Articles, Papers and Speeches
Sustainable Developments
Arctic Issue of the Geographer: A Geographer's Perspective and Draft Editorial
Roger identifies the three key issues for sustainable development - Jan 2018
Roger supports the case for a South of Scotland rural development agency - June 2017
Scottish Land Reform Consultation - Roger Crofts calls for a formal duty of land stewardship as ownership is a secondary issue
A Collision Course or a Future for the Young? - Video Recording of Talk, 25 July 2013
Linking People and the Outdoors: An International Perspective - Text of speech to Danish Outdoor Council, Copenhagen Mar 2012
Learning Lessons from Large-Scale Developments
Paper written fro WWF Scotland setting out lessons from large-scale developments on Scotland and their relevance to current development decision making.
Reality Check 3 Financing sustainability
Review in 2004 jointly with Ian Thomson assessing progress by the Scottish Executive on bringing sustainable development policy into decision making on the Scottish budget.
Delivering the WSSD Committments - Presentation
Presentation in 2003 on linking the Ecosystem Approach to the delivery of the World Summit on Sustainable Development global targets.
Delivering Benefits Globally, Nationally and Locally
Some people believe that sustainable development is merely a philosophical concept, others believe that it will disappear from view in a relatively short timescale. Yet others consider that it is concerned with traditional forms of development, ie economic activity which has led to phrases such as “a sustainable economy” and “sustainable tourism”. My own perspective is much different from these. Sustainable development is an important philosophical concept about the future of human kind and the link between society and its natural environment. It is also the basis for practice locally to ensure that economic, social and environmental issues are considered together in seeking solutions to the problems of today. I also believe that the environmental component of sustainable development can be wrongly classified as a constraint or a deterrent to development. This is far from the case as the environment provides many of the assets for the health and well-being of society now and in the future. We must ensure that we use these assets in a way which provides benefits to society without impairing the functioning of natural systems or incurring the gross loss of natural resources. The price of failure, at a minimum, will be the constraint of opportunity for future generations. At a maximum it could mean the destruction of key ecosystems and, as a result, lead to substantial economic and social dislocation.
Sustaining Scotland's Environment
Following on from the summary of the Conference by Tricia Henton, Chief Executive of SEPA, I provide below an overview of the major issues which were raised during the Conference proceedings, I give my own interpretation of the challenges which are faced and suggest directions for the future.
Four challenges of sustainable development for the environment and environmental bodies are identified. Each of these needs to be addressed if the environment is to be an equal partner with economic and social interests in sustainable development.
Environmental Citizenship for the Future
For those of us who claim to be environmentally aware, it is very easy to assume that one takes on the mantle of environmental responsibility in life as a matter of course. Individuals do not become environmental citizens or become environmentally aware without some external stimulation. In this paper, I seek to identify what I mean by environmental citizenship from a range of different perspectives. I address the question of how citizens value the environment: weighing scientific approaches to those dealing with emotional or cultural approaches. I then reflect on what geography teachers can contribute as I believe that they are in a good position to influence and build environmental citizens for the future.
Sustaining Scotland's Environment - Summary
This chapter assesses five components for sustaining Scotland’s environment: data, understanding, interpretation, policy development and new mechanisms, and a way forward is set out. It is written from the perspective of the Chief Executives of the two statutory environment bodies in Scotland.
Biodiversity Helps to Achieve Sustainable Development - Bullet Point Speech
Biodiversity Helps to Achieve Sustainable Development
Contrary to the views of many people biodiversity goes well beyond individual species, important though they are, and beyond species in their habitats. Biodiversity is individual species and species together and species in their habitats and habitats and their ecosystem and biological processes. Other natural processes are also relevant, such as energy flows, water circulation and atmospheric circulation.
Delivering Benefits Globally, Nationally and Locally - Chapter from Nature ,Landscape and People
Can Environment Science Support Policy? - Bullet POint Speech
Notes for talk given to Edinburgh University 2004.
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