Inclusion, sustainability, and equity at the heart of a 5.0 society

Abstract

Our everyday reality is perceived as more complex, unpredictable, and filled with barriers created by not-so-evident factors that can stifle thought, reflection, and the desire and energy to act. All of this intertwines with the reduction of physical and psychological well-being for many people, encouraging the presence and escalation of situations of vulnerability which are rapidly increasing nowadays. In addition to the more traditional and known ones, such as vulnerabilities connected to the presence of disabilities or diseases, today other forms of vulnerabilities are strongly emerging, such as environmental vulnerabilities or vulnerabilities connected to climate change, ecologic vulnerabilities, financial vulnerabilities, 'health-related' vulnerabilities, digital vulnerabilities, and professional vulnerabilities. Considering this standpoint, in this chapter we will focus to inclusivity, sustainability, social and environmental justice, human rights. Furthermore, we introduce the construct of Society 5.0 that aims to improve the living conditions of everyone and to relatively resolve problems at the micro-, meso-, and macro-social levels.