ESS Unit 1.3 - Sustainability

Carrying capacity

the maximum population size of a species that can be sustainably supported

Sustainability

Measure of the extent to which practices allow for the long-term viability of a system so that there is no diminishment of conditions for future generations.

Weak sustainability models

Models that put the economy at the centre of our attention and treat both the natural environment and society as disconnected or weakly connected externalities to the economy.

Strong sustainability models

Models that recognise that the economy is embedded in our social systems, not separate from them; both society and the economy are embedded within the natural environment.

Environmental sustainability

The use and management of natural resources that allows for replacement of the resources, and recovery and regeneration of ecosystems.

Social sustainability

Creating the structures and systems that support human well-being, including health, education, equity, community, and other social factors.

Economic sustainability

Creating the economic structures and systems to support production and consumption of goods and services that will support human needs into the future.

Provisioning systems

A system that humans use to turn raw materials and energy into the goods and services that we need to survive.

Economic inequality

The unequal distribution of income, wealth, consumption, and opportunity in a society

Regulatory capture

When the government prioritises the interests of one (often economically powerful) small group over the general interests of the public

Environmental justice

The right of all people to live in a pollution-free environment and to have equitable access to natural resources.

Sustainable development

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Intergenerational equity

Sustainable development indicators

evaluating:

• health

• education

• security

• ecological factors (climate change, biodiversity, and pollution)

• GDP per capita

• Gini coefficient (inequalitym 1- perfect inequality, 0 - perfect equality)

• extinctions per million species years

• PM2.5 (pollution)

• Natural increase rate (NIR) of population

• average surface temperature of the planet compared to pre-industrial period

composite indicators

A measure of multiple characteristics of a people or ecosystem; often, though not always, presented as an index number.

PHDI - PLanetary pressures-adjusted Human Development Index

A sustainability indicator that adjusts a country’s Human Development Index (HDI) for planetary pressures such as material footprint and CO₂ emissions.

Ecological footprint

The area of land and water required to support a defined human population at a given standard of living, and absorb all the waste from that population.

measured in global hectares

Biocapacity

The capacity of a given biologically productive area to generate an ongoing supply of renewable resources and to absorb its resulting wastes.

measured in global hectares

Global hectares

A unit of measurement for ecological footprint biocapacity; one global hectare is a biologically productive hectare with world average biological productivity for a given year.

Biocapacity deficit

Where a population’s ecological footprint is greater than the resources that nature can provide and regenerate; an indication of unsustainability.

Biocapacity reserve

Where a population’s ecological footprint is below its biocapacity.

Citizen science

A situation in which non-scientists collaborate with professional researchers to collect data on the environment.

Planetary boundaries model

A model that attempts to quantify the limits of nine Earth systems, to determine the ‘safe operating space’ of human economic activity

coxcomb chart

A graphic representation of data where sections of a disc represent categories; each section has the same angle and the area of a section represents the value of the category

The nine earth systems

1. freshwater change

2. stratospheric ozone depletion

3. atmospheric aerosol loaning

4. ocean acidification

5. biochemical flows of phosphorus and nitrogen

6. novel entities

7. land system change

8. biospere integrity

9. climate change

Freshwater change

This boundary measures freshwater withdrawals from above ground (blue water) and in storages below ground (green water). Humans need water to survive. But excessive use of water for agriculture, industry, and households can deplete water sources.

Stratospheric ozone depletion

This boundary measures the stratospheric ozone layer, which is damaged by human-made chemicals. Stratospheric ozone filters out ultraviolet radiation from the sun, which harms human skin and ecosystems.

Atmospheric aerosol loading

This boundary measures microparticles, or aerosols, that humans emit into the atmosphere. When we release too many of these particles, it can affect cloud formation and rainfall patterns, disrupting ecosystems and poisoning organisms.

Ocean acidification

A reduction of the ocean’s pH over time (becoming more acidic), caused mainly by dissolution of CO₂ from the atmosphere.

This boundary measures ocean acidity from carbon dioxide dissolving in the water and some of it reacting with water to form carbonic acid. Ocean acidification prevents some sea animals from forming protective exoskeletons. It also threatens corals and the habitats they provide for fish and other organisms

Biogeochemical flows of phosphorus and nitrogen

This boundary measures chemical fertiliser use in agriculture. These fertilisers run off into rivers, lakes, and oceans and cause toxic algae blooms that deplete the water of oxygen needed by other organisms.

Novel entities

This boundary measures the impact of new chemicals entering ecosystems. Toxic chemicals can permanently damage the function of ecosystems and human health.

Land system change

This boundary measures the conversion of land, such as forest and wetlands, for human use. Land conversion depletes Earth's carbon storages, destroys ecosystem habitats, and hinders the ability of land to cycle water, nitrogen, and phosphorus.

Climate change

This boundary measures the changes to average global temperatures from greenhouse gas emissions. Current global warming is +1.2 degrees Celsius from the pre-industrial period. There is a high chance of it increasing to +1.5 degrees Celsius before 2030, which is likely to cause irreversible tipping points in Earth's climate system.

Biosphere integrity

This boundary measures human impact on species and genetic diversity, which exceeds planetary boundaries, and ecosystem function which has not yet been quantified.

Advantages and disadvantages of planetary boundaries model

Advantages:

1. important data: the model identifies science-based limits to human disturbance of Earth systems

2. focus on complex systems: the model helps us focus on more Earth systems than just climate, seeing the interconnections

3. guides action

Disadvantages:

1. Data incomplete: the model is a work in progress, research is still being done

2. Ignores social foundation: doesnt consider human needs, only environmental impacts

3. Local usefulness: the global oriented data may be less useful to guide local actions, given very different local contexts

Doughnut Economics model

A model for sustainable development that combines the UN SDGs with the planetary boundaries model to convey the idea that we need to meet the needs of all within the means of the planet.

Ecological ceiling

The outer boundary of the Doughnut Economics model, representing the planetary boundaries that we must not cross if we want to maintain habitable conditions on Earth.

Social foundation

The inner boundary of the Doughnut Economics model, representing basic human needs that need to be met to achieve social sustainability; based on the UN social SDGs.

Regenerative economy

An economy that works with, and within, the cycles and limits of the living world to strengthen natural systems

Linear economy

Our current economic system where we take materials from our surroundings, make products with them, and when we are done, we discard products as waste.

Degenerative economy

An economy that takes resources from the environment, makes products with those resources, and then discards those products as waste. This linear economy is over-extracting resources and contributing so much waste to natural systems that we risk ecological collapse.

Distributive economy

An economy that shares value and opportunity more equitably among all stakeholders.

Advantages and disadvantages of Doughnut economies model

Advantages:

1. environmental justice: the model includes both social and environmental domains, so considers socially just outcomes

2. popularity: the model has mass awareness and has a wide following globally

3. developing: the model is being applied to cities, businesses, and governments with clear frameworks to guide transition to regenerative and distributive organisations

Disadvantages:

1. Broad

2. Developing

3. Difficult paradigm shift

3 related principles of circular economy

1. eliminate waste and pollution

2. circulate products and materials

3. regenerate nature

Advantages and Disadvantages of circular economy

Advantages:

1. Nature’s principles

2. Natural resources

3. CO2 emissions

4. pollution

Disadvantages:

1. Business awareness

2. Business costs

3. Lack of governmental laws

4. Pollution