The first day of the conference concluded with Arthur Dahl giving his inaugural lecture as Visiting Professor at the University of Brighton on the topic Life: A Systems Approach - Reflections on Multiple Dimensions of Sustainability (click for full text). The presentation can be downloaded here (58 mb). You can also listen to the full audio recording (31.5mb)
Arthur Dahl described how he has taken a very eclectic and strategic approach to the science of systems during 50 years in the environmental movement. He started to explore the patterns and processes underlying complex biological systems, from simple seaweeds to coral reef ecosystems. Then, through very practical work on the environmental problems of small islands, he tried to integrate human communities and natural systems. The next step was the global level, exploring the links between environmental, economic and social systems necessary to move towards planetary sustainability. This meant trying to understand the mechanisms of information and control that allow these systems to function, and indicators that might signal how well they worked. He realized that, at the most fundamental level, it is human ethics and values that determine the effectiveness of our governance and our impact on the planetary environment. This led naturally to search for values-based indicators for sustainability, and the ESDinds project.