INTRODUCTION
sustainable development and sustainability
• Sustainability and sustainable development are often used interchangeably.
Both speak to danger of consuming resources faster than they can be
replenished.
• Sustainable development and sustainability both have key concepts for
guiding human progress in a way that balances current needs and also the
future wellbeing.
• Both play important role in understand, that the planet has limited resources
and that long-term human prosperity depends on careful management of
these resources.
• The aims and objectives of sustainable development and sustainability are
to improve the live of people while protecting the planet.
Sustainable development.
Sustainable development describes the processes for improving long-term
economic well-being and quality of life without compromising future generations’
ability to meet their needs.
Individuals With a comprehensive understanding of these two essential concepts
can help support society’s current needs and plan for the future. Professionals in
the sustainability field can use their knowledge to help organizations integrate the
principles of sustainability and sustainable development into their operations. They
can also guide government and business leaders in developing sustainability goals,
defining sustainability success, and assessing the effects of their decisions. Their
actions can make an impact on equity, responsibility, and social justice.
Sustainability.
• Sustainability is a broad term that describes managing resources without
Depleting them for future generations. This concept goes beyond environmental
sustainability, which concerns earth’s natural resources, to include economic and
social sustainability, which relate to meeting people’s current economic and social
needs without compromising future generations.
• Sustainability focuses on building resilience, conserving resources and promoting
practices that allow current and future population to thrive.
• Sustainability is the desired tool in world in which environmental, social and
economic systems can function in harmony over long term
The 3 pillars of Sustainability: environmental, social and economic
• SDGs and the UN goals in the 2030 Agenda
• The Transition to sustainable development is primarily grounded in a series of international agreements and
goals that are then implemented at the level of the individual states and communities involved. Among
these, the best known are:
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its protocols, which set commitments to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions;
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which promotes the conservation of biodiversity;
and especially the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which cover a wide range of sustainability
issues. Built around these goals is the UN 2030 Agenda, a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity,
signed into law by the UN General Assembly on September 25, 2015. The Agenda includes 17 goals, valid
for everyone around the world, articulated along the three dimensions of sustainable development:
economic, social and environmental.
Environmental sustainability
• Environmental sustainability is the ability to preserve and protect the natural environment over time through appropriate
practices and policies, meeting present needs without compromising the availability of resources in the future.
• Factors influencing environmental sustainability:
Environmental sustainability is influenced by several factors that can have a significant impact on the ecological balance and the
planet's ability to sustain life.
• Some of the main ones include:
• air, water and soil pollution;
• climate change, caused by the excessive amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere due to human activities;
The loss of biodiversity;
The overexploitation of natural resources;
Economic models that involve unsustainable consumption.
AIM TO ACHIEVE Environmental SUSTAINABILITY
To Achieve environmental sustainability, a number of key goals must be achieved, including:
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, especially in crucial sectors such as power generation, industry, agriculture and
transportation.
Increasing the production and use of energy from renewable sources.
Implementing policies to conserve biodiversity by addressing its causes
Adopting sustainable practices in agriculture and the food chain, such as precision agriculture strategies, optimizing and
increasing soil quality and productivity through a series of targeted interventions using technology, regenerative
agriculture and agrivoltaics, non-soil cultivation methods such as hydroponic or aeroponic systems, and reducing food waste.
Raising awareness and engaging communities on the issue of environmental sustainability.
Promoting the circular economy.
• Among the practices of great importance for sustainability, it is essential to conserve and sustainably manage natural resources,
including water, soil, forests, wildlife and natural habitats, to ensure the ecological balance of the planet and the availability of
these resources for future generations.
Social sustainability
Social sustainability involves a focus on the well-being of people and communities.
• It’s about promoting equity, human rights, access to education and health care, and decent work.
• Social sustainability aims to create inclusive societies, reduce inequality, and ensure long-term well-being for all
people while preserving social cohesion and justice.
