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4.1.1 Sustainability
4.1.1 Sustainability
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Sustainability and
sustainable
development
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Sustainability
▰ Buzzword….
▰ Associated with:
╺ Being “Green”
╺ Renewable products
╺ Environmentally friendly
╺ Claiming products, policies,
services either reduce harm
OR have much less impact
1. Investigate “Sustainability”
The term ‘sustainability’ is hard to define because it can be
linked to an idea, a property of living systems, a
manufacturing method or a way of life.
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U N D E R S TA N D I N G S O F
S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y &
S U S TA I N A B L E D E V E L O P M E N T
There have been four key collaborations that have contributed to our
understanding of the concept of sustainability.
See pg.252-254
Elements of sustainability
Sustainability
Economy
Sustainability can only be
achieved through integrating
three key elements.
These elements are referred to as
Society Environment the pillars of sustainability.
THE ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT PILLAR
• Refers to the promotion of standards of living and market productivity of
a country.
• Many countries (like Australia) have focused on resource extraction and
manufacturing processes, which can have a detrimental impact on the
environment in order to achieve economic growth.
• About 80% of the world’s private consumption is consumed by only
20% of the world’s population
• Consumption and population rates are increasing, demanding more from
the environment and consuming more of its resources
• We are starting to understand that the economy that we socially depend
on is a part of the environment
THE SOCIAL
DEVELOPMENT PILLAR
• Refers to the social wellbeing of all people, regarding the meeting
of the basic needs for survival
• Inequality between rich and poor is increasing.
• 1% of the world’s population own 40% of the world’s wealth
&
the poorest 50% own only 1% of the world’s wealth
• A major focus of sustainability is social equalisation – to enable all
humanity to access basic needs, many of which stem from
environmental resources
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