ESS IB sustainability 1.3

Sustainability

measures the extent to which practices allow for the long-term viability of a system, maintaining conditions for future generations

natural income

the value of the natural capital that humans consume

natural capital

the world's stock of natural resources

What increases sustainability

enhancing the resilience of a system

earth’s overshoot day

marks the date when humanity has exhausted nature’s budget for the year

Environmental sustainability

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

environmental sustainability focuses on:

• resource deplation

• pollution

• conserving biodiversity

• active regeneration of ecosystems

Nature unifying patterns

• Nature is resilient to disturbances.

• Nature tends to optimise rather than maximise,

• Nature uses only the energy it needs and relies on freely available energy.

• Nature recycles all materials.

• Nature provides mutual benefits.

• Nature runs on information.

• Nature uses chemistry and materials that are safe for living beings.

• Nature builds using abundant resources, incorporating rare resources only sparingly.

• Nature is locally attuned and responsive.

• Nature uses shape to determine functionality.

Human provisioning

The process where humans use energy and materials from their surroundings to survive and thrive.

Social sustainability

involves creating the structures and systems that support human well-being, including health, education, equity, community, and other social factors. It focuses on the survival of societies and their culture, including the continued use of language, belief, or spiritual practices in a society.

economic sustainability

involves 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

the way human beings turn raw materials and energy into essential goods and services

strong sustainability models

illustrate that the economy operates within society, and both society and the economy are embedded in the natural environment.

sustainable population

unsustainable population

social capital

A community’s network of relationships which support individuals and enable the society to function effectively.

economical inequality

refers to the unequal distribution of income, wealth, consumption, and opportunity in a society

regulatory capture, or state/political capture

environmental justice

the right of all people to live in a pollution-free environment and to have equitable access to natural resources, regardless of issues such as race, gender, socioeconomic status, or nationality.

To achieve environmental justice, we need to:

• ensure equitable access to resources.

• reduce disparities in environmental impact from unsustainable economic activities.

• pursue fair environmental policies.

GPD

measures the total value of all goods and services produced within the borders of an economy in a time period, usually one year

Per capita GDP

divides GDP by the population to get a per person figure, thereby taking inequalities of income distribution into account.

intergenerational equity

Fairness or justice between generations of human beings, young and old, particularly with regard to resource use.

indicator

measures specific characteristics of a people or an ecosystem

indicator examples

• GDP per capita

• gini coefficient

• Extinctions per million species years

• PM2.5

• Natural increase rate (NIR) of population

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

composite indicators

measure several aspects and are often shown as an index number

The Human Development Index (HDI) reflects human development across three areas:

• health (life expectancy)

• education (mean years of schooling and expected years for students at school-entering age)

• standard of living (gross national income per capita).

Planetary pressures-adjusted Human Development Index (PHDI)

onsiders carbon dioxide emissions and material footprint per person along with human development data

material footprint

an indicator for resource use, and refers to the total amount of raw materials extracted for human consumption.

ecological footprint

measures a population's use of natural resources and waste production.

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

the footprint is below its biocapacity

carbon footprint

measures the greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide emitted from our economic activities and is measured in tonnes

water footprint

measures the total water used (in cubic metres per year) for the goods and services we consume

sustainable development

meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

a set of objectives created by the United Nations in 2015. They address the global challenges faced by humanity, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice

planetary boundaries model

The model attempts to quantify the limits of Earth's nine major regulating systems, to determine the 'safe operating space' of human economic activity. The goal is to avoid tipping points in Earth's systems that may cause Earth's systems to change so much that human life is no longer possible.

nine major regulating systems:

