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1. What is meant by environmental sustainability?
Environmental Sustainability is defined by the United Nations in 2005 as: “Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Encompasses, Example keeping population densities below the carrying capacity of a region, facilitating the renewal of renewable resources, conserving and establishing priorities for the use of non-renewable resources, and keeping environmental impact below the level required to allow affected systems to recover and continue to evolve”.
2. Which are the various ways to apply the concepts of environmental sustainability?
The various ways to apply the concepts of environmental sustainability are:
3. How can the concept of environmental sustainability be applied at the largest scale?
At the largest scale, sustainability focuses on the total carrying capacity of the planet. Governments can increasingly remind individuals and households about their carbon footprint and how these can be reduced. For example, in the UK, adults have been asked to think about driving five miles less a week and to reuse plastic bags.
4. How could we find out the various geographical locations where the concept of environmental sustainability needs to be applied?
Satellite photography has been a major advance in our ability to see what is happening over large land areas. It has allowed short-term changes to be recognized quickly. This helps environmental sustainability to be applied to different geographical environments such as rain-forests, temperate grasslands and urban areas.
5. What would be the impact of business-as-usual scenario on environmental sustainability?
Under the business-as-usual scenario, only very limited efforts are made in terms of environmental sustainability and the problem gets steadily worse. Human populations in the most marginal areas will be affected first, but gradually environmental problems will encompass more and more regions and their populations.
6. What would be the effect of environmental sustainability at the forefront of policy making at different levels?
With environmental sustainability at the forefront of policy making, the ecological debt will gradually reduce until once again the planet has a bio-capacity reserve and it is living with its means.
7. What are the main requirements for environmental sustainability?
Environmental sustainability requires political will by governments on both a national and international basis, and action by all sectors of society. It demands limits on the actions of individuals and organizations whose behavior damages the environment for personal and organizational gain. It dos not require a reduction in the quality of life, but it does require a change in attitudes and values toward less consumptive lifestyles. These changes must embrace global interdependence, environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and economic viability.
8. What is the significance of the linkage between environmental, economic and social sustainability?
Environmental, economic and social sustainability are three interconnected spheres of sustainability that describe the relationships between these three aspects of our world. These spheres are a related set of concepts that, when taken together, can form a solid ground from which major decisions and actions can be made. When the concepts contained in the three spheres of sustainability are applied to real world situations, natural resources are preserved, the environment is protected, the economy isn't harmed, and the quality of life for our people is improved or maintained.
9. What is meant by economic sustainability?
Economic sustainability is one aspect of sustainability. It involves the use of various strategies for employing existing resources optimally so that that a responsible and beneficial balance can be achieved over the longer term.
10. What is meant by social sustainability?
Social sustainability is one aspect of sustainability. It encompasses human rights, labor rights, and corporate governance. Social sustainability is the idea that future generations should have the same or greater access to social resources as the current generation, while there should also be equal access to social resources within the current generation.
