Culture can be defined as the whole complex ofproducts and human efforts, material and nonmaterial  (i.e. spiritual, symbolic, such as mental and behavioral patterns).

THE DECLARATION OF COMMUNE CULTURE IN THE SPIRIT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT should include the following declarations:

– declaration to implement a progress management system in pursuit of sustainable development;

– declaration to implement public domain annual reports pursuant to GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) recommendations or in a similar form and to have them audited by an independent entity (university, institute, consulting company, etc.);

– declaration to care about safety, including, among others declaration to implement a Commune Energy Center with green energy, declaration to care about the quality of air, water, soil, biodiversity;

– declaration to implement a Commune Database, based on GIS, for strategic and operations management;

– declaration to minimize wastes and apply modern waste disposal methods;

– declaration to implement a commonly available sewerage and water supply system;

– declaration to minimize individual transportation needs and to optimize transportation fleet from the ecological and financial perspective;

– declaration to promote continuous education;

– declaration to support education which appreciates the role of literature, music (art) and physical exercise in development of creative individuals;

– declaration to promote prevention of disease;

– declaration to promote tolerance of cultural diversity;

– declaration to prevent social pathologies;

– declaration to promote changes in consumption patterns (music, art, physical culture are also legitimate consumer goods);

– declaration to increase percentage share of green procurements in the procurement pool;

– declaration to increase percentage share of orders from suppliers who respect the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Charter of Human Rights;

– declaration to exercise greater care for clients, ergonomics and esthetic impression of the communal office and area of the commune as a whole, cultural heritage and culture of employees;

– declaration to initiate changes in education, health care, business, society, non-governmental organizations, in political life, and in the media in the direction of sustainable development.

Signed by the Head/Mayor/President of the City/Town

ZR/SD Manager: sustainable development manager is a manager who through her or his activity and impact on the employees has managed to:

– formulate with her or his employees a vision statement concerning the development of the given organizational unit in the specified remote future, a vision in which economic development goes hand in hand with respect to the environment and the society,

–  transfer the vision statement into a strategy of sustainable development and main strategy in a way which:

– enables them to control its implementation;

– ensures alignment of the form and goals with strategies of higher levels of administration, up to the EU;

– adjust planning and operation management system to reporting progress in pursuit of sustainable development;

– develop and implement a declaration of culture of the organization in the spirit of sustainable development;

– provide an atmosphere in which employees are encouraged to question status quo and to take risk;

– develop employee’s imagination and spirituality and to motivate them to continuous education;

– stimulate employee’s creativity.

By her or his activity they stimulate development of innovative products/services which deserve to be called sustainable development products/services. SD Manager supports cultural, health and educational projects.

“Gmina ZR/SD”  stands for ” zrównoważonego rozwoju” / sustainable development commune. In Polish “sustainable development” means “zrównoważony rozwój”.

Commune can be called a sustainable development commune if:

– in its vision statement it has included economical development in the specified remote future, along with respect to the world environment and needs of people on the world,

– and has transformed such a vision into a strategy of sustainable development in a manner which ensures control of its implementation,

– while its planning and operation management system has been adapted to reporting progress in pursuit of sustainable development,

– the strategy has been harmonised with EU strategy, national and local sustainable development strategies,

– it has developed and announced a declaration of the culture of sustainable development.

“Culture is all the dreams and labour tending towards forging humanity (…)” Denis de Rougemont

Business, not only the one from the cultural sector, through its actions contributes to the development of culture.

Below you will find some quotations from the Communication on a European agenda for culture in a globalizing world COM(2007) 242:

“Culture lies at the heart of human development and civilisation. Culture is what makes people hope and dream, by stimulating our senses and offering new ways of looking at reality. It is what brings people together, by stirring dialogue and arousing passions, in a way that unites rather than divides. Culture should be regarded as a set of distinctive spiritual and material traits that characterize a society and social group. It embraces literature and arts as well as ways of life, value systems, traditions and beliefs.(…)

(…)culture is an indispensable feature to achieve the EU’s strategic objectives of prosperity, solidarity and security(…)

(…)There is a strong link between the promotion of culture and creativity and EU (…)legislation(…)

(…)the Commission wishes to make 2009 a European Year of Creativity and Innovation(…)

(…)OBJECTIVES FOR A EUROPEAN AGENDA FOR CULTURE: …three interrelated(…)

– promotion of cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue;

-promotion of culture as a catalyst for creativity in the framework of the Lisbon Strategy for growth and jobs;

– promotion of culture as a vital element in the Union’s international relations.(…)

(…)”Intelligence is programmed for the creation of differences.” Francesco Alberoni

(…)Creativity is the basis for social and technological innovation, and therefore an important driver of growth, competitiveness and jobs(…)

(…)”Culture is not a luxury, but a necessity.” Gao Xingjian

(…)” end of quotations

Development of a Declaration of Culture by a given organizational unit in the spirit of sustainable development is important.

