Menuka Senvidu

What is Sustainability?

What is sustainability? One of the widely accepted definitions of sustainability, endorsed by the UN Brundtland Commission, posits that sustainable development is the kind that caters to the needs of the present without imperiling the capacity of future generations to cater to their own needs. In simpler terms, sustainability revolves around safeguarding the well-being of our progeny. How we conduct our lives today should be guided by the principle of enabling them to flourish and enjoy a good quality of life as well. Our planet boasts numerous resources essential for sustenance, such as food and shelter. Many of these resources are renewable. For instance, you can fell a tree and replace it with new growth; similarly, fishing can be sustainable if managed within replenishable limits. This hinges on adhering to a pace at which these ecosystems can naturally restore themselves—a concept termed the "replacement rate." Imagine this as a bathtub: water being drained and filled at an equilibrium, maintaining a stable water level. This analogy highlights that while resources are utilized, it must align with the systems' capacity to remain relatively stable.