Sustainability is the term used to describe developments that meet the needs of today without compromising the ability to meet the needs of tomorrow. Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) is a term which applies to every aspect of living in a sustainable way. There are three broad conditions for sustainability:
The most important things we should sustain are healthy, functioning ecosystems and their species. Not only do they provide us with life-support services such as food, water and oxygen, they also nourish us aesthetically and spiritually. Furthermore, they have their own right to exist without the threat of human destruction.
However, at present, we are not living sustainably in Australia; our farming practices cause erosion, salinisation and acidification of soils, and river pollution. This means that food production is not sustainable with current methods. As well, farming, mining, logging, urban expansion and recreation are destroying biodiversity and natural habitats.
The main cause of ecological degradation is that too many people use too many resources and inappropriate technologies, and create too much waste. Sustainability would be enhanced by smaller populations, lower consumption and greener technologies such as solar energy and recycling.
In response to concerns about sustainability, the Federal Government has initiated strategies for achieving ESD. But for sustainability to occur, all governments and industries, as well as people, need to reduce the ecological impact of human activities. This means integrating ecological thinking into social and economic policies. While many believe Australia's economy is all-important, the economy is only part of society and society is only part of the environment.
Alan Jones
Marine Ecology
Australian Museum
Copyright © Australian Museum, 2003
This page: http://www.amonline.net.au/factsheets/ecological_sustainability.htm
