Knowledge from developing countries should be incorporated into global discussions on sustainable development, suggests new research.
In two new papers published today on ES&T's, present an array of ideas and tools from developing countries that have proven useful in implementing sustainable living. Using specific case studies, the authors argue that indigenous knowledge needs to be included in global conversations on sustainability.
Ramaswami et al. (right pic) Nested water temples in Bali are a well-documented case of communal sharing of resources.
In two new papers published today on ES&T's, present an array of ideas and tools from developing countries that have proven useful in implementing sustainable living. Using specific case studies, the authors argue that indigenous knowledge needs to be included in global conversations on sustainability.
Ramaswami et al. (right pic) Nested water temples in Bali are a well-documented case of communal sharing of resources.
"Developing nations typically have a long history of practical innovation and successful application of indigenous knowledge systems," write the authors. And yet, the flow of information between the two disparate parts of the world is almost always unidirectional. "There is a lot of knowledge transfer from the developed to the developing world," says author Anu Ramaswami of the University of Colorado, Denver, and Health Sciences Center. The UN Environment Programme supports rainwater harvesting—practiced for centuries on various small islands and communities all over the world—as one of the best alternatives to freshwater supply, especially in the face of water scarcity.
