What is sustainability?

Sustainability can be a property of living systems, a manufacturing method, or a consideration as to a way of interpreting life. Although one definition of sustainable development given by the Brundtland Commission, is frequently quoted, it is not universally accepted and has undergone various interpretations. Difficulty in defining sustainability stems in part, that it may be seen to encompass all human activity.Although science forms the basis of sustainability concepts, it can be perceived also as a general concept like "liberty" or "justice", which is accepted as important, and can also be viewed as a "dialogue of values"that defies consensual definition. It is also open to political interpretation.
Sustainability, in a general sense, is the capacity to maintain a certain process or state indefinitely.[citation needed] The concept of sustainability applies to all aspects of life on Earth and is commonly defined within ecological, social and economic contexts. Due to factors such as overpopulation, lack of education, inadequate financial circumstances and the actions of past generations, sustainability can be difficult to achieve.
In an ecological context, sustainability is defined as the ability of an ecosystem to maintain ecological processes, functions, biodiversity and productivity into the future. In a social context, sustainability is expressed as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.When applied in an economic context, a business is sustainable if it has adapted its practices for the use of renewable resources and is accountable for the environmental impacts of its activities.
To be sustainable, regardless of context, the Earth's resources must be used at a rate at which they can be replenished. There is now clear scientific evidence that humanity is living unsustainably, and that an effort is needed to keep human use of natural resources within sustainable limits. This has brought sustainability to the forefront of public consciousness and is seen by many as being a natural progression in human evolution as we develop the thought and means to sustain our own existence on Earth.Sustainability has become a complex term that can be applied to almost every facet of life on Earth, particularly the many different levels of biological organization, such as; wetlands, prairies and forests and is expressed in human organization concepts, such as; ecovillages, eco-municipalities, sustainable cities, and human activities and disciplines, such as; sustainable agriculture, sustainable architecture and renewable energy.
Nevertheless, from the developmental perspective of the UN Bruttland Commission’s report (1983), "Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Intergenerational solidarity is the important point within this definition.


photo:taken @ Middle East Technical University

Nuran Torun