definitions of sustainability from the literature - compiled by annie pearce & leslie walrath

8/13/2019 Definitions of Sustainability From the Literature - Compiled by Annie Pearce & Leslie Walrath

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Definitions of Sustainability from the Literature

(Compiled by Annie Pearce and Leslie Walrath)

Definition Source Key Issues

"We came to see that a newdevelopment path was required, onethat sustained human progress not

ust in a few places for a few years,but for the entire planet into the

distant future. Thus sustainabledevelopment becomes a goal notust for the developing nations but

for industrial ones as well." (4)

WCED - World Commission onEnvironment and Development.(1987). Our Common Future.

Oxford University Press, GreatBritain. [Pezzey 1989].

Scope: Developingand industrialnations, entire planet,

present and distantfuture

Humans - progress(objective)

"Sustainable development isdevelopment that meets the needs ofthe present without compromising

the ability of future generations tomeet their own needs. It contains

within it two key concepts: theconcept of needs, in particular theessential needs of the worlds poor,

to which overriding priority should

be given; and the idea of limitationsimposed by the state of technology

and social organization on theenvironments ability to meet present

and future needs." (43)


Oxford University Press, Great

Britain. [Pezzey 1989].

DevelopmentPresent needs - met(objective)

Future needs -maintain ability to be

met (objective)Poverty - "overridingpriority" given to

alleviation(objective)Technology - limits

human ability to meetneeds from

environment (factor)Social organization -limits human ability

tomeet needs from

environment (factor)


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"Living standards that go beyond thebasic minimum are sustainable onlyif consumption standards everywhere

have regard for long-term

sustainability. Yet many of us livebeyond the worlds ecologicalmeans, for instance in our patterns ofenergy use. Perceived needs are

socially and culturally determined,and sustainable development

requires the promotion of values thatencourage consumption standardsthat are within the bounds of the

ecological possible and to which allcan reasonably aspire." (44)


Oxford University Press, GreatBritain. [Pezzey 1989].

Living standardsConsumptionstandards - "within

the bounds of theecological possible",

"to which all canreasonably aspire"(objectives)

Promotion of values(mechanism)

Ecological means -consumption withinthem (objectives)

Scope: long-termNeeds - perceived,

socially and

culturally determined

"Economic growth and developmentobviously involve changes in the

physical ecosystem. Everyecosystem everywhere cannot bepreserved intact." (45)

WCED - World Commission onEnvironment and Development.

(1987). Our Common Future.Oxford University Press, GreatBritain. [Pezzey 1989].

Economic growthand development

Physical ecosystem -not preserved intact(objective)

"The loss [i.e., extinction] of plantand animal species can greatly limit

the options of future generations, sosustainable development requires the

conservation of plant and animalspecies." (46)


(1987). Our Common Future.Oxford University Press, Great


Plant and animalspecies - avoid

extinction or loss

(objective)Plant and animalspecies -conservation

(mechanism)Future generations -

maintain options(objective)Future generations -

conserve plant andanimal species

(mechanism)

"...satisfy the multiple criteria ofsustainable growth, povertyalleviation, and sound environmental

management." (10)

World Bank. (1987). Environment,growth and development.Development Committee Pamphlet

14, World Bank, Washington, DC.[Pezzey 1989].

growth (objective)poverty - alleviation(objective)

environmentalmanagement(mechanism)


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"To a large degree, environmentalmanagement should be seen as ameans of attaining the wider

objectives of sustained economicgrowth and poverty alleviation." (18)

World Bank. (1987). Environment,growth and development.Development Committee Pamphlet

14, World Bank, Washington, DC.[Pezzey 1989].

Environmentalmanagement(mechanism)

Economy -sustainable growth

(objective)Poverty - alleviation(objective)

"...elevating concern aboutenvironmental matters...anddeveloping the capacity toimplement sound practices for

environmental management...are[both] needed to reconcile, and,

where appropriate, make tradeoffsamong the objectives of growth,poverty alleviation, and sound

environmental management." (28)

World Bank. (1987). Environment,growth and development.Development Committee Pamphlet14, World Bank, Washington, DC.

[Pezzey 1989].

Environment -environmentalmanagement(mechanism)

Environment -elevate concern

(objective)

Environment -develop capacity to

implement soundmanagement

(objective)Economic growth(objective)

Poverty - alleviation(objective)

Environment - soundmanagement

(objective)

"Sustainable utilization is a simpleidea: we should utilize species and

ecosystems at levels and in ways thatallow them to go on renewing

themselves for all practical purposesindefinitely." (18)

Allen, R. (1980). How to Save theWorld. Barnes & Noble Books,

Totwa, NJ. [Based on IUCN 1980].[Pezzey 1989].

Species andecosystems -

sustainable utilization(mechanism)

Species andecosystems - self-renewal (objective)

Human needs(implied) - met using

species andecosystems(mechanism)


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"The importance of ensuring thatutilization of an ecosystem or speciesis sustainable varies with a societys

dependence on the resource in

question. For a subsistence society,sustainable utilization of most, if notall its living resources is essential. ...The greater the diversity and

flexibility of the economy, the lessthe need to utilize certain resources

sustainably but by the same tokenthe less the excuse not to." (18)

Allen, R. (1980). How to Save theWorld. Barnes & Noble Books,Totwa, NJ. [Based on IUCN 1980].

[Pezzey 1989].

Species andecosystems -sustainable utilization

(mechanism)Societal needs and

dependencies -utilization ofecosystem or species

resources(mechanism)

Societal needs anddependencies -economy

(mechanism)

"...it is essential...to ensurethat...people protect those parts ofthe biosphere that need protecting

and modify the rest only in ways thatit can sustain." (20)

Allen, R. (1980). How to Save theWorld. Barnes & Noble Books,Totwa, NJ. [Based on IUCN 1980].

[Pezzey 1989].

Biosphere -

protection(mechanism)

Biosphere -sustainable

modification(mechanism)Human needs

(implied) - met(objective)

"sustainable development -development that is likely to achieve

lasting satisfaction of human needsand improvement of the quality ofhuman life." (23)

Allen, R. (1980). How to Save theWorld. Barnes & Noble Books,

Totwa, NJ. [Based on IUCN 1980].[Pezzey 1989].

Human needs -

satisfaction(objective)Quality of human life- improvement

(objective)Human needs -

sustainabledevelopment(mechanism)

Quality of human life- sustainable

development(mechanism)


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"The Commission definedsustainable development as meetingthe needs and aspirations of present

generations without compromising

the ability of future generations tomeet their needs. It requires politicalreform, access to knowledge andresources, and a more just and

equitable distribution of wealthwithin and between nations...."

Brundtland, G.H. (1989).

"Protecting the Global Commons,"Earth Ethics, Fall, 12.

Needs andaspirations of presentgenerations - met

(objective)Needs and

aspirations of presentgenerations -sustainable


Needs of futuregenerations - abilityto be met (objective)

Needs of futuregenerations -

sustainable


Sustainabledevelopment -

political reform(mechanism)Sustainable

development - accessto knowledge and

resources(mechanism)

Sustainabledevelopment -ust and equitable

distribution of wealthwithin and betweennations (mechanism)


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"Ecologically sustainable

development can then be thought ofas changes in economic structure,

organization and activity of aneconomic ecological system that are

directed towards maximum welfareand which can be sustained byavailable resources." (271)

Braat, L.C., and Steetskamp, I.

(1991). "Ecological-EconomicAnalysis for Regional Sustainable

Development," in EcologicalEconomics, R. Costanza, ed.

Columbia University Press, NewYork, pp. 269-288.

(Human) welfare -maximize (objective)(Human) welfare -

met with availableresources (objective)

Resources - usewithin availability(objective)

Ecologicallysustainable

development -changes in economicstructure,

organization, andactivity (mechanism)

"Sustainable development describesa process in which the natural

resource base is not allowed todeteriorate. It emphasizes the

hitherto unappreciated role ofenvironmental quality andenvironmental inputs in the process

of raising real income and the qualityof life." (8)

Pearce, D.W., Warford, J.J. (1993).World Without End. Oxford

University Press, Washington, DC.

