerian village. For the first time this takes into consideration the views and perspectives of the local population, and in doing so addresses key issues that are vital for anyone attempting to put sustainable development into practice.

We all view the ubiquitous term ‘sustainability’ as a worthwhile goal. But how can we apply the principles of sustainability in the real world, at the sharp end of communities in developing nations where income insecurity is the troubled norm? This volume provides some practical answers, explaining the precepts of the ‘sustainable livelihood approach’ (SLA) through the case study of a microfinance scheme in Africa. The case study, centered around the work of the Catholic Church’s Diocesan Development Services organization, involved an SLA implemented over two years designed in part to help enhance its existing microfinance operation through closer links between local communities and international donors. The book’s central conclusion is that we must move beyond the concept of sustainable livelihood itself, with its in-built polarities between developed and developing nations, and embrace a more global notion of ‘sustainable lifestyle’; a more nuanced and inclusive approach that encompasses not just how we make a sustainable living, but how we can live sustainable lives.