Sustainability Definitions
Definitions of Sustainability 1 For many people, the basic idea of sustainability focuses greatly on depletion of resources. Others consider that sustainability covers also (irreversible) pollution, conservation of nature and other environmental and ecological aspects. Some include the aspects of quality of human life, the human wellbeing.
Definitions of Sustainability 2 Over the past thirty years hundreds of definitions of sustainability and sustainable development have been made. Many of these have one major item in common: for human beings to survive in the long run.
Definitions of Sustainability 3 Sustainability is about us, human beings Human Wellbeing the environment, the ecosystem in which we live Environmental Wellbeing the economy, which enables us to do what we do Economic Wellbeing
Definitions of Sustainability 4
Definitions of Sustainability 5 Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. (Brundtland Commission, 1987)
Definitions of Sustainability 6 Sustainability is the long-term maintenance of social, economic, and environmental well-being. (Wikipedia)
Basic Principles of Sustainability inter-generational equity, solidarity between all people living today. intra-generational equity, leaving next generations not empty-handed by the depletion of resources and spoiling the environment. ecological limits, living within the carrying capacity of the earth. precautionary principle, that is that in case of insufficient information, it is better to err on the side of caution, then to run the risk of irreversible decline.
What definition will we adopt?
Definitions of Sustainable Development 1 Sustainable development economic development that can continue indefinitely because it is based on the exploitation of renewable resources and causes insufficient environmental damage for this to pose an eventual limit. (Allaby, 1988)
Definitions of Sustainable Development 2 The amount of consumption that can be sustained indefinitely without degrading capital stocks, including natural capital stocks. (Costanza and Wainger, 1991)
Definitions of Sustainable Development 3 Sustainable development means basing developmental and environmental policies on a comparison of costs and benefits and on careful economic analysis that will strengthen environmental protection and lead to rising and sustainable levels of welfare. (World Bank, 1992)
Definitions of Sustainable Development 4 implicitly connotes one that is based on a long-term vision in that it must foresee the consequences of its diverse activities to ensure that they do not break the cycles of renewal; it has to be a society of conservation and generational concern. It must avoid the adoption of mutually irreconcilable objectives. Equally, it must be a society of social justice because great disparities of wealth or privilege will breed destructive disharmony. (Hossain, 1995)
Definitions of Sustainable Development 5 A pattern of development that ensures a steady enhancement of well-being over time. (K.Y. Amoako -- Executive Secretary, Economic Commission for Africa)
Ecological Footprint a measure of human demand on the Earth's ecosystems. It is a standardized measure of demand for natural capital that may be contrasted with the planet's ecological capacity to regenerate. [1] It represents the amount of biologically productive land and sea area necessary to supply the resources a human population consumes, and to assimilate associated waste. (Wikipedia)
Green Economy one that results in improved human wellbeing and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. In other words, we can think of a green economy as an economic environment that achieves low carbon emissions, resource efficiency and at the same time is socially inclusive.