• To achieve sustainability, it is necessary to overcome:
Poverty and socioeconomic inequality.
Discrimination, prejudice and social exclusion.
Lack of access to resources.
Insecurity and conflict, locally, regionally and globally.
Poor governance, which includes phenomena such as corruption and institutional inefficiency.
Continues
In the path to social sustainability, the promotion of systems and policies that can reduce social and economic
Inequalities play a particularly important role in ensuring equitable access to opportunities and resources for
all
• members of society.
• In addition to the fight against inequality, the goals to be achieved in terms of social sustainability include:
The promotion of policies to respect basic human rights, such as the right to health and education.
The adoption of practices that value and include people of diverse backgrounds, gender, ethnicity, ability,
and sexual orientation.
The creation of safer living environments with more efficient administration of justice.
The improvement of people's health and mental and physical well-being through quality health services.
economic Sustainability
Economic sustainability is the approach whereby economic activities are conducted in such a way as to preserve and promote long-term economic well-
being. In practice, it Aims to create a balance between economic growth, resource efficiency, social equity and financial stability.
• Factors influencing economic sustainability
• Factors influencing economic sustainability include:
The responsible management of resources.
The capacity for efficiency and innovation of economic systems and enterprises.
Financial stability at the macro level.
States' level of social innovation, that is, each country's commitment to promoting policies, programs and initiatives that address crucial social issues
such as poverty, gender equality, access to education and health care, environmental sustainability, and other social issues.
International cooperation and partnerships between public administration and private enterprises.
The level of equity and social inclusion.
Corporate responsibility.
How an Economy becomes sustainable
To make an economic system sustainable, it is necessary to encourage energy generation from renewable sources, to
Adopt policies and regulations that encourage energy efficiency, and the promotion of economic models based on
the circular economy which, as such, are able to reduce waste and contain resource exploitation.
• Achieving these goals requires fostering social and economic inclusion, technological innovation through dedicated
investments, promotion of efficient and transparent governance, as well as public awareness and education.
• Responsible management of economic resources is of paramount importance because it implies and ensures:
The minimization of environmental impact.
Social and economic equity.
A more resilient and challenge-capable economy.
A more widespread adherence of companies to management based on principles of responsibility and ethics.
Continues
✓Sustainability may also be defined through the three pillars of
sustainability. Three pillars are:
• Environmental Sustainability
• Economic sustainability
• Social sustainability
It is when all three pillars are in balance, the sustainability is truly
achieved
Some challenges to sustainable development and sustainability include:
• Environmental degradation
Human activities are causing air, water, and land pollution, which can lead to climate change and
the depletion of natural resources.
• Poverty and social disparity are challenges to sustainable development. The COVID-19 pandemic
increased poverty around the world.
Inadequate access to basic needs
Some people lack access to electricity, which is a key input for sustainable development.
• Population growth and urbanization
Population growth and the move to cities are outpacing environmental protection regulations.
• Youth unemployment
In developing countries, youth unemployment is a challenge to sustainable development.
• War and instability: when there is turmoil, instability and war between nations it stands to
reasons that sustainable development cannot occur.
Conclusion
• Sustainable Development and Sustainability are related but distinct
concepts focused on balancing economic, social, and environmental
needs for a thriving, long-lasting society.
In essence, sustainable development is the pathway or process, while
sustainability is the desired outcome of a balanced and enduring
world.
References
➢United Nations Development Programme (1990-2002), Human Development
Report, New York: Oxford University Press.
➢United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Environment
Programme, World Bank, and World Resources Institute (2000), World
➢United Nations Environmental Programme (2000), Global Environmental
Outlook 2000: UNEP’s Millennium Report on the Environment, London:
Earthscan Publications, 1999.
➢United Nations Environmental Programme (2002), Global Environmental
World Commission on Environment and Development (1987), Our Common
Future, New York: Oxford University Press, 1987.
