Sustainability refers to the ability to maintain or preserve something over time, without depleting or damaging the resources that enable it to exist. In the context of environmental sustainability, it means using natural resources in a way that does not harm the environment and enables future generations to continue to use and benefit from those resources. This includes reducing waste and pollution, conserving energy and natural resources, and promoting the use of renewable and non-toxic resources.
Sustainability is not just limited to environmental concerns but also encompasses social and economic sustainability. It means promoting fair and equitable access to resources and opportunities for all individuals and communities, while also ensuring that economic growth and development do not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
@ Olena, I fully accept your views. My thinking also in the same line.
Understandings of sustainability as a process have gone well beyond the WCED (1987) definition, with examples of agendas for achieving it as well as further sources:
1. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8959-2_2
2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.imic.2015.04.001
3. https://doi.org/10.1108/DPM-02-2017-0043
Sustainability, as I understand it, is the capacity of the people of a community (from hamlet to planet) to meet their needs using their time and skills, and the resources, energy, and ecological function of the land/air/water that they are stewards of (or likely co-stewards of), in perpetuity.
I don't think it must require 'equitable distribution of resources and opportunities', but the absence of that induces complex moral issues.
Sustainability has different implications when considered for developed and developing countries. This excellent paper "Achieving Sustainability" [1] by Professor Mohamed Rabie (Feb. 2023) shows it in a masterly way; and more is, in its Human Dimension "While citizens of the Third World need to change their attitudes toward time, work, life, material gain, and the environment, all people in the world need to transform their cultures to consume less, stop smoking, stay healthy, protect the environment, and end discrimination against others"
[1] Preprint Achieving Sustainability
Thank you all, particularly Prof. Jamel Chahed, for this interesting discussion, I am adding my paper for all parties to look at it. My book, "A Theory of Sustainable Sociocultural and Economic Development" (Palgrave Macmillan, 2016) is also available on RG.