Do we need a stick to motivate us for any changes? Is a penalty on the horizon the only thing that matters?…

Today I heard that a businessperson is interested in palpable, definite things, like numbers, not in philosophy… Well, it’s nothing new, I heard it from students of Polish technical universities, while studying theoretical physics…

I do not question someone’s need of perception of reality through numbers, but I cannot agree with a concept that a change in management methods must be implemented through fines only…

We have not harmonized the Polish sustainable development strategy with the EU, and, at least so far, we do not face a fine, but is it a reason to be complacent about the status quo?…

The so called amended Gothenburg Strategy (SDS) is written in a concise style, which facilitates putting it into practice through various programs or plans. The provisions of this strategy state that the member states were to harmonize their sustainable development strategies with the SDS. What is more, they should do it in a cascade-like, downward mode, reaching the level of enterprises…

Do we really feel to be members of the EU, or do we just want to take advantage of the EU funds?

The businessman I talked to claims that when Poland faces a penalty, we may hope for a document harmonized with the EU, that local authorities harmonize or write their own sustainable development strategies in forms consistent with the provisions of SDS and national strategy, and that the world of business will follow the path…

Polish business starts to use the Internet for announcing its strategies of sustainable development…

Some countries, through the Internet and other media, published their indicators of sustainable development and their goals in that direction. Do we have such indicators and goals adopted for Poland? Is it being discussed by the media? Does sustainable development deserve attention of the media?…

In my opinion a problem of implementation of green public procurements depends among other things, or perhaps mainly, on the lack of positive political climate for the cause of sustainable development. How often local authorities associate the matter of sustainable development only with environmental protection… They forget that there are three pillars of sustainable development, namely, economy, society and the environment.

Walking along the path of sustainable development also involves development of voluntary initiatives, which often reach farther than the requirements of law. So, rather than the awareness of penalty, it involves awareness of the need of our times, global thinking, interaction of fully aware stakeholders. Change in awareness…

When I initiate a discussion on sustainable development with businessmen, I often recognize a similar mocking or irritated undertone in the response: “…. do you really know what business is?”

And I dare say, I know, after years of work as a manager and consultant. I know it enough to understand the hint of mockery or irritation, and enough – to question the notion that the term “sustainable development company” is not justified in the real world.

True, it is easier to consider implementation of beautiful theories in the atmosphere free from financial worries, when we do not need to fret about the survival of a company on the market. Let us not forget, however, there is a risk lurking in short-sighted plans too…

21st century is a century of sustainable development. In July, 2008, the European Commission published the Sustainable Consumption and Production and Sustainable Industrial Policy Action Plan COM(2008) 397. Currently, the first version of the document “THE SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION ACTION PROGRAM FOR 2008-2011” undergoes the process of public consultation. Up to December 12, 2008 everybody may suggest amendments to it.

Reading the aforementioned document by the European Commission and the draft plan prepared by our Ministry of Economy, I have an impression that beautiful ideas are being implemented right now. In 1998, Ray. C. Anderson published in the USA his “Mid-Course Correction. Toward a Sustainable Enterprise: The Interface Model” book.  One can find there a beautifully described model of a sustainable development enterprise.

Solutions in the documents on strategy by the EU and in those being prepared by our Ministry of Economy resemble this model very much…

Last year, a number of companies which crop up increased significantly when we enter the following terms, in Polish or in English, in the Google search engine:

Odpowiedzialny biznes (responsible business),

Zrównoważony rozwój (sustainable development),

CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility),

Ethical Corporation,

Accountability.

This is really encouraging, especially, if apart from expressing it in words and announcing on the Internet, an organizational unit decides to put the sustainable development strategy into actual plans of action, integrating it into its entire internal management system and using it during cooperation with customers or partners.

It is a shame, however, that only the media dealing with environmental protection write about this.

In Poland, the Ministry of Economy is currently the leader in implementing sustainable development. There is still no person who would act as a coordinator managing sustainable development of Poland at the level of the government of the Republic of Poland.

To the main measurable goals of the Strategy for Sustainable Development of Poland to 2025 belong maintaining about 5% economic growth and, as a target value, four times increase in efficiency of utilization of raw materials, fuels, and natural resources.

Among other things, we do not have any specified goals for reduction of CO2 in the aforementioned document…, but we organize COP14.

Business in Poland, regardless of the political parties in power, has a chance to put the principles of sustainable development into practice.

The 19th century was a century of industry, the 20th – belonged to science and computer technology, but the 21st century, experts say, will be a century when the needs of various communities and respect to the natural environment will be incorporated into business.

Last year CSR even managed to become part of the governmental policy in several countries in Europe and around the world. Governments of many countries have appreciated the role of corporate social responsibility.  A discussion on the new role of business in society has been in progress.

In July, 2008, the COM(2008) 397 document was published, namely, the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the Sustainable Consumption and Production and Sustainable Industrial Policy Action Plan.

As early as in 2006, the Commission issued the COM(2006) 136 document, i.e. a Communication on Making Europe a Pole of Excellence on Corporate Social Responsibility.

1. Your company Wanda Pazdan is a very original idea for business, at least in Opole. Why you, a recognized international expert in environment protection, a person who shouldn’t complain for lack of funds, made such a decision?