Natural resource base- undeteriorating

(objective)Undeteriorating

natural resource base- sustainabledevelopment

(mechanism)Real income - raise

(objective)Raising real income -

environmentalquality (mechanism)Raising real income -

environmental inputs(mechanism)Quality of life - raise

(objective)Raise quality of life -

environmentalquality (mechanism)Raise quality of life -

environmental inputs(mechanism)


7/83

"In order to break its associationwith a limited, instrumental view ofconservation and development, and

in order to suggest some of the

positive moral dimensions of thenew social paradigm, most of ourauthors grope for a richer symboliclanguage with which to speak about

the concept of sustainabledevelopment -- authentic integral

development (Goulet),ecological/holistic world view(Sterling), reverential development

(Skolimowski), ecosophicaldevelopment (Naess), noosphere

(Laptev), just, participatoryecodevelopment (Crocker),communalism (Omo-Fadaka),

desirable society (Sivaraksa)." (10)

Engel, J.R. (1990). "Introduction:The Ethics of SustainableDevelopment," in The Ethics of

Environment and Development, J.Engel and J.G. Engel, eds.

University of Arizona Press,Tuscon. 1-23.

Development -authentic (objective)Development -

integral (objective)World view -

ecological/holistic(objective)Development -

reverential(objective)

Development -ecosophical(objective)

Ecodevelopment -ust, participatory

(objective)

Society - desirable(objective)

NoosphereCommunalism

Ignacy Sachs gave this definition in1974: "A style of development that,

in each ecoregion, calls for specificsolutions to the particular problems

of the region in light of cultural aswell as ecological data and long-termas well as immediate needs." (186)

Hettne, B. (1990). DevelopmentTheory and the Three Worlds. John

Wiley &Sons, New York.

Problem solving -sustainable


Problem solving -ecoregion-specific

(objective)Problem solving -incorporating cultural

data (mechanism)Problem solving -incorporating

ecological data(mechanism)

Long-term humanneeds - met(objective)

Immediate humanneeds - met

(objective)


8/83

"Sustainable economicdevelopment....In general terms, the

primary objective is reducing theabsolute poverty of the worlds poorthrough providing lasting and secure

livelihoods that minimize resourcedepletion, environmentaldegradation, cultural disruption, and

social instability." (103)

Barbier, E.B. (1987). "The Conceptof Sustainable EconomicDevelopment," Environ. Conserv.,

14(2), 101-110.

Poverty - lasting andsecure livelihoods(mechanism)

Poverty - reduce(objective)

Resources - minimizedepletion (objective)Environment -

minimize degradation(objective)

Culture - minimizedisruption (objective)Society - minimize

instability (objective)

"Sustainable development is heredefined as a pattern of social andstructural economic transformations

(i.e., development) whichoptimizes the economic and societal

benefits available in the present,without jeopardizing the likelypotential for similar benefits in the

future. A primary goal of sustainabledevelopment is to achieve a

reasonable (however defined) andequitably distributed level ofeconomic well-being that can be

perpetuated continually for manyhuman generations." (36)

Goodland, R., and Ledec, G.(1987). "Neoclassical Economicsand Principles of Sustainable

Development," EcologicalModelling, 38, 19-46.

Economic and

societal benefits topresent humans -

optimization(objective)

Economic andsocietal benefits tofuture humans -

maintain potential(objective)

Economic well-being- reasonable and

equitably distributed(objective)Sustainable

development -continuallyperpetuated

economic well-being(objective)

Sustainabledevelopment -social and structural

economictransformations

(mechanism)"many humangenerations" (scope)


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10/83

"Environmental protection is integralto issues such as trade, development,energy, transport, agriculture and

economic planning. Therefore,environmental considerations must

be taken into account in economicdecision-making. ... In order toachieve sustainable development, we

shall ensure the compatibility ofeconomic growth and development

with the protection of theenvironment. Environmentalprotection and related investment

should contribute to economicgrowth..." (paragraph 37 of Paris

Summit Communique)

Group of Seven. (1989).Communique from the 15th AnnualEconomic Summit in Paris. New

York Times, 17July 1989, p. A5.[Pezzey 1989].

Economy - growthand development(objective)

Environment -protection

(mechanism)Sustainabledevelopment -

compatibility ofeconomic growth and

developmentwith protection of theenvironment

(mechanism)Trade -

environmental

protection(mechanism)

Development -environmental

protection(mechanism)Energy -

environmentalprotection

(mechanism)Transport -

environmentalprotection(mechanism)

Agriculture -environmentalprotection

(mechanism)Economic planning -

environmentalprotection(mechanism)


11/83

"Guidelines for a ResponsibleNatural Resources Policy:(6) ...activities should be considered

that would be aimed at maintainingover time a constant effective natural

resource base. This concept wasproposed by Page (1977) and impliesnot an unchanging resource base but

a set of resource reserves,technologies, and policy controls that

maintain or expand the productionpossibilities of future generations."(337)

Howe, C.W. (1979). NaturalResource Economics - Issues,Analysis and Policy. John Wiley &

Sons, New York, NY. [Pezzey1989].

Natural resource base- constanteffectivestate (objective)

Mechanisms:

Constant effectivenatural resource base: not unchanging

set of resourcesreserves,

technologies, andpolicy controlsMaintain or expand

the productionpossibilities for

future generations

"In simple terms [sustainabledevelopment] argues for (a)development subject to a set of

constraints which set resourceharvest rates at levels no higher thanmanaged or natural regeneration

rates; and (b) use of the environmentas a waste sink on the basis that

waste disposal rates should notexceed rates of (natural or managed)assimilation by the counterpart

ecosystem." (58)

Pearce, D. (1988). "Optimal Pricesfor Sustainable Development," inEconomics, Growth, and

Sustainable Environments, D.Collard, D. Pearce, and D. Ulph,eds. St. Martins Press, New York.

[Pezzey 1989].

Sustainabledevelopment -resource harvest

(mechanism)Sustainabledevelopment - waste

to ecosystems(mechanism)

Resource harvest -less than managed or

natural regenerationrates (objective)Waste to ecosystems

- less than natural ormanaged assimilationrates

(objective)Waste disposal -

environment as"sink" (mechanism)Resource generation

- ecosystems(mechanism)

Development -resource generationand waste sink

(mechanisms)


12/83

"A major challenge in the comingdecades is to learn how long-term,large-scale interactions between

environment and development can bebetter managed to increase the

prospects for ecologicallysustainable improvements in humanwell-being." (5)

Clark, W.C. and Munn, R.E.

(1986). Sustainable Development ofthe Biosphere. Cambridge

University Press, Cambridge, UK.[Pezzey 1989].

Ecologicallysustainabledevelopment -

manage interactionsbetween environment

and development(mechanism)Human well-being -

improvement(objective)

Scope: long-term,large-scale

"[The] sustainable society is one thatlives within the self-perpetuating

limits of its environment. That

society...is not a no- rowth society.... It is, rather, a society that

recognizes the limits ofgrowth...[and] looks for alternative

ways of growing." (1)

Coomer, J.C. (1979). "The nature ofthe quest for a sustainable society."

In Coomer, J.C., ed. Quest for aSustainable Society. PergamonPress, New York. [Pezzey 1989].

Environment -humans take only

within "self-perpetuating limits"(objective)

"Socially sensitive interpretations ofsustainable development emphasizethe opportunity for a return tocommunity values, local control over

resources, community-baseddevelopment and other forms of

decentralized government..." (22)

Rees, W.E. (1990). "The Ecology ofSustainable Development," The

Ecologist, 20(1), 18-23.

Social elementsMechanisms only.....Community valuesResource control -

local

Community-baseddevelopmentDecentralizedgovernment

DuBose: "...in order for a course ofaction to be sustainable it should becompatible with the local culture byrespecting the structure of the society

and values of the people..." (114) -

p.7 in DuBose 1994

Dower, N. (1992). "Sustainabilityand the Right to Development," inInternational Justice and the ThirdWorld, Attfield, R., and Wilkins,

B., eds. Routledge Publishing, New

York.

Local culture -actions shouldrespect (objective)Structure of society -

actions shouldrespect (objective)

Values of the people- actions shouldrespect (objective)


13/83

"But there are also some basicrequirements to reach ... a situation[of sustainable development]. First

of all, there should be a worldwidepolitical will to attain a sustainable

development. One cannot expect thiswill to exist in a world of poverty, sothat sustainable development

requires an equity oriented policy."(88)

Nijkamp, P. and Soeteman, F.(1988). "Ecologically sustainableeconomic development: key issues

for strategic environmentalmanagement." International Journal

of Social Economics, 15(3/4), 88-102. [Pezzey 1989].

