Why Envisioning?

A Vision Statement of the ESDA Network

In the face of rapid human induced environmental change and profound ecological and economic uncertainty, many Americans are worried about the well-being of their children and their children’s children. In response to this concern, governments, institutions, and civil society have formed a broad, overlapping consensus around the goal of sustainable development. What is lacking is a clear unified vision of what sustainable development entails. In short, without a coherent, relatively detailed, shared vision of what a sustainable society would look like, there will be no political will nor united effort to take us from here to there. The default vision of continued, unlimited increases in material consumption is inherently unsustainable, but we cannot break away from this vision until a credible alternative is available. Shared visions can arise through participatory democratic processes, or through the persuasive rhetoric of charismatic individuals and political demagogues. If we are to achieve a sustainable and democratic future, then we must create a shared vision detailing what we as a society want to sustain and incorporating the central shared values that express our hopes for the future. This vision must incorporate a diversity of perspectives and be based on principles of fairness and respect. The goal of the ESDA network is to develop and disseminate this shared vision, and work together so that it will come to pass.