Harmonizing social and ecological sustainability through human rights and weak anthropocentrism : A case study of green urban spaces and education in Malmö

Abstract: Social and ecological sustainability are recognized pillars of sustainable development. However, it is not always clear how they are supposed to be achieved jointly. This unclarity can lead to major tradeoffs between social and ecological sustainability which ultimately endangers our prospects for sustainable development. In Malmö, Sweden, the tension of social and ecological sustainability can be found in the challenge of both protecting green urban spaces as well as increasing the number of schools. This study will explore the linkages between ensuring education and protecting green urban spaces for the school children in Malmö. The linkages will be explored using systems analysis (cause-effect relationships), supported by data retrieved from the Swedish National Agency for Education. The analysis shows that one can achieve harmonizing interlinkages between education and green urban spaces through the adoption of green schoolyards. This result is discussed through the framework of weak anthropocentrism and human rights based on Kate Raworth’s doughnut-model. The discussion identifies that green schoolyards ensure education to the full extent according to the human rights principle on states – and municipalities – to respect, protect and fulfill human rights. It furthermore identifies that the preconditions for green schoolyards should be adopted by Malmö municipality.