I must admit that EU projects, the so called international ones, provide remuneration that exceeds average salary in Poland several times. However, throughout my life money was not the only motivation for work. That is why, despite many interesting offers, after the Bosnia&Herzegovina project I firmly rejected participation in projects in foreign countries. One of the reasons was to prove to myself and to other major European experts that a reliable implementation of ideas I had been preoccupied with for years, calls for the change of principles of data collection by EUROSTAT and, of course, by our Central Statistical Office. I am not sure if I live long enough to see those changes… Although good sustainable development management also requires changes in European and Polish statistics procedure, I had some additional, private reasons. My second granddaughter was born. I just want to spend more time with children. I have been interested in sustainable development issues for years but my interest in music comes from my home.

2. Sustainable development – something people talk about a lot, as it seems an obligatory approach to the subject, but not much is actually being done. Why is this idea so important for you?

You mean an obligatory approach to the subject of EU funds. You put it well… I think that the idea of sustainable development is beautiful and implementation of its principles may result in economic and social boom and all this can be accomplished respecting the nature and other elements of the environment. Support for implementation of sustainable development is my company mission. I am aware of discrepancy between great scientific achievements in Poland on the subject of sustainable development and transfer of those achievements into implementation. I was a member of the “Man and the Environment” Committee affiliated with the Presidium of the Polish Academy of Science.

The notion itself may seem a little scary and its translation into Polish does not sound too good, but this is the official translation of the term. Today it appeals more to the public that environmental protection is important, that you can profit from it, that investments in this area made now will bring satisfying results if we give it enough time. And the same can be said about investments in human capital. We have an opportunity to implement projects in this regard but implementation of sustainable development means more. First, it requires development of common vision, e.g. vision of the region, with taking into consideration the provisions of the overriding strategies. In the EU New Sustainable Development Strategy, published in 2006, we read: “Sustainable development means that the needs of current generations will not limit implementation of the needs of future generations. This is the superior goal established in the Treaty on European Union which governs the European Union politicians and activities. It implies protection of the Earth, its ability to sustain varied forms of living things. It is based on principles of democracy, gender equality, solidarity, respect for the principles of law and fundamental rights, such as freedom and equal opportunity for all. Its objective is continuous improvement of the quality of life and prosperity on earth of the present and future generations. Moreover, it contributes to economic development, with full employment, high level of education, healthcare, social and territorial cohesion and environment protection, in the world full of peace and security, respecting cultural diversity.” [retranslated from Polish]  It means, among others, implementation of green orders, forming attitudes of consumers, who by their behavior force changes in production, services and products for consumption. It may even imply modification of the tax system which as a result provides preferences for the production and services complying with the sustainable development strategy, it is modification of the education system, lack of unemployment. It is dynamic economic development, high level of education, common care and respect for health and common prevention of disease and social pathologies, territorial and social cohesion, safe and peaceful world. It involves bigger participation in social life, formation of small but strong social groups which respect cultural diversity, formation and implementation of patterns that promote development of an individual who is assessed not only on the basis of material possessions, etc. It is here where the media, advertisement and organizations of other type can play a huge role.

In Poland, the document called the National Development Strategy is in practice treated as the most important, major document on development. It is indispensable and very important as in the current programming period it is one of significant prerequisites for obtaining EU funds. Preparations are under way, however, to the next fund programming period… I think that in our circumstances and with current provisions of the Polish Constitution, the sustainable development strategy should be the main planning document. The EU New Sustainable Development Strategy is the framework in which the New Lisbon Strategy is only what drives the economy and prevents unemployment.

3. In the description of your company you mentioned emotions. How to associate emotions with implementation of sustainable development?

Implementation of sustainable development implies, for a given period, creation of a common vision of the future, formation of sustainable development strategy, then its implementation, monitoring and modification. On all these stages of implementation of sustainable development, the way of thinking, behavior, emotions and motivation of an individual play an important role.  We can say that a person’s life consists of physical, mental and emotional spheres. Emotional sphere serves as an intermediary between physical and mental spheres, regardless which one of them initiates the first impulse. Human being as an organism acts and develops in a specific environment. There is a close relationship between him and the world around him. Emotions are the way we relate to the surrounding stimuli, information. The sustainable development strategy, established through social effort, includes measurable goals and tasks in itself. Their implementation is largely dependent on the motivation of each inhabitant of a given area, as during implementation of sustainable development, interaction between people and business, social and administrative entities is a significant factor.

Secondary emotions are emotions developed on the basis of personal inclinations together with some experience gained through our life. That is why the Committee of the Regions calls for education about sustainable development starting at the day or child care center level… Culture marks out trends of thinking and, as a result, impressions of individual persons result in the so called secondary emotion, as distinguished from primary emotion, in which automatism plays the major role.  Emotions related to sustainable development, motivations of individual organizational entities, as well as inhabitants of a given area depend on the way local authorities form the sustainable development strategy, the way they promote it and on the quality of engagement of culture and education.

Soon,  Al Gor and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), established 19 years ago, will receive the Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Nobel Committee justified granting the Prize as follows: “for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change.”

