Introduction

What is Sustainability?
Definition: The essence of the term sustainable is ‘that which can be maintained over
time’. By implication, this means that any society that is unsustainable cannot be
maintained for long and will cease to functions at some point
Historical excurse: occurred in 1713 (by German forester and scientist adopting the
practice of planting trees as a path to ‘sustained-yield forestry’). Widespread usage
after 1987 in Report from the United Nations’ World Commission on Environment
and Development – ‘meets the needs of the present generation without compromising
the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’
Sustainability is often thought of as composed of three overlapping, mutually
dependent goals: the three E’s of sustainability can be achieved only when
environmental protection and improvement, economic growth, and social equity go
hand in hand. Sustainable society and economy focus on a broad array of efforts to
maintain social conditions and economic and human well-being
First paragraph: To live in the way that is environmentally sustainable (viable over
the very long-term)
Global warming is a form of feedback from the earth's ecological system to the
world's economic system. So are the ozone hole, acid rain in Europe and eastern
North America, soil degradation in the prairies, deforestation and species loss in the
Amazon, and many other environmental phenomena.
Kent E. Portny: Despite the fact that this concept may seem too abstract, it is clear
that at its core sustainability is a concept that focuses on the condition of Earth’s
biophysical environment, particularly with respect to the use and depletion of natural
resources.
1. To be sustainable, the use of renewable resources must proceed at a rate that is
less than or equal to the rate of natural replenishment. As for non-renewable
resources, like fossil fuels and minerals, their use reduces the stock available
for future generations. But this does not mean that such resources should not be
used. In general, the rate of depletion should take into account the criticality of
that resource, the availability of technologies for minimizing depletion, and the
likelihood of substitutes being available. Thus, land should not be degraded
beyond reasonable recovery. With minerals and fossil fuels, the rate of
depletion and the emphasis on recycling and economy of use should be
calibrated to ensure that the resource does not run out before acceptable
substitutes are available. Sustainable development requires that the rate of
depletion of nonrenewable resources should foreclose as few future options as
possible
2. Sustainability requires that substances introduced to the environment from
human activities be minimized and rendered harmless to biosphere functions.
The most serious forms of pollution in the modern world arise from the
extraction, processing, and consumption of nonrenewable resources
For ecologists, the challenge is to understand what levels of extraction are
sustainable.
Examples:
S. Energy: Unarguably, solar energy is the immense source of energy that can fulfill
the increasing energy demand of the world.
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Second paragraph: To live in the way that is economically sustainable (maintaining
living standards over the long-term)
Sustainable development supposes ensuring material well-being (such as good health,
education, and access to the goods and services necessary for decent living), being
prepared for the consequences of env. changes that are predicted to occur (resiliency).
Sustainable growth is a growth based on forms and processes of development that do
not undermine the integrity of the environment on which they depend.
According to the Agenda of European Union (EU), sustainable development is the
main orientation of development and implementing of all politics in all spheres,
which allow the increase of countries’ competitiveness to develop better conditions
for companies and living condition for society. Therefore, the EU considers the
achievement of sustainability through the use of renewable energy as a way that
could mitigate not only the negative consequences of climate change but also develop
direct and indirect economic benefits by reducing dependence on imported fuel
it is often argued that, just as earlier generations in the West invested in science and
technology, education, and machines and equipment so as to bequeath to the present
generation the ability to achieve high income levels, the current generation is now, in
turn, making investments that will assure still higher living standards in the future.
Moreover, natural resources can be so shifted round today, that dwindling resources
in one place can be met by imports from another. Intellectuals and commentators use
the term ‘‘globalization’’ to imply that location, per se, does not matter. This
optimistic view emphasizes the potential of capital accumulation and technological
improvements to compensate for environmental degradation. It says that economic
growth, even in the form and shape it has taken so far, is compatible with sustainable
development
It is evident though, that an economy’s productive base will shrink if its stock of
capital assets depreciates and its institutions are not able to improve sufficiently to
compensate for that depreciation.
Economic development is sustainable if, relative to its population, a society’s
productive base does not shrink.
Problems in economic growth can also be solve relying on the Kuznets kurve
hypothesis. First, it implicitly assumes that the state of the environment is reversible.
Although pollutant emissions, such as SO2 and those from COD, can be reduced to
previous lower levels, environmental quality cannot always be restored to its original
state.
For economists, the challenge is to find the right way to price the resources so that
they are not depleted beyond their sustainable level.
Example:
S. Business: We agree with Peter Bakker (2012), president of the World Business
Council for Sustainable Development, that business has both the opportunity and the
responsibility to play an essential role in responding to and solving the societal and
planetary sustainability challenges. But this will only be the case when business starts
to live up to its possibilities by using its immense resources in a truly sustainable
way. This may lead to a world, where business one day may indeed be celebrated for
its contribution to society and is no longer criticized for achieving economic success
at society’s cost.
Third paragraph: To live in the way that is socially sustainable (now and in the
future)
One of the social concerns driving sustainable development (as outlined in the
Brundtland Report) is that it is only when people’s basic needs are met that they can
begin to actively address biophysical environmental concerns, and this view is well-
represented in the social sustainability of housing literature.
Social equity programs include neighborhood planning, anti-gang program,
affordable house provisions, homeless prevention programs, etc another application
understands social sustainability as a social capital stock that acts as a pre-condition
for economic and environmental health, and may even compensate for shortcomings
in economic or ecological (i.e., “natural”) capital. The prior applications suggest that
communities can improve or protect their economy and physical environment
through investments in social wellbeing
Intra-generational equity, the distribution of power and resources, employment,
education, the provision of basic infrastructure and services, freedom, justice, access
to influential decision-making fora and general ‘capacity-building’ have all been
identified as important aspects of the social sustainable development paradigm
As such, development of social sustainability includes a concern for a broad spectrum
of issues ranging from quite tangible, very basic requirements – like potable water
and healthy food, medication, housing – to less tangible needs concerning education,
employment, equity and justice.
Crabtree (2005), for example, has shown how poverty acts as a barrier in the uptake
of green technologies, like solar panels and other means of generating electricity, or
on-site waste disposal.
Example:
S. Education: Skills such as interdisciplinary thinking, problem solving, team
working, and holistic thinking are often mentioned. Although the earlier
environmental education often focused on developing knowledge about the
environment, for some educators there was also an element of values (i.e., favoring
the environment) to be included, leading to education for the environment. the goal is
to build better bridges, or connections, between people and the bio-physical
environment. Problem-based learning emphasizes learning by doing. It also provides
a motivating context for learning. Students are given a real-world problem similar to
those they would face as professionals. They take ownership of the problem, and the
problem-solving process. Environmental education is mission-oriented. It teaches
students ‘‘how to think’’ not ‘‘what to think’’
S. Fashion: Sustainable fashion is part of the slow fashion movement, developed over
the past decades, and used interchangeably with eco-, green-, and ethical-fashion.
Sustainable fashion first emerged in the 1960s, when consumers became aware of the
impact clothing manufacturing had on the environment and demanded the industry
change its practices. Ethical fashion is associated with fair working conditions, a
sustainable business model, organic and environmentally friendly materials,
certifications, and traceability

Statista 2023