Sustainability studies

Field of research

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The Three Spheres of Sustainability

Sustainability studies is an academic discipline that focuses on the interdisciplinary perspective of the concept of sustainability. Programs include instruction in sustainable development, geography, environmental policies, ethics, ecology, landscape architecture, city and regional planning, economics, natural resources, sociology, and anthropology.[1] Sustainability studies also focus on the importance of climate change, poverty, social justice and environmental justice.[2] More recently, many studies leveraged separate theories to address sustainability issues, including the concept of social learning.[3]

Many universities across the world currently offer sustainability studies as a degree program. The main goal of sustainability studies is for students to find ways to develop novel solutions to environmental problems.[4]

## History

[edit]

Towards the end of the 1980s, a new focus emerged globally on the importance of environmental and ecological sustainability. In 1987, the Brundtland Report was delivered by the World Commission on Environment and Development.[5] The commission was appointed to examine the consequences of global environmental change and was chaired by Norway’s Prime Minister, Gro Harlem Brundtland.[6] It introduced the concept of sustainable development, defined as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.[7] Several definitions have been proposed since then (refer to (Pezzoli, 1997) among others), but after years of debate, researchers asserted that sustainability assessments ought to: integrate economic, environmental, social and increasingly institutional issues as well as to consider their interdependencies; consider the consequences of present actions well into the future; acknowledge the existence of uncertainties concerning the result of our present actions and act with a precautionary bias; engage the public; include equity considerations (intragenerational and intergenerational).[8]

Infographic of world energy consumption by fuel.

Five years after the report was launched, the UN Earth’s Summit in Rio,1992 adopted the Framework Convention on Climate Change.[6] Five years later, in 1997, this framework helped lead to the creation of the Kyoto Protocol, a plan in which wealthy nations pledged to reduce their carbon emissions.[6] All countries that partook in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) also signed up to the Kyoto Protocol. Unfortunately progress towards sustainability stalled when the Kyoto Protocol was never ratified by the United States, and other nations consequently ignored their pledges in the agreement.[6]

In 2015, the UN created the 17 Sustainable Development Goals that are aimed to be achieved by 2030:

1. Eliminate poverty
2. Zero hunger
3. Good health and well-being
4. Quality education
5. Gender equality
6. Clean water and sanitation
7. Affordable and clean energy
8. Decent work and economic growth
9. Industry, innovation and infrastructure
10. Reduced inequalities
11. Sustainable cities and communities
12. Responsible consumption and production
13. Climate action
14. Life below water
15. Life on land
16. Peace justice and strong institutions
17. Partnerships for the goals

Recently, the United Nations (UN) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a report that said “urgent and unprecedented changes are needed to reach the target” of maintaining global temperature at moderate levels.[9] They state that countries must follow the Paris Agreement pledge to keep temperatures between 1.5 degrees Celsius and 2 degrees Celsius, to avoid facing global challenges from climate change, including the eradication of corals and the accelerated melting of Arctic ice caps. [9] The IPCC also explained that a rise in temperatures would trigger catastrophic results in the form of intense natural disasters, unpredictable weather, and food shortages. In order to prevent this outcome governments would need to require a “supercharged roll-back of emissions courses that have built up over the past 250 years.”[9] In order to do so, new developments in technology and land use are necessary. According to the IPCC, carbon dioxide emissions have to be cut by 45% by 2030 and come down to 0 by 2050.[9] Though this would dramatically increase carbon prices, scientists warn that the consequences of global warming at the current rate may be far more severe. The world is currently on course to reach 3 degrees Celsius of global warming, and scientists have 12 years to impose significant changes to prevent this from happening.[9] This shift towards environmental protection demands a workforce that is more dedicated to studying sustainable development, hence the growing importance of interdisciplinary studies. Individuals studying sustainable development could be focused on reducing the climate in which catastrophic global warming would take place and understanding how policy decisions link to other areas such as urban planning, sociology, economics, and ecology.

## Spheres of sustainability

[edit]

Sustainability comprises three major spheres: the social sphere, the economic sphere, and the environmental sphere. These three spheres can also be referred to as the "triple bottom line" or the three pillars of sustainability.[10] While these spheres are vastly different from one another, they each play a crucial role in maintaining the efficiency of society and the betterment of the planet. Sustainability is established when the three spheres overlap equally.

* Social Sphere: The social sphere examines issues that different human populations can face, or the impacts that certain actions have on society.[11] Examples of social issues include food insecurity, housing instability, poverty, healthcare, and access to education. Equity and equal access to opportunities are at the foundation of this pillar.[12] This sphere involves subject fields such as sociology, psychology, and anthropology. Nonprofit and government organizations are often at the core of the social sphere. In regard to sustainability, it is crucial for policies to be in place that represent all populations and ensure that basic human rights are being met.[12]

* Economic Sphere: The economic sphere prioritizes a high-functioning economy and profit-making. Consumerism is at the root of this sphere. Those who work in business and finance related fields are included in this sphere. In relation to sustainability, it is crucial for global corporations and companies to establish efficient practices for development and growth. [11]

* Environmental Sphere: The environmental sphere promotes the well-being of the physical Earth. This pillar evaluates environmental issues and proposes solutions that could be implemented anywhere from the local to global level. Examples of environmental issues include natural disasters, rising temperatures, pollution, energy resources, and deforestation. Environmental scientists and activists are closely associated with this sphere.[11]

Sustainability is an interdisciplinary subject; therefore, much like a Venn diagram, these spheres overlap. The social and economic spheres intersect to create the subject of social justice. The economic and environmental spheres give rise to the subject of environmental stewardship. Lastly, environmental justice is established where the environmental and social spheres meet.[13]

### Social Justice

[edit]

Main article: Social justice

Social justice ensures that everyone has the opportunity to thrive and make a sufficient living, as well as keeping the economy operating smoothly.[12] A major concern in many nations is how much money should be going to welfare programs— it is crucial to find a balance between helping citizens while having enough money for the governing body to run. Another common social justice concern surrounds workers' rights. Workers can be exploited by businesses, so policies regarding safe working conditions and fair wages ensure that workers are treated fairly. For example, Fair trade is a symbol that can be found on products that verify that the resources used to product the item is ethical.