This fact awakens in me some reflections and memories.
Sixteen years ago, for the first time in my work, I used the IPCC guidelines.  At that time I used working materials to the first copy of IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories. In 1993 and 1994, I led the national air emission inventory CORINAIR’90, under the agreement between ATMOTERM S.C. company and the European Commissions Environmental Directorate General (DGXI). It was implementation of a new methodology of air emission inventory-a big challenge for me and for my company involving huge satisfaction from the performed work.

It was a nongovernmental air emission inventory and included 8 groups of gases. Carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide emissions inventory was to be compiled according to the IPCC methodology, other gases – according to the UNECE-CORINAIR methodology. The air emission inventory proved to be the first one comparable to those compiled in other countries. Twenty nine European countries participated in the project. The European Commission regarded Poland CORINAIR’90 as one o the best inventories compiled in Europe. In Opole, on the premises of ATMOTERM S.C. company, I organized a Seminar with participation of representatives of the Ministry of the Environment, Chief Inspectorate for Environmental Protection, state scientific institutes and Polish research units which took up the issues of air emissions at the request of the Ministry of the Environment. During the Seminar I defended the results of the inventory. Upon such approval, I sent the report to the European Commission and my company published it in a book form under the auspices of the Ministry of the Environment. The table with the inventory results was for several years published by the Central Statistical Office. The Ministry used the results of the paper in the Governmental Report for the First Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP1). The CORINAIR’90 report received “The Best Product of the Opole Region”award in 1994.
I took part in the UN Task Force On Emissions Inventories and Projections (TFEIP UNECE). During the years 1994 to 1996, within ATMOTERM company, I participated in the Phare project Design of the System of Transferable Emission Permits and Implementation of the Pilot Project in Poland. Some of the solutions in the project suggested by me are implemented in the current European CO2 emission trading. Between 1998 and 2000, within ATMOTERM sp. z o.o. company, I led an international project Phare Topic Link on Air Emission (PTL-AE). Its main objective was analysis of the situation and technical assistance in 13 Central European states seeking accession to the EU, preparation of data from those countries in the format required for the reports of the European Environment Agency (EEA). The work, among others, was related to greenhouse gases and IPCC methodology. It involved cooperation with the EEA, ETC/AE and its network EIONET. In 2000, as a eader of Phare Topic Link on Air Emission, I took part in the meeting of IPCC experts in the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, where I talked on the subject “Achievements in the field of emission factors.” One of the main goals of my report was to convince the listeners that plants which manufacture the same goods, have different emissions per production unit. At that time, that was a new idea for many experts, not only those from Third World nations.  From 2004 to 2006, I worked in the EU project “Support to Air Monitoring,” in Bosnia&Herzegovina, dealing also with the issues of emission inventory, including IPCC methodology. I proved that current statistical data practice involved in EUROSTAT, and consequently, in the Central Statistical Office, should be changed, if we want to have good quality emission estimates at the country level. The principles of statistical data collection do not keep up with changes in economy. The development of small and medium-sized businesses did not bring parallel changes in the statistical system.
Reduction of CO2 emissions is one of the main, joint efforts in the EU and may prove to stimulate new technologies and behaviors.
The next conference of the countries which are the signatories of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UNFCCC (COP), will be held in December, this time in Bali.

In 2007, Nobel Peace Prize winner organized Live Earth concerts, a series of musical events for the purpose of drawing more attention to the greenhouse effect and growing CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. Global warming will contribute to even more intensive heat waves and devastating droughts in some regions (e.g. in southern Europe or northern Africa), and floods in other areas (like northern Europe or southeast Asia), as well as melting glaciers, rising sea levels, stronger and more frequent gales, thunderstorms or tornadoes. The IPCC Panel confirmed with over 90 percent probability that by developing industry we cause overheating the Earth.
The press reveals Al Gore’s high bills for electricity suggesting that the Nobel winner should probably apply the principle “physician, heal thyself” before anything else… But do the media justify such conclusions? No information is provided about power consumption per surface area unit of the house, office, or person. Providing comparable information is important not only at the level of negotiations between two countries!
Since 2007, apart from consulting, I have been organizing and managing artistic events, like concerts. For some time, I have been planning a series of partly oral, partly musical events for promotion of sustainable development.

On September 17, 2007, Professor Stefan Kozłowski passed away, taken by sudden death. Information about his death and funeral date reached me too late to attend his funeral and personally pay last respect to this giant fighter for sustainable development in Poland, who right down to the last moments of his life fought by organizing conferences, publishing books, giving public talks… There will be no more of them. His huge work, however, will not be lost – it will continue through his successors…

I want to thank you Professor for placing my name in nomination as a member of the “Man and the Environment” Committee affiliated with the Presidium of the Polish Academy of Science. I thank you for enabling me to participate in the Polish avant-garde of sustainable development. I thank you for motivating me for getting a PhD, and for your vision of me as a person leading a university department…

I haven’t got a PhD – I stayed on the path of consulting. The EU Bosnia&Herzegovina project destroyed my plans of scientific cooperation with you Professor, but here, on this Web site, I will promote sustainable development with application of integrated approach, based on the integral philosophy, as I mentioned in one of our discussion. I will write the book I promised to write… [/english]

A Google query for a Polish term “zrównoważony rozwój”, or English “sustainable development”, or “ekorozwój”, provides a long list with links to interesting materials related to sustainable development and concerning a wide spectrum of actions – from international ones to those taken in kindergartens.

