LECTURE UNIT 1

1. Sustainability & Sustainable Development

Almost every day we come across terms like:
Sustainable economy, sustainable development, sustainable future, sustainable agriculture
sustainable forestry, sustainable energy, sustainable buildings, sustainable infrastructure,
sustainable product design, sustainable economy, sustainability in energy, sustainability
in education, sustainability in healthcare, sustainability in the ecosystem, environmental
sustainability and many others including one way or another the word sustainable or
sustainability.

Representatives from private and public organizations, institutions, governments and

individuals very often claim and support that the way we are leading our life is not
sustainable, i.e. it cannot be sustained in the future. Despite the popularization of the
terms “sustainability” and “sustainable development” since the 1990’s, people all over
the world continue to consume and waste a lot, without taking into consideration the
impacts/implications of their actions on others, the nature, the earth’s resources, and the
earth’s ecosystems.

1.1 Definition of Sustainability & Sustainable Development

Over the years, the precise meaning of sustainable development has been widely
debated. The term sustainable development was initially defined in the Brundtland
Commission's Report (1987) as: “the development that meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.
Following that report, the definition prevailed that: “Sustainability is about, meeting the
needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations
to meet their own needs”.
Almost two years after the Brundtland Commission's Report (1987) definition of the term
over 100 definitions of sustainable development had been catalogued. In the literature
one can find numerous definitions of sustainability; therefore there is some ambiguity
over what exactly the term means. No wonder, that there is no single definition that
everyone would agree.
Very often we hear or read about the efforts of various entities (organizations,
institutions, communities, countries, etc.) to develop or implement models that promote
sustainability that will eventually help them to achieve sustainable development;
nevertheless, there are differences, between these entities, in defining what sustainable
development is and how to pursue it.
As a result of the above, the issue of sustainability appears as controversial generating
both support and animosity; people are often confused and discouraged; they claim that if
different organizations and policy makers do not agree about these terms then they do not
deserve their trust and support. Nevertheless, one should keep in mind that the variety of
definitions is not unique to sustainability and sustainable development; it happens to
numerous other terms, issues and concepts in natural and human sciences.

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The words, sustainable and sustainability, are derived from the verb to sustain
meaning: to hold up; to bear; to support; to provide for; to maintain; to sanction; to keep
going; to keep up; to prolong; to support the life of. (Chambers Concise Dictionary)

Various definitions regarding sustainability are presented in Appendix A.1 (attached).

In these definitions one can recognize among others the themes of:
- fulfilling present and future needs,
- improving quality of life,
- proper use of resources,
- inter-generational equity, and
- responsibility and respect towards the natural world for now and in the future

“One overarching theme that runs through all definitions of sustainability and
sustainable development is the notion of longevity or resilience through time”
(after the Waterfront Islands News, Maine, June 2005).

Sustainable development demands that ways of living, working and being that enable all
people of the world to lead healthy, fulfilling, and economically secure lives without
destroying the environment and without endangering the future welfare of people and the
planet.

Therefore one has to look at the core of the issue and try to appreciate the merits and
benefits that sustainability and sustainable development hold for the present and future of
the world and the earth as a living ever evolving system.

From engineering point of view, different engineering societies have their own
definitions for sustainability. For instance:

1) The American Society of Civil Engineers, (ASCE), in its Policy Statement 418 (The
Role of the Civil Engineer in Sustainable Development) defined sustainability as:
“A set of environmental, economic and social conditions in which all of society has the
capacity and opportunity to maintain and improve its quality of life indefinitely without
degrading the quantity, quality or availability of natural, economic, and social
resources” http://www.asce.org/issues-and-advocacy/public-policy/policy-statement-
418---the-role-of-the-civil-engineer-in-sustainable-development/

2) After the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, (ASME), sustainability means:

“Engineering products and developing manufacturing processes that do not consume
irreplaceable resources. Engineers often apply the term to the design of long-lived
products for ease of maintenance under less than ideal conditions. Sustainability is built
on recycling, generating more resources, and reducing the pressures of consumption on
those resources from population growth and affluence. Sustainability also means
economic growth without shortchanging the future”
https://www.asme.org/engineering-topics/sustainability

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1.2 Understanding Sustainability – Pillars of Sustainability
To understand sustainability, the best approach seems to be to think of it as the ability of
something to be kept going or perpetuated into the distant future. But what is that
“something” to be sustained? In the overall perspective, it is the whole of the human race
and the environment in which we live. In general people agree that when talking about
sustainability we must not only sustain the present generation of humans but we have to
be extremely careful, to act so as not to reduce options/opportunities (social,
environmental, economical) for future generations to survive and meet their own needs.