Intergenerationalequity - alleviate

poverty (objective)Worldwide politicalwill (mechanism)

"If sustainable development is to beachieved, we will have to devise

institutions, at all levels ofgovernment, to reallocate the use of

stock resources towards the future,curb the pace and disruption ofglobal climatic changes, reverse the

accumulation of toxins in theenvironment and slow the loss of

biological diversity. These are thekey resource and environmentalissues that must be addressed." (608)

Norgaard, R.B. (1988). "Sustainabledevelopment: a coevolutionary

view." Futures, 20(6), December,606-620. [Pezzey 1989].

Governmentinstitutions

(mechanisms)Stock resources -

reallocate use

towards the future(objective)

Global climate - curbchanges (objective)

Environment -reverse accumulationof toxins (objective)

Biological diversity -slow loss (objective)

"Until the use of hydrocarbons,

development was a process of socialsystem and ecosystem coevolutionthat favoured human welfare....Obviously this coevolutionary

process did not result in sustainabledevelopment for all societies. Many

suffered, some were overtaken byothers and the welfare of thesurvivors did not steadily increase.

But at least those societies whichhistorically met their demise did not

take the global environment withthem." (617)

Norgaard, R.B. (1988). "Sustainabledevelopment: a coevolutionary

view." Futures, 20(6), December,606-620. [Pezzey 1989].

Human welfare -steadily increase

(objective)Social and ecologicalsystems - coevolution

(objective)Global environment -

avoid destruction(objective)


14/83

"In simple terms [sustainabledevelopment] argues for (a)development subject to a set of

constraints which set resourceharvest rates at levels no higher than

managed or natural regenerationrates; and (b) use of the environmentas a waste sink on the basis that

waste disposal rates should notexceed rates of (natural or managed)

assimilation by the counterpartecosystems. ... ... There are self-exhaustible resources, so that

sustainabilitists tend to think interms of a resource set encompassing

substitution between renewables and

exhaustibles. Equally self-evident isthe implicit assumption that

sustainability is a good thing - thatis optimizing within sustainable use

rates is a desirable objective. Onthese terms, sustainability couldimply use of environmental services

over very long time periods and, intheory, indefinitely." (58)

Pearce, D.W. (1988). "Optimalprices for sustainable development."in Collard, D., Pearce, D., and Ulph,

D., eds. Economics, Growth andSustainable Environments. St.

Martins Press, New York. [Pezzey1989].

Resource harvest -less than managed or

natural regenerationrates (objective)Waste to envt - less

than natural ormanaged assimlationrates (objective)

Self-exhaustibleresourcs - substitute

with renewables(mechanism)Sustainable use rates

- optimize (objective)Environmental

"services" - use overindefinite timeperiods (objective)

Time frame = "verylong" or "indefinite"


15/83

"Sustainable development is

categorized by economic changesubject to constancy of the natural

capital stock - the stock ofenvironmental assets is held constant

while the economy is allowedwhatever social goals are deemedappropriate. Such a rule, which has

its own difficulties, accommodatesthe main concerns of the advocates

of sustainability - equity betweengenerations, equity within a

generation, economic resilience toexternal shocks, and uncertaintyabout the functions and values of

natural environments in socialsystems. It may also accommodatesome of the concerns of the deep

ecology movement by respectingrights in nature." (598)

Pearce, D.W. (1988). "Economics,equity and sustainabledevelopment." Futures, 20(6),

December, 598-605. [Pezzey 1989].

Sustainabledevelopment -economic change

(mechanism)Economy - change

subject to constancyof natural capitalstock (objective)

Natural capitalstock/environmental

assets - hold constant(objective)Economy - fluctuate

according to socialgoals (objective)

Between generations

- equity (objective)Within generations -

equity (mechanism)External economic

shocks - resilience(objective)Nature - rights

respected (objective)Functions/values of

natural environmentsin social systems -

uncertainty (factor)


16/83

"We take development to be a vectorof desirable social objectives, andelements might include:

- increases in real income per capita- improvements in health and

nutritional status- educational achievement- access to resources

- a fairer distribution of income- increases in basic freedoms.

...Sustainable development is then a

situation in which the developmentvector increases monotonically over

time." (4)

Pearce, D.W., Barbier, E., andMarkandya, A. (1988). Sustainabledevelopment and cost benefit

analysis. LEEC Paper 88-03,IIED/UCL London Environmental

Economics Centre, 3 Endsleigh St.,London WC1. [Pezzey 1989].

Development -increases in percapita real income

(objective)Development -

improvements inhealth and nutrition(objective)

Development -education (objective)

Development -resource access(objective)

Development - fairerdistribution of

income (objective)

Development -increase in basic

freedoms (objective)Development -

increasesmonotonically overtime (objective)

"We summarize the necessary

conditions [for sustainabledevelopment] as constancy of thenatural capital stock. More strictly,

the requirement is for non-negativechanges in the stock of natural

resources such as soil and soilquality, ground and surface waterand their quality, land biomass,

water biomass and the wasteassimilation capacity of receiving

environments." (6)

Pearce, D.W., Barbier, E., and

Markandya, A. (1988). Sustainabledevelopment and cost benefitanalysis. LEEC Paper 88-03,

IIED/UCL London EnvironmentalEconomics Centre, 3 Endsleigh St.,

London WC1. [Pezzey 1989].

Natural capital stock

- constancy(objective)

Soil and soil quality -non-negative changes(objective)

Ground and surfacewater and theirquality - non-

negative changes(objective)

Land biomass - non-negative changes(objective)

Water biomass - non-negative changes

(objective)Waste assimilationcapacity of receiving

environments -non-negative changes

(objective)


17/83

"Over the last decade or sointernational attention hasincreasingly become focused on the

problem of ensuring that moderndevelopment on this planet takes

place at a pace which the earthsenvironment can sustain. ...Economic growth is a necessary

precondition for environmentalimprovement but it is possible and

necesary to plan for economicgrowth which is environmentallysustainable."

Ridley, N. (1989). Policies againstPollution: The Conservative Record- and Principles. Centre for Policy

Studies, London. [Pezzey 1989].

Development - paceis environmentallysustainable

(objective)Economy - growth

(objective)Environment -improvement

(objective)Environmental

improvement -economic growth(mechanism)

Economic growth -environmentally

sustainable

(objective)

"...the health of the economy and thehealth of our environment are totally

dependent upon each other. The

[British] Government espouses theconcept of sustainable economic

development. Stable prosperity canbe achieved throughout the world

provided the environment is nurturedand safeguarded."

Thatcher, M. (1988). Speech at1988 Royal Society Dinner

(September). [Pezzey 1989].

Economy - health(objective)

Environment - health(objective)Worlds people -

stable prosperity(objective)

Economicdevelopment -

sustainable(objective)Stable human

prosperity -nurturing andsafeguarding

environment(mechanism)

Economic health andenvironmental health- interdependency

(property)


18/83

"In broad terms the concept ofsustainable developmentencompasses:

(1) help for the very poor becausethey are left with no option other

than to destroy their environment;(2) the idea of self-reliantdevelopment, within natural resource

constraints;(3) the idea of cost-effective

development using differenteconomic criteria to the traditionalapproach; that is to say development

should not degrade environmentalquality, nor should it reduce

productivity in the long run;(4) the great issues of health control,appropriate technologies, food, self-

reliance, clean water, and shelter forall;

(5) the notion that people-centredinitiatives are needed; human beings,in other words, are the resources in

the concept." (98)

Tolba, M. (1987). SustainableDevelopment-Constraints andOpportunities. London: Butterworth

(1987). [Pezzey 1989].

Poor people - help tokeep them fromdestroying

environment(mechanism)

Development - self-reliant (objective)Development -

within naturalresource constraints

(objective)Development - cost-effective using fair

economic criteria(objective)

Environmental

quality - nodegradation

(objective)Productivity - no

reduction in long run(objective)Development -

maintainenvironmental

quality (objective)Development -

maintain productivityin long run(objective)

Human needs(implied) - healthcontrol for all

(mechanism)Human needs

(implied) -appropriatetechnologies for all

(mechanism)Human needs

(implied) - food forall (mechanism)Human needs

(implied) - self-reliance for all

(mechanism)Human needs(implied) - clean

water for all

(mechanism)


19/83

"The current state of scientificknowledge ... leads inexorably to theconclusion that anyone driven by

either long-term self-interest, orconcern for poverty, or concern for

intergenerational equity should bewilling to support the operationalobjectives of sustainable

development." (p. 17, paraphrasingRepetto 1986)

Lele, S.M. (1990). "SustainableDevelopment: A Critical Review,"

World Development, forthcoming.[Pezzey 1989].

