1.4 - sustainability

• sustainability

  the use of global resources at a rate that allows natural regeneration and minimises damage to the environment
• sustainable development

  development that meets current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
• energy mix


  the use of a combination of renewable and non-renewable energy sources in a country
• natural capital 


  natural resources that are managed to provide a sustainable natural income from goods or services
• natural income 


  the portion of natural capital (resources) that is produced as “interest”, i.e. the sustainable income produced by natural capital
• ecosystem services


  benefits that humanity derives from the natural environment
• • 4 main types of ecosystem services:

  1. Supporting services - essentials for life (primary productivity, soil formation)
  2. Regulating services - diverse set of services (pollination, production of food, fibres, wood)
  3. Provisioning services - services we obtain from ecosystems (food, fibre, fuel, water from aquifers/rivers/lakes)
  4. Cultural services - places where people’s interaction with nature provides cultural goods and benefits (gardens, parks, forests)
• Example of a sustainable development strategy: recycling deposit scheme

  • Encouraging people to return the drinks they buy by charging extra money because of plastic
  • e.g. Netherlands charged €1 extra on plastic drink bottles, encourages people to recycle and get the €1 back
• the Millenium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA)


  a research programme that focuses on how ecosystems have changed over the last decades and predicts changes that will happen
• environmental impact assessment

  a method of detailed survey required, in many countries, before a major development, which includes a baseline study and requires monitoring after the completion of the project