What is sustainable development? It is a guiding principle for the nations of the world, which in the 21st century, on a massive scale and with tangible results, will become part of political, economic, social actions, as well as those related to environmental protection, at all levels of management, including the level of families and of individual people.

The world history of the idea can be found, for example, at the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

At international level, the idea was for the first time defined in a concise manner in 1987 in “Our Common Future” report prepared by the World Commission on Environment and Development. According to it,

sustainable development is the “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Is SD another utopian, beautiful idea, or is it something we can, in practical terms, relate to today? Sustainable development is not a dream world or an idea cherished only by a circle of ecophilosophers.

Sustainable development is a result of the system of strategic actions based on principles of sustainable development and action plans agreed upon at international level.

The current Polish “Environmental Law” specifies that sustainable development is a social and economic development in which political, economic and social activities are integrated with maintenance of ecological balance and permanence of basic natural processes so that the possibility to satisfy basic needs of individual communities or citizens of the current and future generations is safeguarded.

Current Constitution of the Republic of Poland treats sustainable development as a constitutional principle, providing each one of us with the right to go along the path of sustainable development in accordance to policies pursued by public authorities (Articles 5 and 74).

The European Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS), also called the Gothenburg Strategy, groups aspects of development into the so called tripple-bottom-line: business, society, environment, and adds the aspect of external policy of establishing international institutions for the purpose of global security.

We no longer deal with only one, strictly related to business, capital – we also have Human Capital, and Natural Capital which serve as a whole.

Each business activity entangles social and environmental aspects.

Each activity of the administration also entangles business, social and environmental aspects.

Each action of a family or each our (as individual human beings) action entangles business, social and environmental aspects…

Each person’s actions may either facilitate or hinder implementation of sustainable development strategy. We have and should have free will. It is all up to us, and our actions should have impact on actions of our children and of all those with whom we associate… If we change consumption patterns, the change of production and service patterns will follow simply as a result of our actions…

Pursuant to the provisions of the amended Gothenburg Strategy (SDS) the member states should have amended and harmonized their strategies with the SDS (approved in 2006). All management levels, including levels of organizational units, should have a harmonized  sustainable development strategy. Every two years, the member states are to report the European Council about the state of implementation of the Strategy.

Being provided with information leads to awareness, and awareness leads to responsibility. The growing number of manufacturers and service providers declare adherence to corporate social responsibility in their business activity and publish their strategies of sustainable development on the Internet. We witness the beginning of new era, with a new role of business in society. In 2008, in Davos, Bill Gates was proving that we should go even further than suggested by Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, who in 2006 argued that apart from enterprises oriented for maximum profit (considering capital in its classical meaning), there must be enterprises oriented for maximum social interest (the so called social enterprises). Gates was proving that each enterprise must have a social mission to fulfill, or, in other case, its existence is not justified…

Poland does not have an official document with strategy harmonized with the Gothenburg strategy. At the Ministry of the Environment website I failed to find any information about this strategy or its translation into Polish. I have found some info about the SDS (Polish abbreviation SZR) at the website of the Ministry of Economy, but, again, no text of the strategy was available. My search at the Ministry of Regional Developmentwebsite resulted in finding the National Development Strategy, an implementation of the Lisbon Strategy. Again, no information about Gothenburg Strategy… What is the policy of public authorities? Who coordinates matters pertaining to sustainable development in Poland?

Polish business has a chance to be ahead of the administration in implementation of sustainable development.

