Canadian Values, Sustainable Development and Behaviour Change:

Report Contents
Report Summary

Overview

          “As a practical matter, calling into question the ‘normal’ ways of regarding nature can
     only be effective when the established patterns have led to difficulty.  They have.”
     (McLaughlin, 1993)

This report investigates relationships between value sets and behaviour change related to
sustainable development activities, management and policies. 

Values influence behaviour through complex driving forces.  The interrelationships between the
human environment, our institutions and social norms and the natural environment can and do
establish powerful motivational forces.  These may help or hinder our attempts in pursuit of
more sustainable development paths.

This report chose to specifically focus on the values attributed to the predominant economic
worldview for a number of reasons.  First, this focus is intended to establish functional
boundaries for the research.  Second, the focus was established to investigate the values which
are consistent with prevailing Canadian biases, social goals and institutions.  Finally, economic
sustainability is a key feature of the sustainable development triad.  The focus, therefore, also
intends to reveal insight into key values guiding sustainable development progress and their role
in establishing driving forces and behaviour choices.

Present understandings of the interconnectedness between these factors and how they affect our
behaviour towards sustainable development is explored.  Important areas for further research
and action are suggested.

The evidence is overwhelming - predominant economic worldview values establish significant
behavioural and decision-making barriers to achieving sustainable development objectives.
However, it must be remembered that the focus of this report is restricted to the prevailing
economic values.  These are not the only values shaping our behaviour choices.  Beyond these
values, this report also concludes there is tremendous hope and opportunity.  The report offers
some insight into how these opportunities might best be cultivated.

This report concludes the need for systemic changes in the values reviewed, management and
decision making towards sustainable development, and our behaviour and lifestyle choices.  It
offers some insight into how best to achieve these changes.  Transformative strategic
orientations to better accommodate sustainable development objectives are needed.