Self- interest - longterm (objective)Poverty - alleviation

(objective)Between generations

- equity (objective)

"The precise meaning of terms suchas sustainable resource usage,

sustainable growth and sustainabledevelopment has so far proved

elusive." (5)

Turner, R.K. (1988)."Sustainability, resource

conservation and pollution control:an overview." In Turner, R.K., ed.

Sustainable Environmental

Management: Principles andPractice. Belhaven Press, London.

[Pezzey 1989].

Resource usage -sustainable

(objective)Growth - sustainable

(objective)

Development -sustainable

(objective)

"The World ConservationStrategy...gave considerableprominence to the sustainability

concept, although its precisemeaning and practical applicationswere not presented in a detailed and

operational form." (576)

Turner, R.K. (1988). "Sustainableglobal futures - common interest,interdependency, complexity and

global possibilities." Futures 19(5),574-582. [Pezzey 1989].

"Two principles of 500-yearplanning:Principle 1: Future generations

should not inherit, from presentgenerations, unacceptable risks of

death owing to environmental orother preventable catastrophes.Principle 2: Future, as well as

present, generations may inheritconstraints on their primary

freedoms as sacrifices for enjoyingthe conditions of Principle 1."

Tonn, B.E. (1989, forthcoming).[Pezzey 1989].

Future generations -should not inheritunacceptable risks of

death (objective)Future generations -

constraints onprimary freedoms(possible side effect)

Present generation -constraints on

primary freedoms(possible side effect)

"The sustainability criterion suggeststhat, at a minimum, future

generations should be left no worseoff than current generations." (33)

Tietenberg, T.H. (1984).Environmental and Natural

Resource Economics. Scott,Foresman & Co., Glenview, IL.[Pezzey 1989].

Future generations -no worse than current

generations(objective)


20/83

"1. Objectives of the worldconservation strategy:Conservation has three basic

objectives:

(1) To maintain essential ecologicalprocesses and life support systems.(2) To preserve genetic diversity.(3) To ensure that the utilization of

living resources and the ecosystemsin which they are found, is

sustainable." (4)

Talbot, L.M. (1984). "The WorldConservation Strategy." In

Thibodeau, F.R. and Field, H.H.,Sustaining Tomorrow - A Strategyfor World Conservation and

Development. University Press ofNew England. [Pezzey 1989].

Sustainability -conservation(mechanism)

Essential ecologicalprocesses and life

support systems -maintain (objective)Genetic diversity -

preserve (objective)Living resources and

source ecosystems -sustainable utilization(objective)

"...a society that invests inreproducible capital the competitive

rents on its current extraction ofexhaustible resources, will enjoy a

consumption stream constant in time....this result can be interpreted as

saying that an appropriately definedstock of capital - including the initialendowment of resources - is being

maintained intact, and thatconsumption can be interpreted as

the interest on that patrimony." (141)

Solow, R.M. (1986). "On theintergenerational allocation ofnatural resources." ScandinavianJournal of Economics, 88(1), 141-

149. [Pezzey 1989].

Sustainable use ofexhaustible resources- replaced byinvestment in

reproducible capital(mechanism)

"...the main text [of WCED 1987]combines views that have often beenregarded as hard to reconcile.Traditional objectives of economic

rowth are believed to be compatiblewith sustainability. In fact, the

position taken by the Commission isthat a high level of GNP growth willfacilitate the transistion towards

sustainability." (20)

Soderbaum, P. (1988). "Sustainabledevelopment - a challenge to ourworld views and ideas ofeconomics." In Stockhold Group for

Studies on Natural ResourceManagement, Perspectives of

Sustainable Development: SomeCritical Issues Related to theBrundtland Report. SGN,

Stockholm. [Pezzey 1989].

Sustainability -economic growth(mechanism) =>Questionable!


21/83

"[Sustainable growth] meanseconomic growth that can be

supported by physical and socialenvironments in the foreseeablefuture. An ideal sustainable society

would be one in which all energywould be derived from current solarincome and all non-renewable

resources would be recycled." (10f)

Pirages, D.C. (1977). "A socialdesign for sustainable growth." inPirages, D.C., ed. The Sustainable

Society - Implications for LimitedGrowth. Praeger, New York.

[Pezzey 1989].

Scope: foreseeablefutureEnergy - all from

current solar income(mechanism/objectiv

e)Non-renewableresources - recycled

(mechanism/objective)

Economy - growthsupportable byphysical and social

environments(objective)

"This does not mean that sustainabledevelopment demands the

preservation of the current stock ofnatural resources or any particular

mix of human, physical and naturalassets. As development proceeds, thecomposition of the underlying asset

base changes." "There is a broadagreement that pursuing policies that

imperil the welfare of futuregenerations, who are unrepresented

in any political or economic forum,is unfair."

Repetto, R. (1986). World Enoughand Time. Yale University Press,

New Haven.

Preservation(objective) no one

resource or assetshould be preserved

asset base changeswith development Future generations

(objective) doimperil those who

cannot speak for or

defend their welfare


22/83

"The core of the idea ofsustainability, then, is the conceptthat current decisions should not

impair the prospects for maintainingor improving future living standards.

... This implies that our economicsystems should be managed so thatwe live off the dividend of our

resources, maintaining andimproving the asset base. This

principle also has much in commonwith the ideal concept of income thataccountants seek to determine: the

greatest amount that can beconsumed in the current period

without reducing prospects for

consumption in the future." (10)

Repetto, R. (1985). The GlobalPossible - Resources, Developmentand the New Century. Yale

University Press, New Haven.[Pezzey 1989].

Future livingstandards - notimpaired by current

decisions (objective)Economic systems -

managed to live offdividend of resources(mechanism)

Resources - live offdividend (objective)

Asset base - maintain

and improve(objective)

"All economic growth in the futuremust be sustainable: that is to say, it

must operate within and not beyondthe finite limits of the planet." (120)

Porritt, J. (1984). Seeing Green -The Politics of Ecology Explained.

Basil Blackwell, Oxford. [Pezzey1989].

Economy - growthwithin finite limits of

the planet (objective)

"The sustainability criterion requiresthat the conditions necessary for

equal access to the resource base bemet for each generation." (13)

Pearce, D.W. (1987). "Foundationsof an ecological economics."

Ecological Modelling 38, 9-18.[Pezzey 1989].

Each generation -equal access to the

resource base(objective)


23/83

"The key concept [regarding naturalresource degradation in developingcountries] is sustainability.

Changes in resource managementpractice toward sustainable resource

use could at least contribute to thepreservation of the renewableresource base and hence to the direct

well-being of the population and tothe future of the macroeconomy."

(102)

Pearce, D.W. (1988). "Thesustainable use of natural resourcesin developing countries." in Turner,

R.K., ed., SustainableEnvironmental Management:

Principles and Practice. BelhavenPress, London. [Pezzey 1989].

Resource use -preservation ofrenewable resource

base (objective)Sustainable resource

use - well-being ofpopulation (outcome)Sustainable resource

use - future ofmacroeconomy

(outcome)Sustainable resourceuse -

changes in resourcemanagement practice

(mechanism)

Scope: developingcountries

Natural resources -avoid degradation

(objective)


24/83

"We developed our own simple,anthropocentric working definitionby which we mean sustainability to

be the indefinite survival of thehuman species (with a quality of life

beyond mere biological survival)

through the maintenance of basic lifesupport systems (air, water, land,

biota) and the existence ofinfrastructure and institutions which

distribute and protect thecomponents of these systems." (133)

Liverman, D.M., Hanson, M.E.,Brown, B.J., and Merideth, R.W.,Jr. (1988). "Global Sustainability:

Toward Measurement."Environmental Management, 12(2),

133-143.

Human species -indefinite survival(objective)

Quality of life - morethan "mere biological

survival" (objective)Quality humansurvival -

maintenance of lifesupport systems

(mechanism)Quality humansurvival - existence

of infrastructure andinstitutions which

distribute and protect

life support systems(mechanism)

Air systems -maintenance and

protection (objective)Water systems -maintenance and

protection (objective)Land systems -

maintenance andprotection (objective)

Biota - maintenanceand protection(objective)

Scope: indefinite


25/83

"It may only be a matter of timebefore the metaphor of sustainabilitybecomes so abused as to be

meaningless, certainly as a device tostraddle the ideological conflicts that

pervade contemporaryenvironmentalism." (29)"Sustainability is a much broader

phenomenon [than sustainabledevelopment], embracing ethical

norms pertaining to the survival ofliving matter, to the rights of futuregenerations and to institutions

responsible for ensuring that suchrights are fully taken into account in

policies and actions." (30)

ORiordan, T. (1988). "The politicsof sustainability." In Turner, R.K.,ed. Sustainable Environmental


[Pezzey 1989].

