Five Capitals of ESD

In the global free market fundamentalism of the past, human and social capital were made subordinate to Financial Capital and and Manufactured/Physical Capital, with our Natural Capital subordinate to both.

In order to acieve ESD it is necessary for Human Capital and Social Capital to serve our Natural Capital, with Financial Capital and Physical Capital serving both.

Natural capital - natural resources from which resources and services for livelihoods are derived (e.g., vegetation, land, water).

Social capital - social organisations that facilitate or constrain cooperative enterprises, inter-household relationships, formal/informal networks.

Human capital - education, knowledge, health that enable people to solve their own problems and to pursue different livelihood strategies.

Physical capital - infrastructure, equipment, property to support livelihoods (affordable transport; shelter; water supply, sanitation; energy).

Financial capital - financial resources that people use to achieve their livelihood objectives (e.g., access to credit, loans, savings and remittances).

Jointly the five capitals are livelihood assets, defined as as "the capabilities, assets, and activities required for a means of living. Livelihoods are sustainable when they can cope with and recover from stresses and shocks and maintain or enhance the capabilities or assets, while not undermining the natural resource base."

The best place to begin in re-evaluating your own opportiunities to contribute to ESD is by taking stock of your ecological "footprint" on the planet, and discussion on this issue is on the "Ecological Footprint " Page below has links to the "Global Footprint Network:

Go to Ecological Footprint Page

Australia's National Strategy for ESD is on the 'National Strategy" Page below:

Go to National Strategy Page