Sustainable development implies all areas of our existence, both physical and spiritual. Integral understanding of the world, integral philosophy and music may prove to be helpful for us. Philosophers treat reality in different ways. Those who write that reality as we perceive it has impact on us and that we have impact on it – seem to be right. The way we interact with it has impact on the way reality interacts with us… Great physicist, Albert Einstein, said that imagination is more important than knowledge. Władysław Reymont wrote that reality is built from the same material our dreams are built. Methods of strategic management based on the vision suggest an active creation of reality. Spirituality of a human being constitutes the feature which has recently grown to an idea of all-powerful energy. Human beings, depending on the way they manage their spiritual potential, may be profuse sources of goodness or evil, both to themselves and to their environment. Individuals’ own efforts in cooperation with creative energy may change man’s history, about which Herbert George Wells wrote that it is becoming more like a race between education and a catastrophe…Polish environmental law provides the following definition: sustainable development is a social and economic development in which political, economic and social activities are integrated with maintenance of ecological balance and permanence of basic natural processes so that the possibility to satisfy basic needs of individual communities or citizens of the current and future generations is safeguarded.Often, the definition created by UN agencies is applied: “sustainable development is the social and economic development in which integration of political, economic and social activities takes place both in time and space, so that natural balance and permanence of basic natural processes is ensured.” [translated from Polish]In 1987, a concept of sustainable development, defined as “development protecting the needs of the current generation, without limiting implementation of the needs of future generations” entered the international political scene. The European Union gives special emphasis in its acts of law to implementation of environment protection issues into economic and social policies and strategies. Environmental protection – through integration of policies and strategies both in the area of economy and social issues, but also by emphasizing harmonization of actions in time and space – is also stressed in the provisions of the negotiated Constitution of the European Union.The Web site of the company Wanda Pazdan will promote sustainable development management, also treating family and development of individual units as important components of development. The bigger the number of people going along the path of sustainable development, the easier its implementation.M. Nowicki and L. Ribbe, in the last chapter of the book “Problemy Ekorozwoju Polski” [Problems of Eco-development of Poland], entitled “Jaka czeka nas przyszłośc?” [What is Our Future?], wrote: “Settlement dispersion and inflow of people representing various professions  into the areas that used to be exclusively rural, should stimulate development of self-government, facilitate many positive citizen initiatives and election of local authorities by making an informed decision rather than voting for anonymous persons. Even now there are no technical obstacles to bringing back an ancient form of direct democracy, as thanks to computer networks and electronic mail it would be possible to conduct voting in form of general referenda on every matter which is vital for society. This pertains to local communities and the society of the whole country. It will create completely new forms of ruling and responsibility of those who rule. Political parties, which so readily refer to a mandate granted them by society, unlike today, will have to take face immediate verification of their actions, without waiting for next elections. Manipulation of opinion polls, based on a very small sample, which now are often an element of political game, will not be possible.”Reliable, “INTEGRATABLE” information made available to EVERYBODY is an indispensable element for implementation of development through sustainable development route. Information brings responsibility. Implementation of sustainable development requires universal responsibility. Business responsibility is no longer a slogan. Now, it involves actions. We have CR (corporate responsibility) and CSR (corporate social responsibility) pilot projects, we have FTSE4Good Index Series created to strengthen awareness and acceptance of socially responsible investments in international business, the process of ISO 14000 and EMAS system implementation is under way.Unification of the form and information scope of a report submitted by an enterprise management board to a commercial court for the preceding year (together with financial statements and notes to financial statements) is the product of international efforts by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) (see www.globalreporting.org ). The GRI, in a comprehensive way, highlights areas of business impact on society and the environment, as well as on other business representatives.Quotation from the HOPE project “…we must decide for a life with the feeling of universal responsibility, identifying ourselves with the global and our local communities. We are, at the same time, representatives of many nations and of one world, which are interrelated. Everybody shares responsibility for the current and future welfare and prosperity of the human family and for the greater, living world. The spirit of solidarity and kinship with life as a whole is stronger when we live by giving some of the mystery of life, being grateful for the gift of life and recognizing with humility the place of human beings in the world of nature. We urgently need a common vision of basic values which will ensure ethical foundations of an emerging world community.” [translated from Polish]S. Kozłowski “EKOROZWÓJ Wyzwanie XXI wieku” [ECO-DEVELOPMENT: Challenge of the 21st Century], in the last chapter entitled “Wyzwania XXI wieku” [Challenges of the 21st Century] wrote, among other things, about eco-capitalism. Here is a short citation: “Capitalism needs new strategies. Use of market mechanisms for preservation of the natural environment and, at the same time, creation, for each participant of the market, of an opportunity to cash in on it, is a must. This new thought pattern and direction for actions is called eco-capitalism (Wizsacker, Lovins, Lovins, 1999):
Principles of eco-capitalism:
1. Make sure assessments tell ecological truth.
2. First, do what is most profitable.
3. Invest in conserving the resources as this is cheaper than exploitation of resources.
4. Make markets for the conserved resources.
5. Promote fair competition.
6. Reward only desirable, not undesirable behaviors.
7. Tax what is less desirable rather than desirable.
8. Speed up withdrawal of ineffective equipment.Implementation of the assumptions of eco-capitalism is possible if we change our ideas about prosperity. Until now, prosperity has been commonly assessed through the value of the gross domestic product (GDP), i.e. turnover value. The GDP value often depends on the scale of mismanagement of earth’s resources, like destruction of tropical forests. At the same time, when a certain standard of living is achieved, GDP growth no longer entails our well-being. In industrialized nations, the feeling of well-being, measured by means of the Index of Sustainable Economic Welfare (ISEW) (see Annex No. 5) has a downward trend. To the contributing factors belongs, among others, the fact that globalization leads to climbing unemployment and shrinking income (Martin, Schumann, 1999).The new concept of capitalism is based on just the opposite assumption that the number of jobs will grow and that the period of employment in man’s life will be extended. Higher employment is observed mainly in the service sector. Transfer from earning in the industry sector to earning in the service sector is called tertierization. In the USA, only a few percent work in agriculture, and in industry – less than 20% of the employed.”Paraphrasing H. Skolimowski, a futurist and philosopher, new values for the new millennium are ecological values: reverence, responsibility, restraint, diversity, eco-justice for everything.It will not be possible without changing the ethical principles commonly adhered to. One of the most important “tools” necessary for implementation of sustainable development is education of the society in a new spirit. This is the most difficult task as it entails the change of our habits, patterns. Church, family, the media, science and the whole system of education – each can play a huge role in this endeavor.Quoting W. Eichelberger: “…The problem is that despite this unprecedented discovery of physicists who question the “old” paradigm, our culture, our way of understanding of the world and our way of functioning in it, are still governed by the old way of thinking. Many scientists and thinkers treat this as a potential source for a disaster. In their opinion, our civilization, based on the traditional paradigm which contradicts the reality, led to the situation in which it will not be able to expend enough energy to prevent an inevitable, as it seems, disaster. The inertia of this system is really puzzling, but is also terrifying. It is frightening that our life is shaped, and our behavior directed by the picture of the world that has little basis in reality. When you have no contact with reality, then your behavior leads to suffering and confusion, confusion in you and around you…”

