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Sustainability stands on three pillars - profit, people and planet.
Behaving sustainably means meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Today, sustainability is talked about in almost all areas. This is because we are more aware that our planet’s resources are not infinite and that not only natural but also human resources will be needed for further development. Sustainable development is a way of developing human society, where economic and social progress is in line with the full preservation of the environment.
Three pillars are essential for sustainable development:
- environmental (compares the ecological stability of human settlements and is part of the relationship between people and Nature)
- economic (consists of all economic activities in the respective company)
- social (consists of balancing inequalities between individual social groups and individuals)
Sustainability is pivotal. Source: Unsplash
History The first formation of sustainability as such can be seen in 17th- and 18th-century Europe. At that time, it was the idea of sustainable forest management. John Evelyn in 1662 claimed “sowing and planting of trees had to be regarded as a national duty of every landowner, in order to stop the destructive over-exploitation of natural resources.” Based on these ideas, the concept of forest management for sustainable yield was later developed.
The current understanding of sustainable development is due to the Club of Rome (Club di Roma), which since 1968 has brought together renowned people from many countries around the world and conducts research that addresses the issues of the world as a whole. In 1972, they published a report by scientists, led by the Meadows (from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Limits to Growth.
In 1972, the United Nations Conference on Human Environment (also known as the Stockholm Conference) was held. It was the first major UN conference on international environmental issues and at the same time a turning point in the development of international environmental policy.
In 1980, the International Union for Conservation of Nature published a global conservation strategy that included one of the first references to sustainable development as a global priority and introduced the term “sustainable development”.
On October 28, 1982, members of the United Nations adopted the World Charter for Nature, which proclaims five “principles of conservation by which all human conduct affecting Nature is to be guided and judged.”
In 1987, the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development (also known as Brundtland Report) was published, which contains one of the most recognized definitions of sustainable development.
Agenda 21. Source: United Nations
In 1992, the UN Conference on Environment and Development in the Brazilian capital of Rio de Janeiro issued the Earth Charter - a declaration of fundamental ethical principles for creating a sustainable and peaceful global society in the 21st century. The Agenda 21 programming document, which is one of the basic texts of sustainable development, was also created here. It emphasizes that broad public participation in decision-making is a prerequisite for achieving sustainable development.
The 2013 study concluded that sustainability reporting should be redesigned from the perspective of four interlinked areas:
- ecology,
- economy,
- politics,
- culture.
Logo of Sustainable Development Goals. Source: United Nations
17 Sustainable Development Goals (17 SDGs) Agenda 2030 was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly (UN-GA) in 2015. It is currently the most important document and sets out 17 goals that the countries of the world should meet by 2030. These goals include:
No Poverty* SDG 1 is to: "End poverty in all its forms everywhere". Extreme poverty should end worldwide by 2030. Extreme poverty is currently defined as living on less than $1.25 a day.
Zero Hunger* SDG 2 is to: "End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture". By 2030, it aims to eradicate hunger and ensure access for all people, especially the poor and vulnerable, including young children, to a safe, nutritious and adequate diet throughout the year.
Good Health and Well-being* SDG 3 is to: "Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages". It aims to reduce maternal mortality, prevent deaths in newborns and children under the age of five, end the epidemic of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases, and more.
Quality Education* SDG 4 is to: "Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all". It aims to ensure that all girls and boys can complete free, equal and high-quality primary and secondary primary education.
Gender Equality* SDG 5 is to: "Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls". The aim is to put an end to all forms of discrimination against women and girls worldwide and to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking in human beings and sexual or other exploitation.
Clean Water and Sanitation* SDG 6 is to: "Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all". Its aim is to ensure universal and equal access to safe and affordable drinking water for all, including sanitation and hygienic facilities.
Affordable and Clean Energy* SDG 7 is to: "Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all". It aims to ensure that all people have access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services.
Decent Work and Economic Growth* SDG 8 is to: "Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all". The aim is to maintain economic growth depending on the conditions of individual countries and to achieve higher levels of economic productivity.
Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure* SDG 9 is to: "Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation". It aims to set higher standards and enforce regulations by 2030 to ensure the sustainable management of corporate projects and initiatives.
Reducing Inequality* SDG 10 is to: "Reduce income inequality within and among countries". By 2030, the bottom 40 % of the population must gradually achieve and maintain income growth above the national average. More investment is needed in health, education, social protection and creation of decent jobs, and more needs to be done to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger.
