gopalakrishna

Environmental sustainability is the process of making sure current processes of interaction with the environment are pursued with the idea of keeping the environment as pristine as naturally possible based on ideal-seeking behavior.

An "unsustainable situation" occurs when natural capital (the sum total of nature's resources) is used up faster than it can be replenished. Sustainability requires that human activity only uses nature's resources at a rate at which they can be replenished naturally. Inherently the concept of sustainable development is intertwined with the concept of carrying capacity. Theoretically, the long-term result of environmental degradation is the inability to sustain human life. Such degradation on a global scale could imply extinction for humanity.
Consumption of renewable resources State of environment Sustainability
More than nature's ability to replenish Environmental degradation Not sustainable
Equal to nature's ability to replenish Environmental equilibrium Steady-state economy
Less than nature's ability to replenish Environmental renewal Sustainable development

[edit] Decade of Education for Sustainable Development

The United Nations has declared a Decade of Education for Sustainable Development starting in January of 2005. A non-partisan multi-sector response to the decade has formed within the U.S. via the U.S. Partnership for the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development.[8] Active sectors teams have formed for youth, higher education, business, religion, the arts, and more. Organizations and individuals can join in sharing resources and success stories, and creating a sustainable future. Sustainable development is not just about business perspective but should be understood in such way to benefit the whole as a world.

[edit] See also
Sustainable development Portal

* Afrique verte
* Bicycle City
* Carrying capacity
* Clean tech law
* Cleaner Production
* Conservation development
* Dashboard of Sustainability
* Development simulator (sustainable or not): lincity
* Ecologically sustainable development
* Environmental justice
* Five Capitals
* Green building
* Green Globe
* Human rights
* Industrial Ecology
* International Institute for Environment and Development
* International Institute for Sustainable Development
* Living Planet Index
* Overconsumption
* Overpopulation
* Passive solar building design
* Strategic Sustainable Development
* Sustainable Tourism CRC
* The Earth Institute
* World energy resources and consumption
* sustainablesystemsinternational.org/Dissertation.aspx

[edit] References

1. ^ United Nations. 1987."Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development." General Assembly Resolution 42/187, 11 December 1987. Retrieved: 2007-04-12
2. ^ 2005 World Summit Outcome Document, World Health Organization, 15 September 2005
3. ^ Will Allen. 2007."Learning for Sustainability: Sustainable Development."
4. ^ Hasna, A. M. (2007). "Dimensions of sustainability". Journal of Engineering for Sustainable Development: Energy, Environment, and Health 2 (1): 47–57.
5. ^ SUS.DIV
6. ^ United Nations Division for sustainable Development. Documents: Sustainable Development Issues Retrieved: 2007-05-12
7. ^ a b What Is Sustainable Development?
8. ^ US Partnership for the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. Retrieved on: 2007-07-16

[edit] External links

* Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise at the University of Michigan
* WWW-Virtual Library Sustainable development - Links to sustainable development sources
* Nature conservation+spirituality = sustainable development
* World Business Council for Sustainable Development
* Sustainable development - Highlights the need for a people-centred approach to sustainable development and provides links to related sources
* European Sustainable Development Network - ESDN - Sustainable development policies and strategies in Europe
* Bicycle City - Sustainable community development
* The Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise at Cornell University views environmental and social needs as business opportunities.
* U.K. Sustainable Development Commission
* Forward Scotland Independent organization
* Appropedia - a Wiki focused on sustainable international development and poverty reduction
* International Institute for Environment and Development
* International Institute for Sustainable Development
* International Organization for Sustainable Development
* Debunking-myth-about-the-third-world UN databases presented with interactive data-mining tools and shows.
* World Bank website on sustainable development.
* Citizens Network for Sustainable Development
* Sustainable Development Law & Policy
* Institute for Trade Standards and Sustainable Development