We need a global sustainable development management which would provide the minimum required to cover essential needs of all citizens of the world, because, as Albert Einstein said, the Achilles’ heel of all democracies is the economy-related fear and the only chance for saving the civilization and human race is through establishing the World Government and creation of the system of security based on law.

A. Toffler, American sociologist, indicated that we go in the direction of the worldwide system which in its structure resembles a vast network of neurons rather than loose, bureaucratically divided, organization units.

Others, like John Kenneth Galbraith, a Harvard economist and a diplomat, predict establishment of something like a world government, which would replace the anemic United Nations.

John Lennon, in his Imagine, sang that life without nations is not so difficult to imagine.

Today, two UN agencies, namely, UNEP and UNDP aspire to create a global government of sustainable development. Anthropopressure and nature of pollution, their spreading ability, cause that such regional (transnational), and even better – worldwide – solutions are necessary. They should also encompass coordination of efforts related to security, in the broad meaning of the word. Paraphrasing Albert Einstein, we can notice that everything what happens in the sphere of international relations should be estimated through its capacity to facilitate or interfere with establishing the World Government. Einstein further observed that this government should be able to solve conflicts between the states through arbitration. Moreover, it should have a clearly written statute, approved by individual governments and states and only it should be equipped with any offensive weapons.

Wanda Pazdan

Material based on the text of the second part of the book by Aleksandra Wójtowicz and Wanda Pazdan “Johannesburg na żywo i co dalej” [Alive From Johannesburg and What Else] ISBN 83-88823-86-8, published by Agencja Reklamowo-Wydawnicza Arkadiusz Grzegorczyk in 2002.

The Company offers:

– workshop in the subject of sustainable development management, also from the aspect of an individual

– musical setting for national and international events like conferences, conventions, seminars, symposiums, marketing presentations,   business meetings, banquets, jubilee celebrations, exhibitions and vernissages, as well as family events

– impresario

– concerts, festival, competitions for biznes and communes

 Sustainable development management should be treated as a top priority among strategic activities. The sustainable development strategy is the main strategy, which should be harmonized at various levels of management: European Union, country, local authority, enterprise, institution, family and each citizen.Families and each one of us, apart from central and local authorities, enterprises and institutions, constitute important links in implementation of sustainable development strategy. In the chain of harmonized strategic activities for improved life quality of the present and future generations that aim at our planet’s survival, integral approach plays a significant role. Getting aware about spirituality of individuals and societies, relationships between material and spiritual things, is an important step toward implementation of sustainable development.The document Strategy for Sustainable Development of Poland to 2025 expresses the goals and scope of operations in the following way:“Preparation of the Strategy for Sustainable Development of Poland, hereafter called the Strategy, should, first of all, facilitate creation of conditions stimulating development processes which endanger the environment to the least extent. It is thus necessary to gradually eliminate processes and economic activities which are harmful to the environment and human health, to promote environmentally friendly methods of management and accelerate processes that restore the environment into its right condition wherever the upset of ecological balance occurred. Implementation of those requirements may not at the same time cause undesirable decline in the rate of economic growth, or widen the poverty margin, i.e. increasing or creating new social tensions and economic threats. In order to integrate directions of economic, social and ecological development, the Strategy for Sustainable Development of Poland to 2025 will specify correlations and interrelations among them and will mark out their directions and limitations. At the same time, the Strategy may not replace or double the strictly specialized policies, strategies and sector programs, with their own instrumentation, actors and time horizons. However, it dictates directions and framework for development of those sectors. Policies of different sectors should therefore constitute development and particularization of the principles, directions and goals stipulated by the Strategy.The general assumption of the Strategy for Sustainable Development of Poland is maintaining the current, aprox. 5%, economic growth, with indication of the target, approximately four times increase in efficiency of utilisation of raw materials, fuels and natural resources with reference to the unit of gross national product. At the same time, the Strategy should consider the needs regarding:

Scientific circles, ecologic non-governmental organizations and representatives of the central and local administration who are aware of the threats of various crises and disasters potentially stemming from uncoordinated intensive economic development, without respect for social and ecological aspects of life, have demanded preparation of the document of this type for years.

