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What Are the Stimuli to Change to a Sustainable Post-COVID-19 Society?

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  • Cecilia M. V. B. Almeida

    (Laboratório de Produção e Meio Ambiente, Programa de Pos-Graduação em Engenharia de Produção, Universidade Paulista (UNIP), São Paulo 04026-002, Brazil
    School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100091, China)

  • Biagio F. Giannetti

    (Laboratório de Produção e Meio Ambiente, Programa de Pos-Graduação em Engenharia de Produção, Universidade Paulista (UNIP), São Paulo 04026-002, Brazil
    School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100091, China)

  • Feni Agostinho

    (Laboratório de Produção e Meio Ambiente, Programa de Pos-Graduação em Engenharia de Produção, Universidade Paulista (UNIP), São Paulo 04026-002, Brazil
    School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100091, China)

  • Gengyuan Liu

    (School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100091, China)

  • Zhifeng Yang

    (Institute of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China)

Abstract

The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted how inadequately prepared humanity is to manage global disasters. Conversely, this crisis also offers an exceptional opportunity to move towards a more equitable and sustainable future. This paper explores three stimuli that can lead people to the change towards sustainable Post-COVID-19 societies: crises, knowledge, and alternative paradigms. From a theoretical approach, the paper addresses the roles of each stimulus and the capacity they may have, individually or together, to encourage the debate about the relationship between environmental conditions and human crisis. This study contributes to the discussions on the importance of strategic transformations of the global consumption and production systems. It takes this unique opportunity to move towards a more sustainable future. Moreover, it urges that this transformation process be articulated with alternative paradigms that seek to go beyond inequalities, conflicts, imbalanced development, and ecological deterioration.

Suggested Citation

  • Cecilia M. V. B. Almeida & Biagio F. Giannetti & Feni Agostinho & Gengyuan Liu & Zhifeng Yang, 2021. "What Are the Stimuli to Change to a Sustainable Post-COVID-19 Society?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-13, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:23:p:12939-:d:685558
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