Sustainable Cities and Communities* SDG 11 is to: "Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable". By 2030, it is needed to ensure access to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services for all, and to improve living conditions in slums.
Responsible Consumption and Production* SDG 12 is to: "Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns". The aim is to achieve sustainable management of natural resources and their efficient use by 2030 and to halve global food waste per capita.
Climate Action* SDG 13 is to: "Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts by regulating emissions and promoting developments in renewable energy". The aim is to integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning by 2030 and to improve climate change education and awareness.
Life Below Water* SDG 14 is to: "Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development". By 2025, the aim is to prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution, in particular pollution caused by land-based activities, including waste and nutrient pollution. By 2030, to increase the economic benefits of the sustainable use of marine resources, including through managed fishing, aquaculture and tourism.
Life On Land* SDG 15 is to: "Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss". Its goal is to ensure the conservation of mountain ecosystems, including their biodiversity, by 2030. To fight desertification and to restore degraded land. To take urgent measures to end the poaching and smuggling of protected plant and animal species.
Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions* SDG 16 is to: "Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels". The aim is to significantly reduce all forms of violence and related mortality rates worldwide and to end human abuse, exploitation and trafficking, and all forms of violence against children and the torture of children.
Partnerships for the Goals* SDG 17 is to: "Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development". The aim is to strengthen the mobilization of domestic resources and to help developing countries achieve long-term debt sustainability.
*The 17 main Goals have their 169 Targets, which are crucial for change and are to be met by 2030. If you are interested in more information, including statistics, check out the official website of The 17 Goals.
We will need three planet Earths to cover current consumption by 2050.
People and nature around the world face threats of varying extent. However, these challenges have common denominators.
Poverty Despite progress, 10 % of the world’s population lives in poverty. Extreme poverty is prevalent in low-income countries, especially where conflicts persist. In 2015, more than half of the 736 million people living in extreme poverty were in sub-Saharan Africa.
Hunger Globally, 1 in 9 people are malnourished, a vast majority of them in developing countries. Hunger contributes to 45 % of deaths of children under the age of five (about 3.1 million children per year).
Lack of education The total number of illiterate adults is 876 million. Some 114 million young people still lack basic reading and writing skills. 2/3 (about 75 %) are women.
Gender inequality Of the 1.3 billion people living in extreme poverty worldwide, more than 2/3 are women and girls. 2/3 of all children who are denied schooling are girls. About 60 % of the world’s people who suffer from chronic hunger are women and girls.
Water shortages and lack of sanitation 650 million people worldwide do not have access to safe water (about 1 in 10 people on the planet). 2.4 billion people have no safe sanitation facilities (about 1 in 3 people worldwide). By 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population may face water shortages.
Lack of clean energy One in five people does not have access to a modern form of electricity. Three billion people rely on wood, coal, charcoal or animal waste for cooking and heating. Energy is a major contributor to climate change, accounting for around 60 % of total global greenhouse gas emissions.
Insufficient remuneration for work About one-half of the world’s population still lives on the equivalent of approx. $2 a day. In many parts of our planet, this means that, even if you work, it does not guarantee you an escape from poverty.
Missing infrastructure Industrialization in low and lower-middle income countries lags behind developed nations. Due to this, critical infrastructure and access to mobile, internet, electricity and sanitation remain limited.
Inequality within and between countries In the period 1990-2010, income inequality increased by an average of 11 % in developing countries. Today, more than 75 % of households in developing countries live in a society where incomes are distributed even more unequally than in the 1990s.
Corruption in developing countries Corruption, bribery, theft and tax evasion cost developing countries about $1.26 trillion per year.
Large cities are not safe and sustainable Cities cover only 2 % of the Earth’s surface, but consume 60-80 % of energy and generate 75 % of greenhouse gas emissions. Rapid urbanization is putting pressure on the volume of drinking water, sewage and the environment, as well as on the healthcare system in general. By 2030, 60 % of the global population is expected to be living in cities.
Unsustainable consumption of resources Every year, humanity wastes or otherwise devalues 1.3 billion tons of food. If the global population reaches 9.6 billion by 2050, about three planets the size of Earth will be required to have the natural resources needed to maintain our current lifestyle.
Climate Change Greenhouse gas emissions have increased by almost 50 % since 1990 and are now the highest in history. The last three decades have been warmer, one after the other, than all the previous decades since 1850.
Damage to Oceans As many as 40 % of the world’s oceans are significantly affected by human activities, including pollution, depleted fishing and the loss of natural coastal environments.
