What is sustainability? – Definitions and concepts

 

This space will be concerned with environmental protection and sustainability and the role of a cosmopolitan world state in this. But what does "sustainability" actually mean and how does it relate to environmental protection? Why is sustainability a significant moral value? This first article deals with a definition, some concepts and the ethical meaning of sustainability.

 

What is sustainability? – History and definition

The term "sustainability" originates from the field of forestry and fisheries and refers to the use of the ecosystem in which only as much is taken away from the natural ecosystem as can grow back and regenerate¹. Since 1972, the term is also used in economic and social contexts and in environmental policy². Today we often experience an almost inflationary or at least frequent use of the term, where it is not always clear what is actually meant by "sustainable". This may be related to the fact that there is no universal definition and that there is a fundamental double meaning, as there is an everyday and a political meaning³. In the literal sense of the word, "sustainable" can be translated as "maintainable" ("aufrechterhaltbar"⁴) or "viable" ("tragfähig“⁵) and thus describes the handling of, for example, a resource that allows it to be permanently intact and preserved.

One of the most common political definitions of the term "sustainability" or "sustainable development" comes from the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development, also known as the Brundtland Commission, which in its 1987 report "Our Common Future"⁶ described as a development as sustainable, "that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs"⁷. This definition is based on the fulfilment of human needs and thus puts the human being at the centre, who is seen as the reason why sustainable use of natural resources, for example, is necessary. This definition also serves as a basis for today’s integrated concepts of sustainability and justifies specific political programmes such as the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals project⁸.

 

Concepts and models of sustainability

There are various scientific concepts and guiding principles to illustrate more specifically, what sustainability or sustainable development means and how it can be implemented politically.

An integrated approach to sustainability is presented by Armin Grunwald and Jürgen Kopfmüller, among others, in the book "Sustainability " ("Nachhaltigkeit“⁹). According to this guiding principle, sustainable development is about global justice, more specifically formulated as "distributive justice"¹⁰ within the world population currently living, which is to be pursued out of moral obligation. Additionally, the principle of "responsibility for the future"¹¹ is important, which implies the obligation of the human community to maintain a habitable living space and sufficient resources to meet the needs of future generations. This is to be achieved by using natural resources only to the extent that they can regenerate and compensate the use. In relation to the natural environment, this demand means that ecosystems have to be protected from overexploitation, global warming has to be limited and the destruction and pollution of nature needs to be contained.¹²

 

This understanding of sustainability represents an integrated approach with a focus on questions of justice (within and between generations). According to Grunwald and Kopfmüller, a development towards global and distributive justice should be made possible by taking into account ecological, economic and social aspects¹³, which means that the concept needs to be used for concrete instructions for policy, science and society¹⁴. The authors consider a "societal transformation process "¹⁵ as necessary to enable a sustainable way of life in accordance with this model. More specifically, the pursuit of sustainable development means that in various areas such as energy supply, agriculture, food, mobility, etc., the concept of sustainable development has to be applied to the entire society by taking measures to, for example, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce exploitation and negative impacts on natural ecosystems and contribute to (global) social justice¹⁶. This approach is one of many different guiding principles and is intended to provide an example of the principles underlying sustainable development.

Today there are various scientific concepts of sustainability and in many of them, sustainability is divided into an environmental, a social and an economic dimension. A distinction is made between "onedimensional models", which ascribe priority to the ecological dimension as the basis and prerequisite for the others, and "multidimensional models", which assume that all dimensions are equivalent¹⁷. However, subdivisions into more than these three areas are also possible, so that, for example, a cultural dimension can be taken into account¹⁸. The three dimensions ecology, economy and social aspects are often depicted as three pillars, which are of equal value and standing next to each other, or as overlapping circles to show the connection and their interaction (see e.g. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/94/Nachhaltigkeit_-_Drei-S%C3%A4ulen-Modell_und_Vorrangmodell.svg/1280px-Nachhaltigkeit_-_Drei-S%C3%A4ulen-Modell_und_Vorrangmodell.svg.png). These are the models that assume that all areas are of equal significance. If the dimensions are seen as interdependent and the ecological dimension provides a framework within which the other areas can be developed, these concepts are often depicted as three circles embedded in each other. In addition to these ideas, the model of the "planetary boundaries", which deals with the ecological limits of the earth’s ecosystems, is also one of the concepts through which the requirements of a sustainable lifestyle and policies based on that can be identified more specifically (cf. e.g. https://www.stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries/planetary-boundaries/about-the-research/the-nine-planetary-boundaries.html).

But what do the three dimensions of sustainability contain and how can they be implemented in practice? As is the case with the definition of the term and the various models, there is no clear and "correct" explanation of what a sustainable design of the dimensions looks like. As an example for orientation, the definition of the committee of enquiry of the German parliament "Protection of Humanity and the Environment"¹⁹ can be used, which in 1998 established the subdivision of the term into the three equally important dimensions in the sustainability debate in Germany²⁰. This explanation is only one of many possible interpretations, but it can be relevant as a basis for formulating political demands for the implementation of sustainable development.