Living matter -

survival (objective)Future generations -

respecting rights(objective)

Future generationsrights - institutionsand policies

(mechanism)

"...much of the desertificationliterature also suggests thatdesertification is nonoptimal from

both the producers and societysperspective. Sustainable use isgenerally put forward as the optimal

strategy. [Morey then shows howsustainable land use may or may not

be optimal.]" (551)

Morey, E.R. (1985)."Desertificationfrom an economic perspective."Ricerche Economiche, 39(4), 550-

560. [Pezzey 1989].

Resource (implied)use - optimal(objective)

"The basic idea [of sustainability] issimple in the context of naturalresources (excluding exhaustibles)and environments: the use made of

these inputs to the developmentprocess should be sustainable

through time. ....If we now apply theidea to resources, sustainabilityought to mean that a given stock of

resources - trees, soil quality, waterand so on - should not decline." (9-

10)

Markandya, A. and Pearce, D.W.(1988). "Natural environments andthe social rate of discount." ProjectAppraisal, 3(1), 2-12. [Pezzey

1989].

Natural resources -sustainable use ofinputsover time(objective)

Environments -sustainable use of

inputs over time(objective)Resource stock - no

decline (objective)Trees - no decline

(objective)Soil quality - nodecline (objective)

Water - no decline(objective)


26/83

"In the narrowest sense, globalsustainability means the indefinitesurvival of the human species across

all the regions of the world. Abroader sense of the meaning

specifies that virtually all humans,once born, live to adulthood and thattheir lives have quality beyond mere

biological survival. Finally thebroadest sense of global

sustainability includes thepersistence of all components of thebiosphere, even those with no

apparent benefit to humanity." (717)

Brown, B.J., et al. (1987). "Globalsustainability: toward definition."Environmental Management, 11(6),

713-719. [Pezzey 1989].

Scope: global,indefinite, all regionsof the world

Human species -indefinite survival

(objective)Humans - virtuallyall live to adulthood,

once born (objective)Human quality of life

- beyond merebiological survival(objective)

Biospherecomponents - all

persist, regardless of

utility to humans(objective)

"...in a pedagogical sense

sustainability requires that allprocesses operate only at their steadystate, renewable level, which might

then suggest a return to a regulatedcaveman culture." (323)

Burness, H.S. and Cummings, R.G.

(1986). "Thermodynamic andeconomic concepts as related toresource-use policies: reply." Land

Economics, 62(3), 323-324. [Pezzey1989].

Processes - steady

state (objective)Processes -renewable (objective)


27/83

"Sustainable, by definition, means

not only indefinitely prolonged, butnourishing for the self-actualizing of

persons and communities. The worddevelopment need not be restricted

to economic activity, much less tothe kind of economic activity thatnow dominates the world, but can

mean the evolution, unfolding,growth, and fulfillment of any and

all aspects of life. Thus sustainabledevelopment, in the broadest sense,

may be defined as the kind of humanactivity that nourishes andperpetuates the historical fulfillment

of the whole community of life onearth." (10)

Engel, J.R. (1990). "Introduction:The Ethics of SustainableDevelopment," in The Ethics of

Environment and Development, J.Engel and J.G. Engel, eds.

University of Arizona Press,Tuscon. 1-23.

Sustainable =="indefinitelyprolonged;

nourishing"Persons and

communities -indefinitelyprolonged (objective)

Persons andcommunities -

nourished (objective)Persons andcommunities - self-

actualizing(objective)

Development ==

"evolution,unfolding, growth,

and fulfillment of anyand all aspects of

life"Life on earth -nourished and

perpetuated(objective)

"This chapter will address these two

opposing meanings ofsustainability and their respectivedevelopment paradigms. It will

differentiate between sustainabilityas a narrow economic ideal andsustainability as an ethical ideal,

between sustainability of privilegesand sustainability of life on Earth."

(28)

Kothari, R. (1990). "Environment,Technology, and Ethics," in The

Ethics of Environment andDevelopment, J. Engel and J.G.

Engel, eds. University of ArizonaPress, Tuscon. 27-35.

Distinguishesbetween economic

and environmentalsustainability in

terms of privilegeversus ethics


28/83

"[I]t is an obligation to conductourselves so that we leave to thefuture the option or the capacity to

be as well off as we are. It is notclear to me that one can be more

precise than that. Sustainability is aninjunction not to satisfy ourselves byimpoverishing our successors...There

is no specific object that the goal ofsustainability, the obligation of

sustainability, requires that we leaveuntouched." (181)

Solow, R.M. (1993).

"Sustainability: An EconomistsPerspective," in Economics of the

Environment: Selected Readings. R.Dorfman and N.S. Dorfman, eds.

W.W. Norton & Company, NewYork, 179-187.

Sustainability -human conduct topreserve future

options (mechanism)Future generations -

capacity to be as welloff as present(objective)

Present humans -dont impoverish

future generations(objective)Present humans -

satisfaction(objective)

"While other attributes such as coloror temperature can be ascribed to

isolated objects, this is not the casewith sustainability. It is somewhat of

a misnomer to say that a technologyin and of itself is sustainable. This isnot to say that therefore nothing is

sustainable or that sustainability cannot occur -- it is simply that our way

ofspeaking of sustainability isimprecise and misleading.

Sustainability does not describe aquality that resides within theconfines of an individual technology

or practice but refers instead to thenature of the relationship betweenthe technology and its context." (14)

DuBose, J.R. (1994). Sustainabilityas an Inherently Contextual

Concept: Some Lessons fromAgricultural Development.

Unpublished M.S. Thesis, School ofPublic Policy, Georgia Institute of

Technology, Atlanta, GA.

Sustainability ==relationship between

technology and itscontext

"Even the narrow notion of physicalsustainability implies a concern for

social equity between generations, aconcern that must logically be

extended to equity within eachgeneration." (43)


(1987). Our Common Future.Oxford University Press, Great


Between generations- social equity

(objective)Within generations -

social equity(objective)


29/83

"The core of the idea ofsustainability, then, is the conceptthat current decisions should not

impair the prospects for maintainingor improving future living

standards....This implies that oureconomic systems should bemanaged so that we live off the

dividend of our resources,maintaining and improving the asset

base....This does not mean thatsustainable development demandsthe preservation of the current stock

of natural resources or any particularmix of human, physical, and natural

assets." (10)

Repetto, R. (1985). The GlobalPossible - Resources, Development,and the New Century. Yale

University Press, New Haven, CT.[Pezzey 1989].

Future livingstandards - notimpaired by current

decisions (objective)Economic systems -

managed to live offdividends(mechanism)

Asset base -maintained or

improved (objective)Natural resources -not necessarily

preserved in anyparticular state

(objective)

"The sustainable community, as thearchitect planner Sim Van der Rynsuggests, exacts less of its

inhabitants in time, wealth, and

maintenance, and demands less of itsenvironment in land, water, soil, and

fuel. I would add that it alsodemands more of its inhabitants in

terms of participation, cooperation,and civicness, and provides moreopportunities for these as well." (2)

Veiderman, S. (1993). "TheEconomics and Economy ofSustainability; Five Capitals and

Three Pillars." presented at theDelaware Estuary ProgramConference on "Preserving Our

Future", November 30, 1993,Philadelphia, PA.

Human time - exactless (objective)Human wealth -

exact less (objective)Human maintenance- exact less

(objective)Environment (land,

water, soil, fuel) -demand less

(objective)Human participation- demand more, and

provide opportunities(objective)Human cooperation -

demand more, andprovide opportunities

(objective)Human civicness -demand more, and

provide opportunities(objective)


30/83

"Sustainability is a relationship

between dynamic human economicsystems and larger, dynamic, but

normally slower-changing ecologicalsystems, such that human life can

continue indefinitely, humanindividuals can flourish, and humancultures can develop--but also a

relationship in which the effects ofhuman activities remain within

bounds so as not to destroy thehealth and integrity of self-

organizing systems that provide theenvironmental context for theseactivities." (25)

Norton, B.G. (1992). "A NewParadigm for EnvironmentalManagement," in Ecosystem

Health: New Goals forEnvironmental Management, R.

Costanza, B.G. Norton, and B.D.Haskell, eds. Island Press,Washington, DC, 23-41.