In light of the constitutional obligation to promote sustainable development of the country, the task is the responsibility of the state administration, local self-governments, business entities and individual citizens. Parliament and the President of the Republic of Poland should serve as guarantors on behalf of the society and the State – serving, however, with creative functions.”

So, pursuant to the Strategy document, Parliament and President of the Republic of Poland have creative functions as far as sustainable development strategy at the level of Poland is concerned.

The current Strategy was passed as a Resolution of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland of March 2, 1999.

Secretariat-General DGI in June, 2006, by a document No. 10117/06 published an updated version of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy (EU SDS). Analyzing the structure of the document and comparing it with the Polish Strategy, it seems that Polish Strategy needs to be updated. It must also treated as one of the most important Polish documents, and the society should learn to obligate the President, Prime Minister and Parliament of the Polish Republic to account for any failures in its implementation. This means the structure, and, in some sections, the content of the Strategy should be changed.

In Poland, the document called the National Development Strategy [in Polish – Strategia Rozwoju Kraju] is in practice treated as the most important, major document on development. It is indispensable and very important as it is one of significant prerequisites for obtaining EU funds. However, for all of us, Poles, the document Strategy for Sustainable Development of Poland (harmonized with  the EU SDS document) should be very important. It should serve nor only as a model for strategies, policies, sector programs, but also express the vision and the will of the society of Poland for development. The content of this document should be treated by the President, Parliament and Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland as the basis for the countrywide management.

In the EU SDS document, among key objectives, occurs, apart from the famous triple-bottom-line approach, the goal of international responsibility for enhancing, defending and establishing new democratic institutions throughout the world, based on peace, security and freedom. 

Sustainable development implies all areas of our existence, both physical and spiritual. Integral understanding of the world, integral philosophy and music may prove to be helpful for us. Philosophers treat reality in different ways. Those who write that reality as we perceive it has impact on us and that we have impact on it – seem to be right. The way we interact with it has impact on the way reality interacts with us… Great physicist, Albert Einstein, said that imagination is more important than knowledge. Władysław Reymont wrote that reality is built from the same material our dreams are built. Methods of strategic management based on the vision suggest an active creation of reality. Spirituality of a human being constitutes the feature which has recently grown to an idea of all-powerful energy. Human beings, depending on the way they manage their spiritual potential, may be profuse sources of goodness or evil, both to themselves and to their environment. Individuals’ own efforts in cooperation with creative energy may change man’s history, about which Herbert George Wells wrote that it is becoming more like a race between education and a catastrophe…

Polish environmental law provides the following definition: sustainable development is a social and economic development in which political, economic and social activities are integrated with maintenance of ecological balance and permanence of basic natural processes so that the possibility to satisfy basic needs of individual communities or citizens of the current and future generations is safeguarded.

Often, the definition created by UN agencies is applied: “sustainable development is the social and economic development in which integration of political, economic and social activities takes place both in time and space, so that natural balance and permanence of basic natural processes is ensured.” [translated from Polish]

In 1987, a concept of sustainable development, defined as “development protecting the needs of the current generation, without limiting implementation of the needs of future generations” entered the international political scene.

The European Union gives special emphasis in its acts of law to implementation of environment protection issues into economic and social policies and strategies. Environmental protection – through integration of policies and strategies both in the area of economy and social issues, but also by emphasizing harmonization of actions in time and space – is also stressed in the provisions of the negotiated Constitution of the European Union.

This Web site will promote sustainable development management, also treating family and development of individual units as important components of development.

The bigger the number of people going along the path of sustainable development, the easier its implementation.

M. Nowicki and L. Ribbe, in the last chapter of the book “Problemy Ekorozwoju Polski” [Problems of Eco-development of Poland], entitled “Jaka czeka nas przyszłośc?” [What is Our Future?], wrote: “Settlement dispersion and inflow of people representing various professions  into the areas that used to be exclusively rural, should stimulate development of self-government, facilitate many positive citizen initiatives and election of local authorities by making an informed decision rather than voting for anonymous persons. Even now there are no technical obstacles to bringing back an ancient form of direct democracy, as thanks to computer networks and electronic mail it would be possible to conduct voting in form of general referenda on every matter which is vital for society. This pertains to local communities and the society of the whole country. It will create completely new forms of ruling and responsibility of those who rule. Political parties, which so readily refer to a mandate granted them by society, unlike today, will have to take face immediate verification of their actions, without waiting for next elections. Manipulation of opinion polls, based on a very small sample, which now are often an element of political game, will not be possible.”

Reliable, “INTEGRATABLE” information made available to EVERYBODY is an indispensable element for implementation of development through sustainable development route. Information brings responsibility.

Implementation of sustainable development requires universal responsibility.

Material based on the text of the second part of the book by Aleksandra Wójtowicz and Wanda Pazdan “Johannesburg na żywo i co dalej” [Alive From Johannesburg and What Else] ISBN 83-88823-86-8, published by Agencja Reklamowo-Wydawnicza Arkadiusz Grzegorczyk in 2002.

The Princiles of Sustainable Development