What you’ll learn21 learning objectivesChoose one objective for a focused lesson, or study the complete topic.1.3.1Sustainability definition• Measure of extent practices allow long-term system viability• Responsible maintenance of socio-ecological systems• No diminishment of conditions for future generations• Enhancing system resilience increases sustainabilitySyllabus objective1.3.2Three pillars of sustainability• Environmental, social, and economic pillars• Strong sustainability: economy in society, both in natural environment• Weak sustainability: overlapping three pillarsSyllabus objective1.3.3Environmental sustainability• Use/management allowing resource replacement• Recovery and regeneration of ecosystems• Focuses on resource depletion, pollution, biodiversity conservationSyllabus objective1.3.4Social sustainability• Creating structures/systems supporting human well-being• Health, education, equity, community• Survival of societies and culturesSyllabus objective1.3.5Economic sustainability• Economic structures supporting production/consumption• Support human needs into future• No economic sustainability without environmental sustainabilitySyllabus objective1.3.6Sustainable development• Meets present needs without compromising future generations• Maintains economic stability, social equity, ecological integrity• Brundtland report (1987) introduced social/economic aspectsSyllabus objective1.3.7Ecosystem collapse• Result of unsustainable natural resource use• Example: Newfoundland cod fisheries overfishingSyllabus objective1.3.8GDP limitations• Gross Domestic Product neglects natural system value• May lead to unsustainable development• Green GDP subtracts environmental costs from GDPSyllabus objective1.3.9Environmental justice• Environmental justice refers to the right of all people to live in a pollution-free environment, and to have equitable access to natural resources• Consider: one local and one global example of environmental injustice• Examples could include: Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Gulf of Mexico (2010); landfills located in low-income areas; Union Carbide gas release in Bhopal, India (1984)Syllabus objective1.3.10Inequality and resource access• Inequalities in income, race, gender and cultural identity within and between different societies lead to disparities in access to water, food and energy• Examples of inequality include the inability to afford an electricity supply, or the privatization of water sourcesSyllabus objective1.3.11Scales of sustainability and justice• Sustainability and environmental justice can be applied at the individual to the global operating scale• Sustainability and environmental justice issues exist at different operating scales• Operating scales include individual, business, community, city, national and global levelsSyllabus objective1.3.12Sustainability indicators• Sustainability indicators include quantitative measures of biodiversity, pollution, human population, climate change, material and carbon footprints, and others• These indicators can be applied on a range of scales, from local to global• Consider: the use of one named environmental indicator to assess sustainabilitySyllabus objective1.3.13Ecological footprints• The concept of ecological footprints can be used to measure sustainability• If these footprints are greater than the area or resources available to the population, this indicates unsustainability• An ecological footprint is the area of land and water required to sustainably provide all resources at the rate of consumptionSyllabus objective1.3.14Carbon and water footprints• The carbon footprint measures the amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) produced, measured in carbon dioxide equivalents (in tonnes)• The water footprint measures water use (in cubic metres per year)• There are different ways of using footprints to measure sustainability• Students do not need to know details of how these are calculatedSyllabus objective1.3.15Biocapacity• Capacity to generate renewable resources and absorb wastes• Unsustainability: ecological footprint exceeds biocapacitySyllabus objective1.3.16Citizen science• Monitors Earth systems and sustainable resource use• Information relevant to local problems and global issuesSyllabus objective1.3.17Sustainability frameworks• Range of models support understanding• Each has uses and limitations• All are simplified versions of realitySyllabus objective1.3.18UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)• Social and environmental goals/targets• Guide action on sustainability and environmental justice• Uses: common policymaking ground, addresses inequality• Limitations: may not go far enough, top-down approach, lacks local contextSyllabus objective1.3.19Planetary boundaries model• Nine processes/systems regulating Earth system stability• Identifies limits of human disturbance• Crossing limits → risk of abrupt/irreversible changes• Uses: science-based limits, alerts public/policymakers• Limitations: focuses on ecology not human dimension, work in progressSyllabus objective1.3.20Doughnut economics model• Framework for regenerative and distributive economy• Social foundation (inner): based on social SDGs• Ecological ceiling (outer): based on planetary boundaries• Safe and just space for humanity between boundaries• Uses: includes ecological and social elements, supports environmental justice• Limitations: work in progress, broad principles without specific policiesSyllabus objective1.3.21Circular economy model• Decouples economic activity from finite resource consumption• Three principles: eliminate waste/pollution, circulate materials, regenerate nature• Contrasts with linear model (take-make-waste)• Uses: regenerates systems, reduces emissions, extends product lifecycle• Limitations: lack of awareness, regulations, technical limitationsSyllabus objective
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