- "Experts often describe sustainability as having three dimensions (or pillars): environmental, economic, and social"
The study of how to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, through the use of sustainable practices and technologies.
Ecology: The study of the relationships between living organisms and their environment.
Environmentalism: The movement to protect the natural world from destruction.
Climate change: The long-term alteration of the Earth's climate, including shifts in temperature and precipitation patterns and more frequent extreme weather events.
Biodiversity: The variety of plants, animals, and microorganisms on Earth and the interactions between them.
Resource depletion: The exhaustion of natural resources like fossil fuels, minerals, and fresh water due to human consumption.
Renewable energy: Sources of power that can be replenished, including solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal.
Energy efficiency: The use of technology and practices that reduce the amount of energy required to perform specific tasks.
Sustainable agriculture: Farming practices that minimize environmental impact and prioritize the long-term health of soil, water, and ecosystems.
Waste reduction: Strategies to minimize the amount of waste produced and to recycle or compost as much as possible.
Conservation: The protection and preservation of natural resources, habitats, and species.
Circular economy: An economic system that prioritizes resource conservation, recycling, and reuse instead of extraction and disposal.
Corporate sustainability: The integration of sustainable practices into business operations, from supply chain management to product design and marketing.
Sustainable transportation: Modes of transportation, like public transit and bicycles, that minimize carbon emissions and reduce traffic congestion.
Green building: The design and construction of buildings using sustainable practices, materials, and technologies.
Social justice: The recognition of human rights and equitable access to resources and opportunities, particularly for marginalized communities affected by ecological degradation.
Environmental sustainability: This type of sustainability focuses on preserving natural resources and ecosystems, reducing pollution, and limiting the use of non-renewable resources.
Social sustainability: This type of sustainability focuses on ensuring that communities have access to resources, education, and healthcare. It also aims to promote cultural diversity, fairness, and equity.
Economic sustainability: This type of sustainability focuses on ensuring that economic growth is sustainable and does not harm the environment or society. This includes promoting sustainable jobs and businesses, reducing economic inequality, and investing in sustainable infrastructure.
Cultural sustainability: This type of sustainability focuses on preserving cultural heritage and diversity, and promoting traditional knowledge and practices.
Technological sustainability: This type of sustainability focuses on promoting the use of sustainable technologies, reducing waste, and increasing energy efficiency.
Corporate sustainability: This type of sustainability focuses on corporate responsibility and sustainability practices. It includes reducing environmental impacts, promoting fair labor practices, and ensuring ethical business practices.
Political sustainability: This type of sustainability focuses on promoting sustainable policies and governance, reducing corruption, and ensuring that public resources are used for the common good.
Spiritual sustainability: This type of sustainability focuses on promoting a sense of connection and respect for the natural world, and promoting ethical and compassionate behavior.
Community sustainability: This type of sustainability focuses on promoting community resilience, self-sufficiency, and empowerment. It also includes reducing social isolation and promoting social cohesion.
- "sustainability often focuses on countering major environmental problems, including climate change, loss of biodiversity, loss of ecosystem services, land degradation, and air and water pollution"
- "The idea of sustainability can guide decisions at the global, national, and individual levels"
- "A related concept is sustainable development, and the terms are often used to mean the same thing."
- "The economic dimension of sustainability is controversial. Scholars have discussed this under the concept of 'weak and strong sustainability.'"
- "maintaining ecosystem services, reducing food waste, promoting dietary shifts towards plant-based foods, promoting new green technologies, and adopting renewable energy sources"
- "The United Nations agreed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015. These set a global agenda for sustainable development, with a deadline of 2030."
- "This means using fewer resources per unit of output even while growing the economy. This reduces the environmental impact of economic growth such as pollution."
- "Existing global organizations such as the UN and WTO are inefficient in enforcing current global regulations."
- "Business groups have tried to integrate ecological concerns with economic activity. Religious leaders have stressed the need for caring for nature and environmental stability. Individuals can also live in a more sustainable way."
- "The concept of sustainability has faced various criticisms."
- "One is that the concept is vague and only a buzzword."
- "Some experts have pointed out that 'no country is delivering what its citizens need without transgressing the biophysical planetary boundaries'."
- "Indicators consider environmental, social and economic domains. The metrics are evolving."
- "Some barriers arise from nature and its complexity. Other barriers are extrinsic to the concept of sustainability, such as the dominant institutional frameworks in countries."
- "there will always be tension between the ideas of 'welfare and prosperity for all' and environmental conservation, so trade-offs are necessary."
- "reducing population growth by cutting fertility rates"
- "Sustainability is often thought of as a long-term goal (i.e. a more sustainable world), while sustainable development refers to the many processes and pathways to achieve it."
- "there will always be tension between the ideas of 'welfare and prosperity for all' and environmental conservation"
- "Some experts say there is no evidence that it is happening at the required scale."