Baden-Württemberg Center for Brazil and Latin America

Aims

According to the United Nations, sustainable development is defined as 'development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs' (Brundtland Report, 1987). In broad terms, sustainability entails the harmonious interaction of environmental, social, and economic components.

The environment, encompassing Earth's resources and processes, is intricately linked with human societies, both in social and economic aspects. This connection is delineated through the concepts of 'bearable' and 'viable,' which depict possible approaches to societal development while concurrently preserving the capacity of natural systems to provide essential resources and ecosystem services that underpin the economy and society.

On the effort to discuss such topics, the German-Brazilian Symposium for Sustainable Development represents a series of successful workshops that have been organized both in Germany and Brazil since 2003.

Through oral and poster presentations, as well as workshops and discussions, the 2024 edition of the Symposium aims at debating the complex issues of resilience, value creation, food security and equitable access to water. These efforts involve integrating systems, ideas, and technologies for sustainable development in Brazil and Germany.