Based on the definitions of sustainability from different sources it might be concluded

that sustainability might be seen as the relationship or the balancing act between factors
and tendencies that are constantly changing and have to do with social, economic and
environmental concerns.

Note: Sustainability is a concept embracing economic, social and environmental

issues.

- From the environmental point of view, a sustainable system shall not put more
stress on natural environment/ecosystems than they can bear indefinitely without
harm.

- From the social standpoint, a sustainable system meets the needs of all the people
without eliminating/diminishing the chances for some of them in certain parts of
the world to meet their needs, and without reducing the chances of future
generations to meet their own needs and aspirations. So, in a sustainable system
are intertwined the issues of equity, democracy and peace.

- From the economic point of view, a sustainable system has to function within its
economic constraints, that is, solving its problems using the economic resources
available taking into consideration the whole life cycle of the system.

One way to look at sustainability is through the concept of the Triple Bottom Line
Sustainability model. “Triple bottom line (abbreviated as TBL or 3BL) is an accounting
framework with three parts: social, environmental (or ecological) and financial. These
three divisions are also called the three Ps: people, planet and profit, or the "three
pillars of sustainability"— People (the Social Pillar of Sustainability), Planet (the
Environmental Pillar of Sustainability), and Profit (the Economic Pillar of
Sustainability). Interest in the triple bottom line model has been growing in both for-
profit, nonprofit and government sectors. Many organizations have adopted the TBL
model to evaluate their performance in a broader context” (after an older definition by
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_bottom_line).

The diagram of overlapping circles below illustrates the interconnection of the

ecological/environmental, economic and social issues. Projects that work in only one of
these parts or put more weight on one part are not good examples of effort to achieve
sustainability. For a sustainability problem to be solved all three pillars must be

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sustainable, i.e. look for a balanced approach to long-term social, environmental and
economic objectives.

( http://greenartlaballiance.eu/?page_id=924)

Another way of viewing this concept is to consider the three pillars as the three legs of a
stool (sustainability).

If one leg of the stool is removed then the stool collapses; this emphasizes the importance
of all three legs/pillars in maintaining the stability/upright position of the stool. All three
pillars of sustainability (environmental, social and economic) are of equal importance in
establishing the foundation of sustainability.

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Some support the notion that one has to move beyond this triple line model and adopt a
more advanced one that embraces also political (governance) and cultural aspects which
till now were categorized under the social pillar; this represents another characteristic of
the ever evolving topic of sustainability/sustainable development and its complexity.

One of the factors which sustainable development must overcome is environmental

degradation. We affect and are been affected by the surrounding environment either
natural or man-made/artificial. If the resources are depleted, ecosystems decline or
collapse, climate changes impact food chain and living conditions then economies and
societies are suffering and do not prosper.

For some, the issue of sustainable development is considered to be closely tied to

economic growth and the need to find ways to expand the economy in the long term
without wearing out our natural capital (*) for current growth at the cost of long-term
growth and prosperity.

(*)Natural Capital can be defined as the world's stocks of natural assets which include
soil, air, water, materials/geology and all living things.

The role of business in the future of the planet is very important. On the other hand,
business has to provide goods and services to an ever increasing population with
diminishing natural resources in a degraded natural environment. In that sense, the
greatest challenge appears to be in keeping a critical balance between sustainably
profitable businesses while in the same time improvising, developing and implementing
techniques and technologies that will lead to a sustainable future for the planet.
For others, the concept of growth itself is problematic, as the resources of the Earth are
finite. One has to bear in mind that growth and development are two different issues. In
addition, one should notice that development also means progress, making something
better that it was, i.e. to improve. Therefore sustainable development is about changing
and making better. It is a goal! We need to coordinate/combine harmoniously growth and
development/improvement in order to advance towards sustainability.

Sustainable development can make the difference if people understand and carry out its
meaning, but there are problems associated with it:

- The concept of sustainable development that suggests unwanted sacrifices while

the individuals are yearning for preserving the status quo.

- Full development of sustainability involves patience and the ability to look to the
future. In general there are not instant gratification solutions to fix what’s going
wrong; this can discourage further efforts. People usually seek and want single
and quick solutions for their problems including sustainability/sustainable
development problems; but sustainable development problems are complex
problems.

A great challenge that sustainability/sustainable development faces is our loss of

connection with nature. We are mostly concern with our everyday activities. We are

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driven by consumerism and we consider as given that there is an endless supply of
everything. What about the resources and ecosystems around us?
Many wonder: why should we sacrifice the good life, decrease our consumption, create
less waste, or worry, since everything seem to be OK? But in reality does it?
Therefore, it is necessary to re-think of our shared values and our shared future on this
planet, and try new, innovative approaches, techniques and technologies in order to face
the present challenges of humanity.

