All the physical things that we need for life – food, water, air, shelter, clothing – come in some way from the earth on which we live. The societies in which we live and the economies that societies create exist within and depend on the natural world. There are three dimensions of sustainability – environmental, social and economic – which are known as the “three pillars”; the economy exists within a society or human population, and a society exists within the biosphere or totality of life on Earth. These pillars cannot expand beyond the capacity of the whole or total system in which they exist.
Sustainability can thus be defined as “improving the quality of human life while living within the carrying capacity of the supporting eco-systems“.
Our Economy and Society are bounded by the Environment
Environmental Sustainability is the ability to maintain the qualities that are valued in the natural environment.
Why do we need to think about this?
Recently, many events have alerted the global community to environmental change. These include extreme weather events such as cyclones, heat, extended rain deficit and drought, or extreme and intense rainfall. The resultant floods, bushfires, mudslides, water restrictions, heat waves etc have impacted on communities.
Scientists talk about global warming and increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, or that known supplies of oil will be exhausted within decades. Melbourne and Victoria have experienced 10 years of lower than average rainfall with most of the state under severe water restrictions – drought or climate change? Fuel costs are increasing as supplies of oil diminish, raising the cost of living, personal and commodity transport costs. As crops are affected by drought, flood and water restrictions, and transport costs increase, food costs are also rising.
Many believe that these events are the result of the growing demand for the earth’s resources to meet the needs of modern society. Traditional societies such as hunter / gatherers, and early agricultural societies lived close to and depended totally on the environment. If they outgrew their food supply or exhausted vital resources, they either had to move on or face total collapse. As societies developed, they were more able to control their environment, and overcome the deficiencies in the natural environment. Developments in knowledge, science and technology allowed humans to capture and transform the earth’s resources in new ways – the energy in fossil fuels powered industry, mass production, and increased mobility. Population increased greatly as advances in medicine and sanitation afforded protection from disease. The combined effects of population growth and technological progress have meant a great increase in the consumption of the resources supplied by the natural world.
Throughout the twentieth century and into the twenty first century, technological innovation (eg plastics, synthetic chemicals, nuclear energy), increased use of fossil fuels, and the industrialisation of agriculture (based on the development of synthetic fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides, and genetic modification) have resulted in escalation in the consumption of raw materials extracted from the earth.
In recent years, scientific studies have researched the impacts of the increased demands on the natural systems in our environments due to population growth and consumption, leading to new understanding and awareness of the importance of sustainability. In March 2009, the Copenhagen Climate Council, an international team of leading climate scientists issued a strongly worded statement:
The climate system is already moving beyond the patterns of natural variability within which our society and economy have developed and thrived. These parameters include global mean surface temperature, sea level rise, ocean and ice sheet dynamics, ocean acidification, and extreme climate events. There is a significant risk that many of these trends will accelerate, leading to an increasing risk of abrupt or irreversible climatic shifts.
How do we adapt to our changing circumstances? This question requires a response at governmental, business and community levels.
