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Abstract

Today it is common knowledge that the market economy in its present form with a social security system based on economic growth is not sustainable. Inspite of a decade-long debate on less energy use and a reduced input of resources carbon dioxide emissions and per capita use of resources are still increasing in most industrialized countries. This inspite of the adoption of the Agenda 21 and two U.N. conventions on climate change and biodiversity in Rio de Janeiro 1992. The last two have not only been signed by nearly all nations attending the conference, but were also ratified quickly and are therefore legally binding (though without much of commitment). The following essay does not want to limit itself to lamenting what has not been achieved, but wants to show what has happened and how we can act more rapidly with the help of research on Global Change, in order to achieve sustainability not only on paper.