The purpose of this training module on globalization and sustainability is to examine the impacts of globalization on local communities and the challenges it poses for sustainable development at local and global levels.
Using Canada as a case study, this module will provide you with an overview of contemporary globalization, the issues and trade-offs that confront local leaders in an increasingly inter-connected world, and specific examples of communities that are struggling to reconcile local and global interests as they move toward sustainable development.
The content and structure of the training module are designed to introduce you to the complexity of globalization and sustainability, namely, what they mean, how they are inter-related, how they are manifested in different regions of the world, and how sustainability might be measured.
The objectives of the training module are to: familiarize you with globalization as a contemporary phenomenon and sustainability as a guiding principle of development; examine how globalization impacts and shapes efforts toward sustainability in local communities around the world. By acquiring a broad understanding of globalization and sustainability and becoming familiar with the experiences of three Canadian communities, you will develop a conceptual understanding of the complex relationship between globalization and sustainability; and develop a conceptual understanding of globalization and sustainability in order to assess how sustainable development might be achieved, both now and in the future.
This will require you to identify the obstacles and opportunities that globalization presents.
It helps you to recognize how globalization has impacted your own community and what it might require for sustainable development to be achieved in this context.
The module is divided into five main sections: Section One: Overview of Globalization and Sustainability - This section defines sustainable development and explains its main principles, examines globalization as a contemporary phenomenon, and makes links between globalization and sustainability. Several articles, including "Globalization and Sustainable Development: An Overview of the Issues", "The Globalization Phenomenon and Its Influence Near and Far", as well as articles about trade and sovereignty and governance will provide you with a background on the issues and central theme of the module.
Section Two: Global Perspectives on Globalization and Sustainability - Globalization impacts different parts of the world in different ways, depending on the nature of a country's economy, natural resource base, culture, politics, efforts toward sustainable development, and other factors.
Seen through the eyes of LEAD Associates, the unique perspectives and experiences of Brazil, Canada, China, The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, and Southern Africa will help you explore the complexity and varied impacts of globalization generally and on sustainability in particular.
Section Three: Measurement and Indicators of Sustainability - Sustainability covers a broad range of issues and it is complicated to both define succinctly and to measure. However, tools and indicators for measuring sustainability--whether it is being achieved and at what rate--have been developed.
You will be asked to examine your personal impact on the environment by calculating your "ecological footprint" and to envision sustainability through a unique extrapolative strategy.
Section Four: Canada Case Study - In this section, globalization and the quest for local sustainability are examined through the eyes of several Canadian communities: Yellowknife, Clayoquot Sound, and Whistler-Squamish Corridor.
After learning about each of the communities, you will be asked to respond to a set of questions about the impact of globalization on these communities and what their future might hold.
Section Five: Globalization and Sustainability in Your Community - You will be asked to consider a set of questions that invite reflection on how globalization has affected your own community and country.
Keeping the experiences of the three Canadian communities in mind, you will be asked to consider how sustainable development might be achieved in your own community, and what economic, social, cultural, and political changes this might require.
