SUMMARY
Foreward
…….………..1
Acronyms
………..………...……….…3
Abstract
……….…………...………...….6
Parole chiave - Key words
…..………..……….….7
Summary
….……….……….………8
Introduction
………..……….…13
Part
I The
contest
Chapter 1 THE
CONTEST
……...………...……16
1.1 Introduction. The importance of the contest………...….………....16
1.2 Contemporary culture: occidental culture………...…………...……….…...18
1.2.1 The fragmentariness of knowledge.…..……….……...……….19
1.2.2 The influence of the scientific method……...………..………….…...21
1.2.3 Consume society and consumerism.……….……….25
1.2.4 Man–Nature relationship and the perception of environment….………35
Part II
The Stability of the Biosphere and
Sustainable development. Gaia and men
Chapter 2
THE STATE OF THE WORLD
AND GAIA HYPOTHESIS
………….51
2.1 Introduction………..……….……….…………..…51
2.2 The state of the World: a significant look……….………...……53
2.2.1 Climatic changes………..….….…..………..…..57
2.2.1.1 Observation…..……….………..….58
2.2.1.2 Situation and previsions...………....…………..…..60
2.2.1.3 Cause del surriscaldamento………...……..……….62
2.2.2 Biodiversity……...…..……….……….…...66
2.2.2.1 Biodiversity and men…..…...………...68
2.2.2.2 Today’s situation...……….………...71
2.2.2.3 Men and biodiversity……...………...73
2.3 Gaia hypothesis and the stability of the biosphere.……...…...79
2.3.1 Stability, balances and diversity……….….………...…….84
2.4 Conclusions: the state of Gaia and men…...………...85
APPENDIX TO CHAPTER 2 2.A.1 Stoccolma, Rio, Johannesburg: a breef historical survey……….…...…91
Chapter 3 SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
….…95
3.1 Introduction……...………..…….…...95
3.2 The development’s concept and theories: historical and economical introductions, a synthesis………..……….96
3.2.1 The post-war period till Sixties………..…..99
3.2.1.1 The modernization paradigm …………..………...100
3.2.1.2 Growth and progress……..………101
3.2.2 Seventies and Eighties…….………...…103
3.2.3 Nineties till our days………..105
3.3 Sustainable development…….………..108
3.3.1 Bruntland’s Report…...……….……….111
3.3.2 Other interpretations and definitions. The debate……...…..……..…..113
3.3.2.1 Weak Sustainability………116
3.3.2.2 Strong Sustainability………..118
3.3.2.3 The principle of equity………...120
3.3.3 Money as the unit of measure, prosperity and well-being indicators....122
3.3.4 Kuznets’ Curve and Ecoimperialism………...………..…125
Part III
The need of a new paradigm
for the stability of the Biosphere
Chapter 4
Towards a development of
communion
………..………....1344.1 Introduction………..….134
4.2 The premises to the concept of development………...…..135
4.2.1 Richness and happiness………....…..………...137
4.2.2 Positional goods and relational goods….……….141
4.2.2.1 The principle of reciprocity….………...145
4.2.3 What the man for development? The person and the category of communion……….149
4.3 Towards a Development of Communion……...………..……...………..152
4.3.1 From production cost or consumer to citizen of the world…….…..…156
Charter 5
Fair Trade. On the way
towards sustainability
………..…..163
5.1 Introduction………...163
5.2 Fair Trade. The genesis of the idea………..…….….164
5.3.1 Principles………...172
5.3.2 Criteria…..………...175
5.3.3 Definitions………..…181
5.3.4 The actors…..……….182
5.4 The research we did………...186
5.4.1 Objects….………..………..………..188
5.4.2 Method………..………..………..……….…189
5.4.3 Proceeding and results ….………...……..……….……...192
5.5 Fair Trade as a way towards sustainability………..………..200
5.5.1 The principle of equity and of reciprocity inside Fair Trade………....203
5.5.2 The person in the middle…..………..…205
5.5.2.1 The role of Botteghe del Mondo [Fair Trade Shops].…………207
5.5.3 Relationship with nature and environmental evidences of Fair Trade208 APPENDIX TO CHAPTER 5 5.A.1 The Italian Chart of Criteria of Fair Trade ………..……….214
5.A.2 The International Associations of Fair Trade………...………….219
5.A.3 The main Italian importation organization and the Botteghe del Mondo……..221