Loss of Biodiversity Biodiversity is declining faster than ever in human history. 13 million hectares of forest disappear every year. Millions of plant and animal species are on the verge of extinction.
Soil Degradation As a result of drought and desertification, 12 million hectares of land disappear each year (about 23 hectares per minute). This is an area on which, for example, about 20 million tonnes of grain could be grown.
Recycling plastics saves twice as much energy as is needed to burn it.
Addressing sustainability is a matter for every single person on the planet. We must all realize that what we do today will affect tomorrow, but it will not change yesterday. But it is never too late to make a change!
However, a sustainable life does not have to mean that it will reduce your quality of life. In fact, you can feel better and happier knowing that you are contributing to a better world.
Save electricity Lower electricity consumption can help reduce carbon emissions. Sometimes it is sufficient to replace light bulbs with energy-saving ones, turn off appliances from the mains when not in use, lower the heater temperature and hang out clothes instead of using the dryer.
Reduce meat consumption Meat production is one of the biggest contributors to climate change, landscape pollution and water resources. By eating less meat, you can help to reduce the impact of the meat industry on Earth.
Limit the use of disposable products Disposable cups, cutlery and coasters – primarily made of plastic – are the most common source of pollution that reach landfills and enter oceans. This harms not only wildlife populations, but the entire environment and, of course, people all around the planet.
Recycle Wastage of raw materials intensifies the plundering of Nature. At the same time, paper, glass, metal and plastic can be re-used and other functional items can be made from these raw materials, with lower energy costs. For example, recycling plastics saves twice as much energy as is needed to burn them.
Grow your own produce Do you dislike the use of pesticides in agriculture? Try growing your own fruit and vegetables and you will realize that pesticides are not needed. You will protect your health and further reduce the use of pesticides, which contribute to water and air pollution.
Use renewable energy sources If you can, use renewable energy sources in your home. This includes the use of photovoltaic panels for a clean source of electricity, heating with heat pumps or at least heating the water by means of solar rays. This will reduce the amount of carbon emissions you generate.
Save water Think about how you use water in your home. Water does not have to run during the brushing of teeth. It is also possible to use water-saving attachments on faucets. Water is a rare commodity and in many parts of the world it is not common for a family to have it available in their homes.
Donate unused items Do you have something at home that you don’t need? Donate it to charity or to someone you know who would use it! It may be clothing or household appliances that can still fulfill their function.
Buy Fairtrade products Look for the Fairtrade label on the packaging of the products you buy. If a product is Fairtrade-certified, it means that it was manufactured by a company that is committed to sustainable production.
Buy sustainable clothes The fashion industry is at the forefront of the world’s polluting industries. If you do not want to support this industry, you can use a charity to buy your clothes. These sell used clothing which is still 100 % functional, and at the same time you will be supporting a good cause.
Limit driving Perhaps you drive even where it would be more convenient to walk or cycle. Before you get into the car, think about it. Moving around without a car is not only better for the environment thanks to reduced greenhouse gas emissions, but also for your health.
Do not waste food Food production costs a lot of resources and energy, so do not waste them. If there is any food left over from a meal, you can store it until the next day or freeze it and use it later. If the food is already in a condition to be thrown away (e.g. vegetables) you can compost it in the garden and use it as a source of nutrients for other plants.
Use environmentally-friendly cleaning agents Chemicals are harmful to the environment - this is a known fact. However, most cleaning products have their own ecological alternatives. By using these, you can help to prevent harmful chemicals from having a negative impact on our planet.
Educate yourself and others Obtaining information on sustainability issues will help to open your eyes and make you think about how to be part of the solution. You can share your knowledge with your friends and family, to spread awareness.
Donate money There are areas where every dollar makes the difference between life and death. If you decide to help on the other side of the world, e.g. by building a new school or protecting endangered animals, money can be the best form of aid. You don’t have to contribute to the transportation of huge quantities of materials over long distances, which can then rather be bought in the relevant location.
Give your time Do you have a great desire to help, but do not have sufficient funds? It does not matter. For example, you can dedicate your time and help somewhere close to you. You can help in animal shelters, help seniors or distribute food to the homeless.
Give weight to your voice Some changes must come with a change in legislation. Therefore, do not be indifferent during the election period. Elect your representatives carefully according to their election programs. During the election period, check on the fulfillment of their promises and inquire about what is happening to the issues you are monitoring. And remember – elected representatives serve in their function thanks to you, so they should keep their promises. If this is not the case, then you have the option of voting for someone who will actually keep his/her promises.