Human economicsystems andecological systems

(interrelated)Human life -

continue indefinitely(objective)Scope: indefinite

Human individuals -flourish (objective)

Human cultures -develop (objective)Effects of human

activities -remain bounded so as

not to destroy

ecosystems(objective)

Self-organizingecosystems - health

and integrity notdestroyed (objective)

"Sustainability within the economicparadigm is sustainability of human

welfare through the sustenance of theproductive capacities of theeconomy; sustainability in the

ecological paradigm makes essentialreference to crucial productive

capacities of ecological processesand systems."

Norton, B.G. (forthcoming?).

"Evaluating Ecosystem States: TwoCompeting Paradigms," EcologicalEconomics.

Human welfare -sustained (objective)

Human welfare -sustained productive

economic capacities(mechanism)Ecological processes

and systems -sustained productivecapacities (objective)

"The market does not distinguish anecologically sustainable scale of

matter-energy throughput from anunsustainable scale, just as it does

not distinguish between ethically justand unjust distributions of income.Sustainability, like justice, is a value

not achievable by purelyindividualistic market processes."

(320)

Daly, H.E. (1986)."Thermodynamic and economic

concepts as related to resource-usepolicies: comment." Land

Economics, 62(3). 319-322. [Pezzey1989].

Sustainability = avalue


31/83

"By growth I mean quantitativeincrease in the scale of the physicaldimensions of the economy; ... By

development I mean the qualitativeimprovement in the structure, design

and composition of physical stocksand flows, that result from greaterknowledge, both of technique and of

purpose." (323)

Daly, H.E. (1987). "The economicgrowth debate: what someeconomists have learned but many

have not." Journal of Environmentand Economics Management, 14(4),

323-336. [Pezzey 1989].

Development =qualitativeimprovement

resulting from greaterknowledge and

purpose

"... growth is if you get just anincreasing number of the same typeof mail coaches. And if you pass

from traveling in mail coaches totraveling by railway, that is

development." (294)

Georgescu-Roegen, N. (1988)."About economic growth - avariation on a theme by David

Hilbert." Economics andDevelopment of Cultural Change.

36(3) Supplement, S291-S307.

[Pezzey 1989].

Development =increase intechnology

"[S]ustainability is by default takento mean the existence of the

ecological conditions necessary tosupport human life at a specifiedlevel of well-being through future

generations, what I call ecologicalsustainability."

Lele, S.M. (1990). "SustainableDevelopment: A Critical Review,"

World Development, forthcoming.[Pezzey 1989].

Human life -supported at

specified level ofwell-being(objective)

Human life -existence ofsupporting ecological

conditions

(mechanism)Scope: futuregenerations

"In principle, such an optimal[sustainable growth] policy would

seek to maintain an acceptable rateof growth in per-capita real incomeswithout depleting the national capital

asset stock or the naturalenvironmental asset stock." (12)

Turner, R.K. (1988)."Sustainability, resource

conservation and pollution control:an overview." In Turner, R.K., ed.Sustainable Environmental


[Pezzey 1989].

Real incomes -growth without

depleting capital orenvironmental assetstock (objective)

Sustainable growth -policy (mechanism)


32/83

"It makes no sense to talk about thesustainable use of a non-renewableresource (even with substantial

recycling effort and reuse rates). Any

positive rate of exploitation willeventually lead to exhaustion of thefinite stock." (13)

Turner, R.K. (1988)."Sustainability, resourceconservation and pollution control:

an overview." In Turner, R.K., ed.Sustainable Environmental

Management: Principles andPractice. Belhaven Press, London.[Pezzey 1989].

Non-renewableresource - any use is

unsustainable (effect)

"...in this [sustainable development]mode...conservation becomes thesole basis for defining a criterionwith which to judge the desirability

of alternative allocations of naturalresources." (21)

Turner, R.K. (1988)."Sustainability, resourceconservation and pollution control:an overview." In Turner, R.K., ed.

Sustainable EnvironmentalManagement: Principles and

Practice. Belhaven Press, London.

[Pezzey 1989].

Natural resourceallocation -conservation(mechanism)

"Rather than eliminating the[positive] discount rate, the present-

value criterion should becomplemented by other criteria, suchas sustainability. ....For example, we

might choose to maximise presentvalue subject to the constraint thatfuture generations are not made

worse off." (432)

Tietenberg, T.H. (1984).Environmental and Natural

Resource Economics. Scott,Foresman & Co., Glenview, IL.[Pezzey 1989].

Future generations -not worse off

(objective)Present value -maximized

(objective)

"This does not mean that sustainabledevelopment demands thepreservation of the current stock of

natural resources or any particularmix of human, physical and natural

assets. As development proceeds, thecomposition of the underlying assetbase changes." (10)

Repetto, R. (1985). The GlobalPossible - Resources, Developmentand the New Century. Yale

University Press, New Haven.[Pezzey 1989].

Resource asset base -can change over time(mechanism)

"There is broad agreement that

pursuing policies that imperil thewelfare of future generations, whoare unrepresented in any political or

economic forum, is unfair." (11)

Repetto, R. (1985). The Global

Possible - Resources, Developmentand the New Century. YaleUniversity Press, New Haven.

[Pezzey 1989].

Future generations -

dont imperil welfare(objective)


33/83

"...sustainability might be redefinedin terms of a requirement that the useof resources today should not reduce

real incomes in the future..." (11)

Markandya, A. and Pearce, D.W.(1988). "Natural environments andthe social rate of discount." Project

Appraisal, 3(1), 2-12. [Pezzey

1989].

Resource use - doesnot reduce future realincome (objective)

Real income - notreduced in future

(objective)

"One can identify four primarycriteria for sustainable developmentwhen it is conceived as an ethical

ideal: a holistic view ofdevelopment; equity based on theautonomy and self-reliance of

diverse entities instead of on astructure of dependence founded on

aid and transfer of technology with a

view to catching up; an emphasison participation; and an accent on the

importance of local conditions andthe value of diversity." (34)

Kothari, R. (1990). "Environment,Technology, and Ethics," in TheEthics of Environment and

Development, J. Engel and J.G.Engel, eds. University of ArizonaPress, Tuscon. 27-35.

Development -should be holistic(objective)

Present generation -equity based on self-reliance (objective)

Present generation -participation

(mechanism)

Local conditions -value (objective)

Diversity - value(objective)

"[Sustainability] can beaccomplished by leaving adequate

resources, be they natural ormanmade....[G]oods and services canbe substituted for one another...what

we are obligated to leave behind is a

generalized capacity to create well-being, not any particular thing or anyparticular natural resource."

Solow, R.M. (1993)."Sustainability: An Economists

Perspective," in Economics of theEnvironment: Selected Readings. R.Dorfman and N.S. Dorfman, eds.


Resources (natural orman-made) - leave

adequate(mechanism)Future generations -

leave capacity for

well-being(objective)

"...you are almost forced logically tothink about equity not between

periods of time but equity rightnow..." (185)


Perspective," in Economics of theEnvironment: Selected Readings. R.Dorfman and N.S. Dorfman, eds.


Between generations- equity (objective)

Within generations -equity (objective)

"[S]ustainability is a vague concept.It is intrinsically inexact. It is not

something that can be measured outin coffee spoons. It is not something

that you could be numericallyaccurate about." (187)


Perspective," in Economics of theEnvironment: Selected Readings. R.

Dorfman and N.S. Dorfman, eds.W.W. Norton & Company, NewYork, 179-187.

Sustainability =inexact concept that

cannot be measured


34/83

"Clean air, clean water, safety in cityparks, low-income housing,education, child care, welfare,

medical care, unemployment(insurance), transportation,

recreation/cultural centers, openspace, wetlands..."

Wolf, H. Seattle Audobon Society.

Sustainability =health, safety,education, social

responsibility, access

to all resources

"Here sustainable developmentmeans a program of domesticeconomic and political reform that...

yields 'broad-based economicprogress accomplished in a manner

that protects and restores the quality

of the natural environment, improvesthe quality of life for individuals and

broadens the prospects for futuregenerations.' It means, in other

words, maintaining economic growthwhile producing the absoluteminimum of pollution, repairing the

environmental damages of the past,using far fewer non-renewableresources, producing much less

waste, and extending the opportunity

to live in a pleasant and healthyenvironment to the wholepopulation."

US Presidents Council onSustainable Development

Domestic, national(scope), economic,political reform

(mechanism), protectand restore natural

environment(objective), improvequality of life

(objective), broadenprospects for future

generations(objective), maintaineconomic growth

while protecting andconserving resources(objective), well

being of wholepopulation

(objective)

"Sustainability is the optimal balanceof natural, economic, and socialsystems over time."

