In common parlance, the term ‘sustainability’ refers to the ability and capacity of human civilization to co-exist with the Earth’s environment. This definition of sustainability from McGill University makes it crystal clear why we need to pay attention to this word: “Sustainability means meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In addition to natural resources, we also need social and economic resources. Sustainability is not just environmentalism.”
Society, economy and environment are the fundamental determinants of sustainability, although their collective stakeholding is often misunderstood as being ‘contradictory’. In reality, these three are highly interdependent. While the call for sustainability was first made by environmentalists, soon, societal champions, the progressive intelligentsia, and economists joined in. These stakeholders collectively redefined sustainability.
Sustainability is still an evolving concept although it has gained momentum in recent years. Yes, the concept took some time to mature, as the world took time to understand the complexities of interdependence and the mutually rewarding value chain. Sustainability is an ecosystem of ecosystems — a connected and interdependent nervous system at the planetary level. Having survived different perceptions and beliefs based on scientific, social, cultural, environmental, historical, and economic grounds, sustainability has the same meaning for everyone today.
Achieving sustainability requires an ecosystem approach, guided by common goals and driven by practical feasibilities at the global, regional, national, local, and individual levels. It has to be on the agenda of every organization — be it a public, private, or non-profit entity. A collaborative and coordinated approach will only add efficiency and effectiveness to sustainable programs, leading to incremental benefits at a quick pace.
In the recent past, leaders from politics, economy, society, and environment have come together to work with technology and business leadership. Several companies, across segments, have voluntarily committed to becoming carbon neutral. An exemplary showcase of public-private collaboration towards sustainability is the ambitious ‘Artificial Island’ power plant that will power three million European households with clean energy by 2031.
But the term sustainability doesn’t limit itself to clean energy and environment; it has a wider connotation, as highlighted in the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. COVID-19 added a new dimension to sustainability through the process of digitalization of economy and society. Undoubtedly, digital infrastructure, augmented by AI, IoT, Big Data and locational services made it possible for governments and businesses to function and save millions of lives during these difficult times. However, the pandemic also showed up the disparities challenging sustainability in a global context. Nations and businesses with advanced digital infrastructure and workflows continued to grow exponentially, while countries with inadequate digital infrastructure, especially developing countries, took the overall heat and lost means of livelihood, revealing the impact of the deepening digital divide.
An inclusive approach towards sustainability will begin with the acknowledgement of “sustainability of everything”— with the global leadership recognizing the need for conservation and sharing of resources and setting common minimum standards of living based on principles of environmental security.
It is exciting to see a growing sense of awareness and understanding about sustainability among the young population too; they know that sustainability lies at the “core of everything” and it’s everyone’s responsibility to bring it to the “core of everyone”.