According to the report of the committee of enquiry, sustainable development in the ecological sense means that renewable resources must not be used to a greater extent than they can regenerate, so that the ecological functions are permanently and completely preserved. Furthermore, the use of non-renewable resources should only occur to the extent that renewable alternatives are developed. Inputs of substances into the ecosystems should be kept to a minimum so that the natural environment is not endangered and risks to human health arising from interventions in ecosystems should be avoided. Finally, it is stated that human interventions in the natural environment must always be balanced against the regenerative capacity of ecosystems.²¹

As goals in terms of social sustainability, the committee defines social stability, which also includes individual freedom for the citizens. Solidarity and social justice as fundamental social values are considered especially important. Specifically, this means that socially sustainable development involves compensating for strong social inequalities and securing the basic needs of all citizens, which is also seen as a task of the state. In addition, health care and a distribution of income and wealth that is as "just" as possible are also addressed as state tasks in the sense of social sustainability.²²

The idea of economic sustainability is also transferred into concrete goals by the committee of enquiry, which include, for example, the maintenance of price stability and a high level of employment. In addition, the government ratio, i.e. the share of government spending in the national product, should be reduced, while a foreign trade balance should be achieved. Finally, "steady and appropriate economic growth"²³ is formulated as a macroeconomic objective and targets for turnover, market share and profits for individual companies are also possible.²⁴

 

Sustainability and Ethics

With the various guiding principles of sustainability and proposals for implementation, the question arises: Why should we act "sustainably" at all and where does the moral imperative for this come from? Indeed, "sustainability" is in itself a normative concept whose necessity can only be justified philosophically and not scientifically. It is based on the assumption that humankind bears responsibility for the natural environment, for itself and for its fellow human beings. This responsibility is usually also connected with the demand for (intragenerational and intergenerational) justice.²⁵ Therefore, the concept of sustainability is also a principle of ’ethics of responsibility’ introduced by Max Weber, according to which a person should take responsibility for the consequences of his or her actions and measure their moral value by the consequences²⁶.

When considering the reasons for which sustainability is morally necessary, it is also necessary to consider whose well-being is ultimately at stake and what intrinsic value the life of humans and other living beings has. Many concepts and definitions of sustainability – such as the definition by the Brundtland Commission – are anthropocentric, i.e. people and their well-being are central and the goal of sustainable development and compliance with ecological limits is to ensure that people living today and in the future are adequately supplied with natural resources and can live in safety. However, a concept of sustainability can also focus on other living beings and attribute to them an intrinsic value from which they are worthy of protection and preservation. This approach is known as pathocentric. Finally, an understanding of sustainability can also be biocentric, meaning that all living creatures and also non-living natural objects such as stones are considered valuable and noteworthy in themselves and have ethical claims.²⁷

In his work "The Principle of Responsibility " ("Das Prinzip Verantwortung", 1979²⁸), the philosopher Hans Jonas developed a theory of ’ethics for the future’ and justified the necessity of such an "ethics for the technological civilisation"²⁹ by stating that previous principles of ethics are no longer sufficient to assess the moral quality of actions³⁰. This is because the relationship between humans and nature has changed in such a way that, as a result of technological developments, humans are now able to cause such strong and far-reaching changes in the natural environment through their actions that they can endanger themselves and their environment. Based on this, Jonas extends the categorical imperative of Immanuel Kant to an "ecological imperative", which reads: "Act in such a way that the effects of your actions are compatible with the permanence of real human life on earth" („Handle so, daß die Wirkungen deiner Handlung verträglich sind mit der Permanenz echten menschlichen Lebens auf Erden“³¹). This expresses the responsibility of human beings for their actions and especially the demand for justice between generations.

This article is intended to provide an introduction to the subject of sustainability and also to clarify that sustainability does not only mean environmental protection. Action that preserves and respects natural ecosystems is indispensable, but social justice, the stability of societies and the individual freedom of all people must not be neglected either. What form of economy is useful to these two dimensions needs to be discussed and it is important not to play off social and ecological issues against each other, as is often the case in political discourse, but to understand them together and also to tackle them together.

This information on concepts on sustainability can be used as a first basis for discussions on the topic. The approaches, concepts and ethical justifications mentioned here are by no means complete and do not claim to be, yet they can be a first stimulus for further thinking. The explanations presented here express how sustainability is related to the idea of a world state - the idea of global justice and justice towards future generations is also a central concern of a philosophical world state. Furthermore, problems such as the destruction of natural ecosystems and global conditions of exploitation have to be tackled above all on a global scale and not just by individual national states. Against this background, we can enter the discussion on this platform and together develop ideas and discuss how a cosmopolitan world state could implement the principles of sustainability. It is also important to talk about additions and question existing positions and definitions. For example, the definition of the three dimensions of sustainability that has been quoted here has been drafted on behalf of the parliament of a national state, and the question arises to what extent the principles of a world state should be defined in this way or differently. For example, it is necessary to discuss to what extent continuous economic growth and a high "employment rate", i.e. also a traditional idea of work, should be part of a world state’s understanding of sustainability and what order and priority the dimensions of sustainability should have.