Author by: Elham Chehaimi, Ph.D
Sustainability is far from a new concept. However, a surge of global awareness around this notion has become more noticeable since the beginning of the 21st century. Although it can be defined in several dimensions and depending on various factors, we all agree that it is a continual process and not an end product. To get a deeper understanding of sustainability, we must begin with a simple question: What does sustainability mean in our daily lives, and why do we need sustainability?
To achieve a sustainable future, we must transform our economic system to operate within the economic doughnut. This requires a shift away from the focus on GDP growth as the primary indicator of economic success and towards a more holistic measure of well-being that considers social, economic, and environmental factors. To achieve a sustainable economic system, we need to adopt new models of production and consumption, such as the circular economy, and prioritize social and environmental sustainability in our decision-making. Ultimately, the economic doughnut serves as a powerful tool for understanding the complex interconnections between social, economic, and environmental systems. It emphasizes the need to create an economic system that operates within planetary boundaries while meeting the basic needs of all people, and it provides a roadmap for achieving a sustainable future for all.
Sustainability as a policy concept has its origins in the Brundtland Report of 1987. (Kuhlman, 2010) At its core, it simply means ensuring that we meet our needs today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. (Sakalasooriya, 2021). So, in order to understand sustainability, it is important to examine three dimensions: Sustainability in the environment refers to the natural capital, which includes the air, water, soil, and energy. Sustainability in Society relating to human interactions (cities, households, wealth, poverty, education, health, etc.) Sustainability in economics, consumption, production, efficiency, and profits—we can reduce all of these relationships to the three P’s: People, Planet and Profit.
The Planet, manifesting itself through Environmental Sustainability, centers on preserving our natural world by calling for a reduction in carbon emissions, safeguarding biodiversity, protecting our ecosystems, and using our planet’s resources wisely, leaving enough for generations to come. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), to keep global warming below 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, we need to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030 and reach net-zero emissions by 2050. (IPCC, n.d.) Indeed, it might appear to be a significant task, but if each of us takes the initiative individually, we can make it happen together.
Our second P stands for People, or Social Sustainability which emphasizes fairness, justice, and inclusivity, ensuring that everyone, no matter where they come from or who they are, would have access to basic human rights like clean water, healthcare, education, and safety. However, in 2015, 663 million people still lacked access to a safe drinking water source. (Access to Drinking Water Around the World – in Five Infographics, 2017) It is hard to believe, yet it is true!
Also, a very important term that is floating around the corporate Academic world and policymaking is ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance). We need to make a distinction between the Environmental, Social, and Governance term and another term that is also floating around, which is Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs which is a set of 17 sustainable goals adopted by all the United Nations Member States in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Goals. They offer a roadmap for global development efforts up to 2030 and beyond.
Do we live in an unsustainable world? What is the impact on our natural capital and the Earth’s natural resources?
It appears that there’s an overexploitation of natural resources that has accompanied economic and demographic growth. Two, it appears that there’s some kind of Market Failure that means that the best attainable results were not achieved. The third point is that we observe that there is accelerating resource depletion, waste generation, water scarcity, climate change, and environmental pollution. So, to sum this up, we can say that there appears to be environmental destruction and degradation. We can observe waste, depletion, and the degradation of the Earth’s natural capital. This is happening at an accelerating rate, and it is impacting our natural capital.
Why should we care?
With all of the above being said, the answer to this question has become obvious. It is clear now that we won’t be able to maintain our Earth’s ecosystems or continue to function as we do if more sustainable choices are not made. (What Is Sustainability and Why Is It So Important?, 2022) If no serious action were taken, we could face a series of escalating crises across environmental, social and economic fronts, many animals would become extinct leading to a loss of ecosystem stability and resilience, the atmosphere will be irreparably damaged, increase of health crises from pollution and degraded air quality, reduced agricultural yields due to climate change could lead to widespread famine and malnutrition, resource scarcity and the costs associated with environmental degradation could stifle economic development, strained International Relations as countries compete for dwindling resources international cooperation might become more challenging and global tensions could escalate. Therefore, a wake-up call must be made before it’s too late!
In conclusion, the transition to a sustainable future will require collective action at all levels, including individuals, communities, businesses, and governments. It will involve changes in technology, behavior and Policy. There are many opportunities for innovation and creativity in the pursuit of sustainability, including renewable energy, circular economy models, and sustainable agriculture practices. Embracing sustainability isn’t just an abstract idea; it’s a path toward a brighter and more secure future for all of us. So, as we wrap up, let’s reflect on how we can, as individuals, businesses, and governments, collectively take meaningful steps toward a sustainable future that benefits us all?
References
Access to drinking water around the world – in five infographics. (2017, March 17). The Guardian. Retrieved September 19, 2023, from https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2017/mar/17/access-to-drinking-water-world-six-infographics
Guterres, A. (n.d.). — SDG Indicators. — SDG Indicators. Retrieved September 19, 2023, from https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2023/
IPCC. (n.d.). IPCC — Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Retrieved September 19, 2023, from https://www.ipcc.ch/
Kuhlman, T. (2010). What is Sustainability?
Sakalasooriya, N. (2021, March). Conceptual Analysis of Sustainability and Sustainable Development. Scientific Research Publishing. Retrieved September 19, 2023, from https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation.aspx?paperid=108042#ref25
What is Sustainability and Why is it so Important? (2022). TWI Global. Retrieved September 19, 2023, from https://www.twi-global.com/technical-knowledge/faqs/faq-what-is-sustainability