1.3 Historic Perspective

The International Institute for Sustainable Development, (IISD), published a Timeline
that presents key events (up to 2012) of the human journey towards sustainable
development (see http://www.iisd.org/pdf/2012/sd_timeline_2012.pdf ). That journey
starts with the book “Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson (1962), which is considered by
many a pivotal point in our understanding of the interconnections among the
environment, the economy and social well-being.

Some of the stations of the human journey towards sustainability are briefly discussed
next:

- In 1972, a large number of governments and non-governmental organizations

participated in an international conference, held in Stockholm, Sweden, to discuss
environmental concerns/issues of the planet. The clear message from that
conference was that “environment and development issues are inseparably
linked”. Later, in 1980, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature
and Natural Resources (IUCN), the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), pointed out that conservation and
development are interdependent and necessary for the vitality and productivity of
the planet.

- The issue of sustainability- sustainable development of the planet was examined,

as a result of the inter-relationship between the ‘developed’ or ‘industrialized’ and
the ‘developing’ and ‘less developed’ countries, by the Brandt Commission
(chaired by the former West German Chancellor Willy Brandt).

- In 1987, based on the recommendations from the Stockholm conference and Brandt
Commission, the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) -
also known as the Brundtland Commission after Harlem Brundtland, Prime Minister
of Norway, who chaired the Commission - produced the report: “Our Common
Future”. In that report, Sustainable Development was defined as: “the
development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. Following that report, the
definition prevailed that: “Sustainability is about, meeting the needs of the
present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to
meet their own needs”. This sounds like the "seventh generation" philosophy of
the Native American Iroquois Confederacy, requiring that chiefs shall always

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 consider the effects of their actions on their descendants up to seven generation in
the future!

Note: The core of Sustainability and Sustainable Development is the same.

- The idea of sustainable development did not become popular until the 1990s. It
was during that decade that scientific evidence began to mount indicating that
human actions were having a negative impact on the environment on a global
scale. The idea of sustainable development became then a widespread concern
when enough people concluded that in the long term the current path of human
activity was unsustainable and changes in human society were needed.

- The first major manifestation of the popularization of sustainable development

occurred at the United Nations Conference for Environment and Development
(the Earth Summit), in 1992, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The conference was
prompted by the report Our Common Future (1987 - Brundtland Commission)
and called for strategies to strengthen efforts to promote sustainable and
environmentally sound development. The Earth Summit resulted in important
international documents: Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration on Environment and
Development, the Statement of Forest Principles, the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change and the United Nations Convention on Biological
Diversity.

- In 2002 the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South

Africa, reflecting on the accomplishments of the 10 years since the 1992 summit,
revealed that little progress has been made and environmental and social
conditions had worsened over the last 10 years. In 2002 summit, key goals and
targets were proposed for implementation in order to make measurable
contributions to sustainable development in a 8-13 years span of time; these
targets related to access to drinkable water, use and produce human and
environmental friendly chemicals, sustainable development of the oceans,
reduction in the loss of biodiversity, and maintain and restore depleted fish stocks.

- In 2005 in Tokyo, Japan, an international agreement (the Kyoto Protocol) was

adopted. The protocol commits its parties by setting internationally binding
emission reduction targets and establishing the Clean Development Mechanism
for developing countries.

- In 2012 in the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, RIO +20,

in Rio de Janeiro: Fifty years after Silent Spring, 40 years after Stockholm and 20
years after the Earth Summit, the global community reconvenes in an effort to
secure agreement on “greening” world economies through a range of smart
measures for clean energy, decent jobs and more sustainable and fair use of
resources. They also agreed to establish a high-level political forum (HLPF) for
sustainable development; this is the main United Nations platform on sustainable
development. (form https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/hlpf )

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 - In September 2015, the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit
launched a bold and transformative Agenda, “2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development”, which calls on countries to begin efforts to achieve 17 Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) over the next 15 years. This Agenda is a plan of
action for people, planet and prosperity. It recognized that eradicating poverty in
all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global
challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development. Never
before have world leaders pledged common action and endeavor across such a
broad and universal policy agenda, states the Declaration adopted by the
participants. The HLPF as the main United Nations platform on sustainable
development has a central role in the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda
for Sustainable Development the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the
global level.
(https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld ,
http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2015/09/historic-new-
sustainable-development-agenda-unanimously-adopted-by-193-un-members/).
The list of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals is given in Appendix A.2
(attached) - read it carefully.
The Agenda is broad and ambitious in scope. It addresses not only the three
dimensions of sustainable development, i.e. social, economic and environmental
but also important issues related to peace, justice and effective institutions.