Climate change Global temperature has risen by nearly 0.7°C since 19502, mostly due to CO2 emissions from fossil fuel use.	CO2 emissions must decrease, soon and sharply. Climate change, energy security and economic stability are tightly linked. Assets and business activity will be affected by rising temperatures, more frequent weather extremes, and sea-level rise.
Loss of biosphere integrity Wild animal populations have roughly halved since 1970, and ecosystems worldwide have been impacted by human activities.3	Business cannot function if ecosystems are degraded or out of balance. Nature provides directly beneficial services – food, fibre, fuel. It also provides many invisible but essential services, such as regulation of climate and the water cycle, air quality improvements, flood protection. It also contributes to cultural and individual wellbeing.
Changes to biogeochemical flows – nitrogen and phosphorus N and P are essential nutrients for all life. Exponential rises in N and P emissions from industry and intensive agriculture kill lake and marine life, cause severe air pollution and affect climate patterns.4	Humanity faces a global challenge to produce more food and energy without eroding its ecological life-support systems. Global disparities in food and energy security are severe. The environmental release of N and P is becoming an unaffordable waste of natural resources.
Land use change (forest conversion to croplands, roads and cities) As well as killing wildlife, deforestation and urbanization affect climate by changing CO2 flows.1, 2.	Business has caused a significant part of the world’s large-scale land degradation and deforestation. It can make a major difference by adopting and promoting sustainable land management practices and policies.
Release of novel entities Synthetic substances – and even novel life-forms – can radically alter Earth’s biological and physical dynamics, bringing entirely new systemic risks to human societies.	Business plays a unique role as the producer of novel entities, many of which are essential in modern society (medicine, agriculture, consumer goods, new technologies). Urgent reduction in releases of harmful substances means a renewed focus on sound chemicals management by business.
Atmospheric aerosol loading Microparticles emitted into the air cause severe local pollution problems that can cascade up to global impacts on nature and climate.	Atmospheric aerosols have complex impacts, but all business action to address air pollution at the local level to is likely to help tackle the systemic global problem too. Avoid “exporting pollution” by shifting manufacturing to places with lax regulatory controls.
Freshwater abstraction Water use impairs or even dries up rivers and aquifers, harming the environment and altering the hydrological cycle and climate.	All business action at the local level to minimise water waste and reduce the release of pollutants into the environment will help to reduce pressure on the planetary boundary.
Ocean acidification due to fossil fuel CO2 Tightly coupled to climate change, today’s rate of ocean acidification is unprecedented in over 65 million years. Effects on marine life are already evident.5	The rise in carbon dioxide emissions must halt – and the sooner, the better. Delaying the CO2 emissions peak will require higher mitigation rates, with higher costs and higher climate risks.
Loss of stratospheric ozone due to CFCs The ‘ozone hole’ allows more harmful UV light to reach Earth’s surface. The minimum ozone concentration has now been steady for ~15 years after the phasing out of ozone depleting substances.6	This is often seen as a success story, but the good work to reduce environmental release of ozone depleters must continue7. Avoid “exporting pollution” by continuing use of these substances in places not yet subject to international regulatory controls.

The Doughnut Economics model

integrates the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with planetary boundaries, resembling a doughnut

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.

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.

regenerative economy

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

degenerative economy

where humans take more from nature and each other than they give back, eroding life-supporting social and ecological connections.

linear economy

take-make-waste pattern

Governments can impact entire economic systems by:

• passing laws requiring regenerative practices, like France's Anti-waste Law (see the case study in section 1.3.7) and South Korea's food waste regulations (section 1.1.2).

• providing financial incentives (subsidies, tax reductions, or long-term inexpensive loans) for regenerative transitions, such as those provided by post-Covid 'Green Deal' initiatives or programmes like Frankfurt's funding for individuals and local groups to dig up paving to improve absorption of rainwater in soils.

distributive economy

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

circular economy model

a model that promotes decoupling economic activity from the consumption of finite resources. A circular economy is regenerative

The circular economy has three related principles:

• eliminate waste and pollution

• circulate products and materials, and

• regenerate nature.

In the technical cycle materials and products are:

• produced high quality to last longer

• shared among people

• reused by multiple consumers

• repaired when damaged

• refurbished and remanufactured as needed, and

• only as a last option, recycled

natural capital

The supply of resources and services in nature.

biocapacity

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