Active and Passive Sustainability: Measuring the Anti-Fragility of Territories

Abstract

Sustainability is a paradigm of generative action if combined with the principle of antifragility. This contribution, adhering to a transdisciplinary approach, proposes a reinterpretation of the principles of the 2030 Agenda, orienting them towards a community-building model. Sustainability can be seen as passive (care) and active (custody), determining paths to be activated at the territorial level. Sustainability is a communitarian learning path measured by one’s antifragility capacity. The effectiveness of the Agenda is linked to the dissemination and accountability of the challenges contained in the 17 objectives. The local scale is perhaps the most suitable for activating this process. However, this requires a strengthening of the anti-fragility of communities and organizations, which must be more capable of recognizing and reducing vulnerabilities and weaknesses. A promising field of application is that of impact assessment, to be reworked in the light of the antifragility approach.