p.89 there are similarities between social and living systems. Both
living and social system are responsive to changing conditions, whether these are evolutionary or short-term responses to
stress or shock
p.98 The test of any framework or model must be its utility in helping organize
and clarify information.
p.98-99 This paper has presented a framework loosely based on Capra’s
web of life theory (1996) and ecological concepts. It is hoped that the foregoing will provide some thought and opportunity
to improve progress towards sustainable development... Meppem and Gill (1998) call sustainable development itself essentially
a learning process. Using a framework as one of the participatory tools of evaluation formulation can not only help focus
indicator selection but also help understanding of how to achieve sustainable development, which is the first step to making
progress towards it.
p.99 In summary, it is proposed that healthy social systems, like
ecological ones, consist of a diversity of inter-dependent but self-sufficient entities appropriate in scale and low in entropy
so as to provide stability and durability while at the same time being responsive to the uncertainty and fragility of evolutionary
succession. Keeping in mind ecological principles to operationalize indicators may not in itself achieve progress towards
sustainable development but at least can contribute to stakeholder learning.