The Florida Center for CommunityDesign & Research

Sustainability =optimal balance

"A sustainable community is onewhose energy economy does not use

more energy in a given time thanfalls on its hinterlands as sunlight inthat time, and in which the material

economy is circular rather thanlinear."

Risemberg, R. "A Paradigm forSustainability".

Use no more energythan is provided by

the sun (objective),circular as opposed tolinear resource flows

(objective)


35/83

"Sustainable Production is thecreation of goods and services usingprocesses and systems that are: non-

polluting; conserving of energy andnatural resources; economically

efficient; safe and healthful forworkers, communities, andconsumers; and, socially and

creatively rewarding for all workingpeople."

Lowell Center for SustainableProduction

Non-polluting(objective),conservation of

energy and naturalresources (objective),

economic efficiency(objective), promoteshealth (objective),

socially andintellectually

rewarding (objective)

"Sustainable society - Society whoselong term prospect for continuing toexist are good. Such a society would

be characterized by an emphasis onpreserving the environment,developing strong peaceful

relationships between people andnations, and an emphasis on

equitable distribution of wealth."

(Summer, 1995).Coop AmericaQuarterly, No. 37.

Global (scope),long-term existence(objective),

preserving the

environment(mechanism),

developing peacefulrelationships

(mechanism),equitable distributionof wealth

(mechanism)

"Sustainable communities fostercommitment to place, promotevitality, build resilience to stress, act

as stewards, and forge connectionsbeyond the community"

Northwest Policy Institute,University of WashingtonGraduate School of Public Affairs

Seattle, Washington

Commitment to aplace (objective),

promote vitality(objective), resilienceto stress (objective),stewardship

(objective),relationships with

other communities(objective)


36/83

"In a sustainable community,resource consumption is balanced byresources assimilated by the

ecosystem. The sustainability of acommunity is largely determined by

the web of resources providing itsfood, fiber, water, and energy needsand by the ability of natural systems

to process its wastes. A communityis unsustainable if it consumes

resources faster than they can berenewed, produces more wastes thannatural systems can process or relies

upon distant sources for its basicneeds."

Sustainable CommunityRoundtable Report, South PugetSound.

Balance of allsystems (objective),consumption does

not exceed resource

renewal(mechanism), doesnot produce morewaste than nature can

process (mechanism),does not rely on

distant sources forbasic needs(mechanism)

"Sustainable development...[is] theprocess of building equitable,

productive and participatorystructures to increase the economic

empowerment of communities andtheir surrounding regions."

Interfaith Center on CorporateResponsibility

Increase economicempowerment of

community(objective), equity

(mechanism),productivity(mechanism),

participatory(mechanism)

"Sustainable Development is positive

change which does not underminethe environmental or social systemson which we depend. It requires acoordinated approach to planning

and policy making that involvespublic participation. Its success

depends on widespreadunderstanding of the criticalrelationship between people and their

environment and the will to makenecessary changes."

Hamilton Wentworth RegionalCouncil

Positive change

(objective), does notundermine natural orsocial resources(mechanism),

coordinated policiesand planning

(mechanism), publicparticipation(mechanism),

understanding ofhuman relationship to

nature (mechanism)


37/83

"Then I say the earth belongs to each. . . generation during its course,fully and in its own right, no

generation can contract debts greater

than may be paid during the courseof its own existence."

Jefferson, T., (1789). U.S.President.

Earth belongs to allgenerations (scope),balance (objective),

one generation doesnot create debt for

future generations topay (mechanism)

"Sustainable development: a conceptthat implies the precautionary

principle. A healthy and continuedmulti stakeholder consultation willgo a long way towards ensuring

sustainability"

United Nations, (2000). CleaningUp Our Mining Act: A North-South

Dialogue, New York.

Sustainabledevelopment =

concept, healthy andinvolved stakeholders(mechanism)

"Treating the Earth as though we

intend to stay."

The National Assembly of WalesSustainability =

responsible longevity

"A new and integrated way ofthinking about choices rightacross Government, and

throughout society, so that wecan all share in the highest

quality of life now, withoutpassing on a poorer world to ourchildren."

Department of the Environment,Transport and the Regions, U.K.

Sustainability =choice, integratedapproach

(mechanism), highestquality of life now

withoutcompromising thefuture (objective),

" a system of natural resourcemanagement that is capable ofproviding an equivalent, orexpanding, output over time."

Smith, F.L.,"The Market andNature," in The Environment:Opposing Viewpoints.

Sustainability =balanced system ofnatural resourcemanagement


38/83

"Ultimately, the goal ofsustainability is to achieve short- andlong-term health and prosperity for

all people via better management ofour social, economic and ecological

systems of support. Because ahealthy world is not possible withouthealthy communities, a majority of

the efforts to promote sustainabilitymust take hold at the local level. The

goal of community sustainability,then, becomes a vital, needed ethic,one that involves identifying

practical, integrative approaches tothe challenge of balancing social

well-being, economic health, and

environmental quality. Communitiesthat choose to work for a balance

between these elements are morelikely to thrive into the future."

(1994). Community SustainabilityResource Institute.

Local communities(scope), Short andlong-term health and

prosperity for allpeople (objective),

management ofsocial, economic,ecological systems

(mechanism),balance between

systems (objective)

"The word sustainable has roots inthe Latin subtenir, meaning 'to hold

up' or 'to support from below.' Acommunity must be supported from

below by its inhabitants, presentand future. Certain places, through

the peculiar combination of physical,cultural, and, perhaps, spiritualcharacteristics, inspire people to care

for their community. Theses are theplaces where sustainability has thebest chance of taking hold."

Muscoe, M. (Winter,1995). "ASustainable Community Profile," in

Places.

Sustainability =support from

inhabitants bothpresent and future,

people care for theircommunity(objective)


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"Sustainability is the [emerging]doctrine that economic growth anddevelopment must take place, and be

maintained over time, within the

limits set by ecology in the broadestsense - by the interrelations ofhuman beings and their works, thebiosphere and the physical and

chemical laws that govern it . . . Itfollows that environmental

protection and economicdevelopment are complementaryrather than antagonistic processes."

Ruckelshaus, W.D. (September,1989). "Toward a SustainableWorld," in Scientific American.

Sustainability =doctrine, economicgrowth and

developmentmaintained over time

within ecologicallimits (objective),interrelation of social

and natural laws(mechanism),

environmental andeconomicdevelopment are

complimentary(objective)


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"A sustainable community effortconsists of a long-term, integrated,systems approach to developing and

achieving a healthy community byointly addressing economic,

environmental, and social issues.Fostering a strong sense ofcommunity and building partnerships

and consensus among keystakeholders are also important

elements of such efforts. The focusand scale of sustainability effortsdepend on local conditions,

including resources, politics,individual actions, and the unique

features of the community. The

sustainable communities approachhas been applied to issues as varied

as urban sprawl, inner-city andbrown field redevelopment,

economic development and growth,ecosystem management, agriculture,biodiversity, green buildings, energy

conservation, watershedmanagement, and pollution

prevention. Many of these issues andother community problems cannot

easily be addressed by traditionalapproaches or traditional elementswithin our society. Many people feel

it is better to address such problemsthrough a more collaborative andholistic systems approach because

such problems are diffuse,multidisciplinary, multi-agency,

multi-stakeholder and multi-sector innature."

Lachman, B.E. (1997). "LinkingSustainable Community Activitiesto Pollution Prevention: A

Sourcebook," Critical TechnologiesInstitute.

Community (scope),long-term, integrated,systems approach

(mechanism), healthycommunity

(objective),economic,environmental, social

issues (mechanism),foster partnerships

and consensus amongstakeholders(mechanism),

dependent on localconditions and

resources (factor),collaborative andholistic systems

approach(mechanism),

problems are diffuse

and shared bymultiple parties,

agencies, sectors(factor)

"Sustainability refers to the ability ofa society, ecosystem, or any such

ongoing system to continuefunctioning into the indefinite futurewithout being forced into decline

through exhaustion. . . of keyresources."

Gilman, R., President of ContextInstitute

Sustainability =ability of a system to

function indefinitelywithout decline


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"Sustainability means living withinthe resources of the planet without

damaging the environment now orwithin the future. It also meanshaving an economic system that

provides a genuine quality of life,rather than depending on increasedconsumption."