- In July 2017, the meeting of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable

Development (HLPF) under the auspices of the UN Economic and Social Council
(ECOSOC) focused on the theme of “Eradicating poverty and promoting
prosperity in a changing world.” The Forum reviewed progress on the
implementation of the 2030 Agenda while six Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) were reviewed in depth: SDG 1 (end poverty in all its forms everywhere
no poverty); SDG 2 (End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition
and promote sustainable agriculture); SDG 3 (ensure good health and well-being
for all at all ages); SDG 5 (achieve gender equality and empower all women and
girls); SDG 9 (Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable
industrialization and foster innovation); and SDG 14 (conserve and sustainably
use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development)- see
Appendix A.2.

Nevertheless, till now the UN (United Nations), governments, organizations, industry,

and nongovernment organizations struggle to make sustainable development
operational/functional.

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Assigned Readings

NOTICE: Questions based on material from notes, appendices, video and assigned
readings will be included in the exam

1. Watch the video about the definitions of sustainability keep notes of the most
important points (Chapter 2 - Standards of Sustainability, Part 1 - Definitions of
Sustainability, click on the video at the bottom of the page):
http://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/sustainability/chapters/ch02/ch02-p01.asp

2. Read carefully the assigned articles below and keep notes of the most important
concepts and issues:

- Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development:

Our Common Future, From One Earth to One World:
http://www.un-documents.net/our-common-future.pdf
READ ONLY Section I, The Global Challenge, Chapter 3, “Sustainable
Development” Paragraphs 27-30, p.16-17

- “Envisioning a sustainable world”

http://www.donellameadows.org/archives/envisioning-a-sustainable-world/

3. Read, in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Sustainable Development

Goals # 1, 2, 3 and 4:
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld

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APPENDIX A.1

Few commonly used definitions of sustainable development and sustainability:

 Sustainable means: “using methods, systems and materials that won't deplete
resources or harm natural cycles" (Rosenbaum, 1993). “The quality of not being
harmful to the environment or depleting natural resources, and thereby
supporting long term ecological balance” Dictionary.com

 Sustainability is the process of maintaining change in a balanced environment, in

which the exploitation of resources, the direction of investments, the orientation
of technological development and institutional change are all in harmony and
enhance both current and future potential to meet human needs and aspirations.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainability
An older definition from the same source read: Sustainability is the capacity to
endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being,
which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the
concept of stewardship, the responsible management of resource use.

 Sustainability "identifies a concept and attitude in development that looks at a

site's natural land, water, and energy resources as integral aspects of the
development" ( after Vieira, 1993)

 "Sustainability integrates natural systems with human patterns and celebrates

continuity, uniqueness and place making" (after Early, 1993)

 “Sustainable developments are those which fulfill present and future needs
(WECD, 1987) while [only] using and not harming renewable resources and
unique human-environmental systems of a site: [air], water, land, energy, and
human ecology and/or those of other [off-site] sustainable systems (Rosenbaum
1993 and Vieira 1993).”

 “Sustainable Development is more about new ways of thinking, than about

science or ecology. Whilst it involves the natural sciences and economics, it is
primarily a matter of culture.” (UNESCO 2002 p.4)

 Definition of sustainability found in Paul Hawkin's book “The Ecology of

Commerce”:
"Sustainability is an economic state where the demands placed upon the
environment by people and commerce can be met without reducing the capacity of
the environment to provide for future generations. It can also be expressed in the
simple terms of an economic golden rule for the restorative economy: leave the
 world better than you found it, take no more than you need, try not to harm life of
the environment, make amends if you do."

 After EPA: “Sustainability is based on a simple principle: Everything that we

need for our survival and well-being depends, either directly or indirectly, on our
natural environment. To pursue sustainability is to create and maintain the
conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony to
support present and future generations.”
https://www.epa.gov/sustainability/learn-about-sustainability#what
APPENDIX A.2

Sustainable Development Goals

(https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld)

 Goal 1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere

 Goal 2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and
promote sustainable agriculture
 Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
 Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote
lifelong learning opportunities for all
 Goal 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
 Goal 6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and
sanitation for all
 Goal 7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy
for all
 Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full
and productive employment and decent work for all
 Goal 9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable
industrialization and foster innovation
 Goal 10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
 Goal 11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and
sustainable
 Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
 Goal 13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts*
 Goal 14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources
for sustainable development
 Goal 15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial
ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and
reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
 Goal 16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable
development, provide access to justice for all and build effective,
accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
 Goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global
partnership for sustainable development

* Acknowledging that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate

Change is the primary international, intergovernmental forum for negotiating the
global response to climate change.