SFM 101

Sustainability

Ability to be maintained over time without depleting natural resources

Sustainable Development

Meeting present needs without compromising future generations

Anthropocene

Geological epoch defined by large-scale human impact on Earth

Sustainability Science

Field studying interactions between human and environmental systems

Three Pillars of Sustainability

Environmental protection, social well-being, economic stability

False Dichotomy

Mistaken belief that profit and social good cannot coexist

Shared Value

Creating economic value while addressing social or environmental problems

Tragedy of the Commons

Shared resources depleted when individuals act in self-interest

Intertemporal Trade-off

Short-term sacrifice for long-term benefit

Interspatial Trade-off

Shifting environmental or social burdens to another location

Intersocial Trade-off

Benefits one social group while disadvantaging another

Interscale Trade-off

Local actions affecting regional or global systems

Brundtland Report

1987 report defining sustainable development

Environmental Movement

Social movement advocating environmental protection

Montreal Protocol

Global agreement to phase out ozone-depleting substances

Paris Agreement

International treaty to limit climate change

Sustainable Development Goals

17 UN goals to achieve global sustainability by 2030

UNEP

United Nations body focused on environmental issues

System

Interconnected parts that function together

Systems Thinking

Understanding problems through relationships and interactions

Complex Systems

Systems with unpredictable outcomes due to interconnections

Emergent Properties

Unexpected outcomes from system interactions

Resilience

Ability of a system to absorb disturbance and still function

Bathtub Theorem

System stability requires inputs equal outputs

Ball-in-a-Basin Model

Model illustrating system stability and tipping points

Environmental Economics

Pricing environmental costs and benefits

Ecological Economics

Economy viewed as a subsystem of the ecosystem

Natural Capital

Stock of natural resources providing ecosystem services

Ecosystem Services

Benefits humans receive from ecosystems

Externality

Unintended cost or benefit affecting a third party

Negative Externality

Uncompensated harm such as pollution

Positive Externality

Uncompensated benefit such as pollination

Market Failure

When markets fail to allocate resources efficiently

Weak Sustainability

Assumes natural capital can be replaced by technology

Strong Sustainability

Argues natural capital is irreplaceable

Critical Natural Capital

Ecosystems essential for human survival

Decoupling

Separating economic growth from environmental impact

Precautionary Principle

Avoid actions with uncertain but severe environmental harm

Ecological Footprint

Measure of human demand on natural resources

Carbon Footprint

Greenhouse gas emissions from human activity

Biocapacity

Earth’s ability to regenerate resources and absorb waste

Overshoot

Human demand exceeds Earth’s biocapacity

World Overshoot Day

Date humanity exceeds annual biocapacity

Carrying Capacity

Maximum population an ecosystem can sustain

Planetary Boundaries

Limits within which Earth systems remain stable

Corporate Social Responsibility

Voluntary business actions for social good

Philanthropy

Corporate donations or volunteering for societal benefit

Eco-efficiency

Creating more value with fewer resources

Triple Bottom Line

People, planet, profit

B-Corps

Companies certified for high social and environmental standards

Beyond Compliance

Exceeding minimum legal sustainability requirements

ESG

Environmental, social, and governance factors

Sustainable Finance

Investing with environmental and social considerations

Climate Transition Fund

Supports transition to a low-carbon economy

Financed Emissions

Emissions linked to financial investments

ISSB

Global sustainability reporting standard-setter

IFRS S1

General sustainability disclosure standard

IFRS S2

Climate-related disclosure standard

ISO 14001

Environmental management system standard

Environmental Management System

Framework for managing environmental impacts

Command-and-Control Regulation

Mandatory government environmental rules

Cap-and-Trade

Emissions cap with tradable permits

Voluntary Initiatives

Self-regulation without legal enforcement

Greenwashing

Misleading sustainability claims

Rachel Carson

Author of Silent Spring who sparked environmental movement

Herman Daly

Founder of ecological economics

John Muir

Conservationist and national park advocate

Wangari Maathai

Founder of the Green Belt Movement

Greta Thunberg

Youth climate activist

David Attenborough

Environmental educator and broadcaster