Sustainability in the Desert: Leonora, Western Australia Dora Marinova and Silvia Lozeva Curtin University Sustainability Policy (CUSP) Institute
Sustainability The sustainability concept has reframed the way we think about the world (Hartz Karp and Newman, 2006) The characteristic of being able to coexist with another system indefinitely, without either system being damaged (http://library.thinkquest.org/22403/data/medium/other/glossary.html) Humanity has the ability to make development sustainable to ensure that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Brundtland and WCED, 1987, p. 24)
Meeting the needs of current and future generations through an integration of environmental protection, social advancement and economic prosperity (WA Sustainability Strategy, 2003: 24) Sustainable development comprises types of economic and social development that protect and enhance the natural environment and social equity (Dunphy et al., 2000: 23) framework of principles, a philosophy of practice that engages multi levels, places, cultures and actors in a systematic approach that emphasises the importance of the local, of knowledge and action, but relates this to a broader global perspective in which interrelationships are recognised (McGrath and Marinova, 2004: n.p.)
It entails not only a holistic understanding of the world but under the imperatives of climate change and the persistent global poverty, it also requires practical actions to be put in place urgently It is about how to make decisions that affect the present and the long term future (Wiltshire, 2005)
Case study: Leonora Message: complex, contentious, apparently overwhelmingly difficult problems we face cannot be resolved by doing nothing or even by doing as we have done in the past (Hartz Karp and Newman, 2006: 28).
Sustainability journey Economic development Ecological economics Environmental protection and improvement SUSTAINABILITY Community health Sense of place Social development
Sustainability and people all history as well as current experience points to the fact that it is man, not nature, who provides the primary resource: that the key factor of all economic development comes out of the mind of man (Schumacher, Small is Beautiful, 1974, p.64)
Leonora: overview Located in the Western Desert (which covers the Gibson Desert, the Great Sandy Desert and the Little Sandy Desert) 1890s mining (gold, silver, nickel, lead) Pastoralism and farming Tourism Aboriginal heritage 1412 residents, including 155 Aboriginal in 2006 (2688, including 239 Aboriginal in 1996)
Fly in/fly out 100 industrial sites Operate 24/7 A roster of workers, engineers and other professionals who work long shifts (e.g. 12 hours) each day for a number of continuous days (e.g. 2 3 weeks) followed by an extended period of rest (e.g. 1 week) spent back in the city
FIFO Tourists Tourists Settlers Public servants Aboriginal community Leonora Tourists
Economic development A mining town Pastoralism Tourism Regional centre school hospital library airport
The mining community needs to develop the human resources potential which is already here. Three mining camps not much mixing with communities All high skilled people are spread very thin. I don t have more kids with the mining industry. The only benefit I have is monetary. The good kids will miss out. They are not pushed to better standards outside of Leonora. Next step after school should be traineeship, and if that is not secured, than what future do the kids have? Not much wealth kept here.
Social development Human capital Social capital HIV/AIDS
Where are they? You never see them! When they fly out they probably even bring back the toothpaste with them. If the mine closes governmental services are still going to exist. There are still going to be gardening and horse riding and great climate to enjoy; I feel part of the town. Primary School is quite good here. I am glad they [his two children] have the opportunity to study here, where they can develop their potential. It also helps us as parents, being able to observe and encourage their progress. I think that this would not be possible in a big school, like in Perth for example.
Nearly 70 per cent of all children are from Indigenous population. The Aboriginal kids are behind from the start due to their lack of enrolment in pre school and poor development from an early age. That's why we try to play interactive games and try to get them involved in as many activities as possible. Picture theatre used to be important, the miners used to come here. 16 20 year old lost soul generation We need community economics
Number of students enrolled in Leonora District High School, 2008
Other communities in remote areas have everything set up for them before they move in. White contractors move in and build every thing and then move out, Aboriginals are then left to themselves with no knowledge of what to do if anything goes wrong, and with no idea of how to do any repairs or maintenance to the homes. This is what happens when our people have their lifestyle stolen away from them, when the reserves are sold to mining companies and mining companies take over pastoral properties and the Aboriginal stockmen are left with no employment, so they finish up on the outskirts of the towns and they cannot adapt to European way of living. (1999) http://www.wilja.asn.au/postscri.htm
Environmental protection Value of minerals and petroleum Leonora: $2,747,991,805 (DoIR, 2007) Surrounded by pastoral holdings Oil dependent Commodity prices
PV should be everywhere Climate here is better than in Perth You feel part of town Leonora is always going to be here this is the best town to live in this area I have my own wood, meat, veggies, cost of living is cheaper, cash jobs everywhere We have a desalination plant to get rid of the chemicals from the soil There are too many kangaroos nowadays because there is water everywhere
On weekends and holidays we always make sure we go bush to relax and enjoy our way of living and to teach our young people our ways to survive in the bush and our laws and culture, which has been handed down to us from our elders who have gone before us (1999) http://www.wilja.asn.au/postscri.htm
Complexity Sustainability is about complex systems: desert settlements Co existence Integration Development/evolution Knowledge Do these complex systems have the capacity to learn and adapt to survive in the future?
Societalisation Shelling s tipping model (1978) mild preferences of individuals to be with like others can result in highly segregated social systems Eriksen (2007) cultural and social dynamics are independent of each other all voices need to be heard by all Societalisation a process of bringing all social systems alignment (Wallby, 2007) with the aim of making Leonora more sustainable
Participatory democracy Creating a bottom up approach to Leonora s sustainability, bring all players together Can help establish simpler, more powerful meanings that tap into our common language and that empower us to take effective action to actually achieve the sustainability of the things we depend on and the things we love (Sutton, 2004: 8) Connecting and linking people is a major knowledge management activity which allows stories to be shared and innovation to occur (Snowden, 2002)
Adaptive complex systems This organisational form, and the behaviour that structures it, leads to the emergence of a collective intelligence that in turn drives forward the same processes in feedback loops leading to a substantial increases in agency and potential (Chesters, 2004: 11) Emergence refers to macro outcomes produced by reflexive actors engaged in complex patterns of interaction and exchange, which are unexpected but are historically determinate and unknowable in advance. The feedback loops allow for strength, durability, and interconnectivity to be built and reaffirms the praxis that facilitates the emergent properties. Increases in agency and potential come from increased reflexivity by all individuals, groups and organisations.
Leonora Market: goods & services SUSTAINABLE DESERT SETTLEMENT Government: regulations & infrastructure Community: values & visions
What is unique about Leonora is that it is a T junction, a lot of tourists come here Leonora was kept by mining, small contractors, labs with unskilled labour, mining is always going to be here. It is a fuel stop, has a caravan park, it is diverse depends on different things. People move out, then move back We have enthusiastic teachers: let s do it, have a go, courageous, love science We have to do things ourselves, independently, stand out, bite your tongue. We have to be confident Break preconceived ideas
Conclusion Leonora is a very diverse/heterogeneous desert settlement mining, pastoralists, Aboriginals, tourists, services A process of societalisation can enable co evolution of sustainability knowledge and adaptation Participatory democracy can facilitate such a process, shape sustainability aspirations and allow for dialogue and deliberation on the town s future
THANK YOU and he authors want to acknowledge Cooperative Research Centre Desert Knowledge for helping fund this research