BY NEIL EISBERG, EDITOR
Sustainability can mean different things to different people. The most common definition is found in a 1987 report, the so-called Brundtland Report, from the UN Commission on Environment and Development, which defined sustainable development as that which ‘meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’.
But sustainable development can be traced back even further, with its roots in ideas about sustainable forest management, developed in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries in response to a growing awareness of the depletion of timber resources. At the time, timber was a major energy source and also a key raw material for shipbuilding, particularly naval vessels.
More recently UNESCO explains it this way: ‘Sustainability is often thought of as a long-term goal (ie a more sustainable world), while sustainable development refers to the many processes and pathways to achieve it.’
Generally, sustainability is considered to have three key components: environmental, economic, and social. Many definitions emphasise the environment, which can include addressing key environmental problems, including climate change and loss of biodiversity.
Discussions around the economic dimension, however, remain controversial. That’s because there will always be tension between the demand for welfare and prosperity for all and environmental conservation, so trade-offs are necessary.
It would be desirable to find ways that separate economic growth from harming the environment, however, this would mean using fewer resources per unit of output even while growing the economy, something which is difficult to achieve.
There is also the challenge of measuring sustainability, as it is complex. Indicators have been developed to cover the environment, society and the economy but there is a need for sustainability indicators. The metrics are evolving and include indicators, benchmarks and audits as well as sustainability standards and certification systems. To achieve a sustainability transition or sustainability transformation, it is necessary to address many barriers, some that arise from nature and its complexity while others are the result of existing institutional frameworks.
Working out who is responsible for sustainability is a challenge too. Global issues of sustainability are difficult to tackle as they need global solutions, but enforcing international regulations is hard and governments are not the only sources of action. Businesses have tried to integrate ecological concerns with economic activity, seeking sustainable business. And of course, individuals can also live more sustainably.
The direct linking of sustainability and development can be traced to a 1972 book, Strategy of Progress by Ernst Basler, which explained how the concept of preserving forests for future wood production can be directly transferred to the broader importance of preserving environmental resources to sustain the world for future generations. Also in 1972, the interrelationship of environment and development was formally demonstrated in a simulation model reported in the report, Limits to Growth, commissioned by the Club of Rome.
Describing the desirable ‘state of global equilibrium’, the authors wrote: ‘We are searching for a model output that represents a world system that is sustainable without sudden and uncontrolled collapse and capable of satisfying the basic material requirements of all of its people.’
So, what about sustainability in the context of science, and chemistry in particular? It seems we have a long way to go – and not long to get there.
One obvious example is the fossil carbon that is still the root feedstock for many chemical processes and the materials – most visibly plastics – that the chemicals industry produces. Fossil carbon is the most common source of power especially for high-temperature reactions. Neither are sustainable in the short or long term. Work is under way to reduce the use of fossil fuels but reducing the use of fossil carbon in chemistry is vital too. That will mean investments in everything from carbon capture and utilisation to bio-based carbon sources and effectively rebuilding industrial processes that have been perfected over many decades.
But there are many other examples where we can use smart science to make processes, products and entire industries more sustainable. That’s why in this sustainability special of C&I we’ve taken a deep dive into what sustainability means across topics including agriculture, energy and packaging.
And beyond this special issue, SCI has also just launched its dedicated SCI Sustainability journal for sharing groundbreaking research that tackles the sustainability challenges faced by the scientific industries.
Some might argue that sustainability is too big a challenge. One thing is certain, however, is that our planet has limited resources, and we all need to act accordingly.
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