West London Friends of the Earth

Living withinresources of theplanet (objective), no

damage to theenvironment

(mechanism),economy thatprovides genuine

quality of life(objective),

consumption doesnot increase(mechanism)

"A thing is right when it tends topreserve the integrity, stability, and

beauty of the biotic community. It iswrong when it tends otherwise."

Leopold, A. A Land Ethic, in

Sand County Almanac

Sustainability =preservation of biotic

integrity, stabilityand beauty

" 'Sustainable' describes actions,

policies, programs, etc, - byindividuals, groups, corporations, orgovernment entities - that could be

adopted by all such individuals,groups, corporations, or governmententities without eventually

destroying the requisite resources, or

resulting in gross inequities amongpeople."

Nicholas, S., Department of

Planning, City of Seattle

Sustainability =

description ofactions, policies andprograms that do not

destroy resources orcreate humaninequity

"Actions are sustainable if: There isa balance between resources usedand resources regenerated;

Resources are as clean or cleaner atend use as at beginning; Theviability, integrity, and diversity of

natural systems are restored andmaintained; They lead to enhanced

local and regional self-reliance; Theyhelp create and maintain communityand a culture of place; Each

generation preserves the legacies offuture generations."

McCloskey, D., Professor ofSociology, Seattle University

Balance betweenresources used andenerated (objective),

resources notdiminished with use(objective), viability,

integrity, diversity ofnature preserved

(objective), local andregional self reliance(objective), future

enerations preserved(objective)


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"!!!!!Sustainability is a symmetrictreatment of the present and of the

long-term future, which places apositive value on the very long run,

together with explicit recognition ofthe intrinsic value of environmental

assets. !!!!!"

Chichilnisky, G., Heal, G. M., andVercelli, A. Sustainability:

Dynamics and Uncertainty, 8.

Symmetric treatmentof both the presentand future

(objective), positivevalue on long-term

future (factor),recognition ofenvironmental asset

value (factor)

"!!!!!(Sustainable development as)development which ensures that the

utilization of resources and theenvironment today does not damageprospects for their use by future

generations (CCREM, 1987). !!!!!"

Rees, W.E., UnderstandingSustainable Development, inSustainable Development and the

Future of Cities.

Ensures use ofresources andenvironment both

today and tomorrow(objective), future

generations (factor)

"!!!!!A definition most proponentsof an economic concept of

sustainable development would belikely to accept is the following:

development is defined here to besustainable if it does not decrease thecapacity to provide non-declining per

capita utility for infinity. !!!!!"

Neuvnayer, E. (1999). WeakVersus Strong Sustainability, 9.

Provides capacity fornon-declining

continual service toevery person forever(objective)

"No one element can by itself

indicate sustainability; it is the nexusof relations between elements

working in harmony that indicatessustainability -- like an equation for

which an answer cannot be derivedfrom one variable alone but requiresthe interaction of the variables for

solution." (15)

DuBose, J.R. (1994). Sustainabilityas an Inherently ContextualConcept: Some Lessons from

Agricultural Development.Unpublished M.S. Thesis, School of

Public Policy, Georgia Institute ofTechnology, Atlanta, GA.

Sustainability =nexus ofrelationships between

many elements,requires interaction

of all variables(factor)


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"!!!!Sustainable development is aprocess of change in which the

direction of investment, theorientation of technology, theallocation of resources, and the

development and aspirations withoutendangering the capacity of natural

systems to absorb the effects ofhuman activities, and withoutcompromising the ability of future

generations to meet their own needsand aspirations. (Roy F. Weston,

1994) !!!!"

McIsaac, G.F., and Morey, N.C.

(1998). Engineers Role inSustainable Development, in

Considering cultural Dynamics,No.4, 110.

Sustainabledevelopment =process of change,

does not diminishcapacity of natural

systems (objective),effects of humans(factor), future

generations (factor)

"!!!!!The concept of sustainabledevelopment has, over a rather short

period of time, becomecommonplace in environmentaleconomics, There is, however, some

confusion about the use of the termssustainability and sustainable

development (Goodland, 1995),distinguishes environmentalsustainability, economic

sustainability, social sustainabilityand sustainable development.

Environmental sustainability is

defined as maintenance of life-support systems, economics

sustainability is the economictantamount of environmental

sustainability, being defined asmaintenance of economic capital.This definition of economic

sustainability falls back on theHicksian definition of income

(Hicks, 1939): the maximum amountof income that can be spent without

reducing real consumption in thefuture. Social sustainability isdefined as maintenance of social

capital. Sustainable developmentshould integrate the three types ofsustainability and use them to start to

make development sustainable. !!!!"

Jeroen, C.J.M, Van Den Bergh, and

Hofkes, M.W. (1998). A survey ofeconomic modeling of sustainable

development, in Theory andImplementation of Economic

Models for SustainableDevelopment.

Integration of thethree types of

sustainability(objective), economicsustainability

(factor),environmentalsustainability

(factor), socialsustainability (factor)


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"The terms "sustainable" and "green"-- when applied to construction, thebuilt environment or building

materials -- are used interchangeablybut are not easily defined. . . Many

of these `green' design methods areust common sense," says Pfeiffer,

president of Barley + Pfeiffer

Architects in Austin, Texas. Forexample, he explains, "You don't put

on a dark-colored roof in the Southbecause it collects heat; you orientthe building to the prevailing breezes

and away from the sun so you cantake advantage of natural cooling.

You don't necessarily have to build

exotic wall systems or windows; ifyou use common sense, you'll have a

great start toward what people arecalling `green construction.'"

Klein, J. (May, 2000). "Greeningthe Home Office," in BuildingDesign and Construction.

Sustainable =common sense

"The process of managing socialdemands without eroding life

support properties or mechanisms ofsocial cohesion and resilience."

Choucri, N. (1997). "Global Systemfor Sustainable Development

Research TDP-MIT." Unpublishednotes. Cambridge, Ma. MIT.

Sustainability =management of

social demands, lifesupporting properties

(factor), society(factor)

"A sustainable society implicitlyconnotes one that is based on a long-term vision in that it must foresee the

consequences of its diverse activitiesto ensure that they do not break the

cycles of renewal; it has to be asociety of conservation andgenerational concern. It must avoid

the adoption of mutuallyirreconcilable objectives. Equally, it

must be a society of social justicebecause great disparities of wealth orprivilege will breed destructive

disharmony."

Hossain, K. (1995). "EvolvingPrinciples of SustainableDevelopment and Good

Governance. In Ginther, K,Denters, E., and de Waart, P., eds.

Sustainable Development and GoodGovernance, Kluwer Academic

Publishers Norwell, Ma.

Long-term vision(objective),consequences of

human activity(factor), conservation

(mechanism), socialustice (mechanism)


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"Sustainable development shouldbe a process which allows for thesatisfaction of human necessities

without compromising the basisof that development, which is to

say, the environment."

Winograd, M. (1995)."Environmental Indicators for LatinAmerica and the Caribbean." In

Trzyna, T., ed. A SustainableWorld: Defining and Measuring

Sustainable Development.Published for IUCN by CaliforniaInstitute for Public Affairs,

Sacramento, CA.

Sustainabledevelopment = aprocess, satisfies

human needs (factor),does not compromise

environment (factor)

"Sustainability is whether (notthe extent to which) theproductive potential of a certain

natural system will continue (fora long time, at least several

decades) under a particular

management practice (intensityand type of technical and social

activities, e.g. inputs of energy,nutrients, genetic variety,

harvesting procedures, and cyclicvariations over time)."

Carpenter, R. (1995). "Limitationsin Measuring EcosystemSustainability." In Trzyna, T., ed. A

Sustainable World: Defining and

Measuring SustainableDevelopment. Published for IUCNby California Institute for PublicAffairs, Sacramento, CA.

Sustainability =continued productivepotential, particular

management system(factor)

"Sustainable development is acomplex of activities that can beexpected to improve the human

condition in such a manner that

the improvement can bemaintained."

Munro, D. (1995). "Sustainability:Rhetoric or Reality." In Tryzna, T.,ed. A Sustainable World: Defining

and Measuring Sustainable

Development. Published for IUCNby California Institute for PublicAffairs, Sacramento, CA.

Sustainabledevelopment =activities that

improve human

condition, maintainedover time (factor)


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"Biogeophysical sustainability isthe maintenance and/orimprovement of the integrity of

the life-support system on Earth.Sustaining the biosphere with

adequate provisions formaximizing future optionsincludes providing for human

economic

definitions of sustainability from the literature - compiled by annie pearce & leslie walrath

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