### Environmental Stewardship

[edit]

Main article: Environmental stewardship

Environmental stewardship involves the collaboration of businesses and environment-centered initiatives. These actions, applied properly, should not only help the planet but also save money for businesses. Organizations may consider efforts to reduce their waste. This includes switching from plastic to paper packaging or recycling any unused products. Also, businesses could look for ways to manage their energy more efficiently. Using a renewable energy source rather than nonrenewable source and limiting production times are both examples of how a business can adopt energy-saving techniques.[14]

### Environmental Justice

[edit]

Main article: Environmental justice

Environmental justice is the intersection between social and environmental issues. This intersection involves providing equitable access to environmental protections and funding for all populations.[15] Climate change events like natural disasters, increased temperatures, and unpredictable weather patterns disproportionately impact lower-income and impoverished communities. These communities often do not have the means to move away from their neighborhoods. An example of an environmental justice issue in the United States is the lack of properly working septic tanks in Lowndes County, Alabama. In her book Waste: A Woman's Fight Against America's Dirty Secret, Catherine Coleman Flowers explains the environmental issues that this impoverished community faces. A predominantly African American area, many residents have lived with raw sewage in their backyards because they cannot afford to buy or install a septic system. Furthermore, these residents can be criminally charged for not having working septic tanks, even though they may not have the means. Coleman Flowers and other environmental justice advocates have dedicated years in their fight to achieve justice for the residents of Lowndes County.[16]

A crucial concern in environmental justice is the impact that climate change events are having on developing nations. Former Irish President Mary Robinson published "Climate Justice," a book that amplifies the voices of those in countries around the world who are fighting climate change daily. Robinson tells the story of Constance Okollet, a resident of Uganda, who is facing seasons of floods and droughts regularly, making food and clean water difficult to come by. An activist from Vietnam, Vu Thi Hien, shares the impacts that war and deforestation has had on her country's land and people. The former president of Kiribati, Anote Tong, has considered moving the entire nation off of their island to another because of sea levels rising. Robinson shares these stories to spread awareness of the impacts that climate change is having around the world, especially to smaller, poorer nations. [17]

## Careers in sustainability studies

[edit]

Sustainability studies emphasize an interdisciplinary approach to environmental problems, involving fields such as:

* Law
* Politics
* Policy and Planning
* Journalism
* Business and Architectural Design
* Marine Sciences
* Sustainability Professionals
* Urban planning
* Agriculture[18]
* Pharmaceutical industry
* Herbal Medicine

Professionals in sustainability studies can expect to earn between $75,000 to $93,000 per year. A figure based on the average salaries of those in engineering and environmental sciences.[19] Chief sustainability executives earn an average of $167,000.[19]

## See also

[edit]

* List of environmental degrees
* List of sustainability topics
* Sustainability science

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Detail for CIP Code 30.3301, Title: Sustainability Studies.. Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), National Center for Education Statistics, US Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences. Accessed 10 May 2011
2. ^ "Compare 85 Masters Programs in Sustainability Studies". masterstudies.com. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
3. ^ Silva-Jean, Marcos da; Kneipp, Jordana Marques (April 2024). ""Social learning, innovation, and sustainability: The search for directions beyond a systematic literature review"". Heliyon. 10 (7): e28431. Bibcode:2024Heliy..1028431S. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28431. ISSN 2405-8440. PMC 10998087. PMID 38586408.
4. ^ Cohen, Steven (13 February 2012). "The Growing Field of Sustainability Studies". HuffPost. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
5. ^ "History and Sustainability". www.histecon.magd.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
6. ^ a b c d "The paradigm shift towards sustainability must go ahead at full speed". D+C. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
7. ^ Du Pisani, Jacobus A. (June 2006). "Sustainable development – historical roots of the concept". Environmental Sciences. 3 (2): 83–96\. Bibcode:2006JIES....3...83D. doi:10.1080/15693430600688831. ISSN 1569-3430. S2CID 216113039.83-96&rft.date=2006-06&rft_id=info:doi/10.1080/15693430600688831&rft_id=https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:216113039#id-name=S2CID&rft.issn=1569-3430&rft_id=info:bibcode/2006JIES....3...83D&rft.aulast=Du+Pisani&rft.aufirst=Jacobus+A.&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Sustainability+studies" class="Z3988">
8. ^ Gasparatos, Alexandros; El-Haram, Mohamed; Horner, Malcolm (May 2008). "A critical review of reductionist approaches for assessing the progress towards sustainability". Environmental Impact Assessment Review. 28 (4–5): 286–311\. Bibcode:2008EIARv..28..286G. doi:10.1016/j.eiar.2007.09.002. Retrieved 7 December 2022.4–5&rft.pages=286-311&rft.date=2008-05&rft_id=info:doi/10.1016/j.eiar.2007.09.002&rft_id=info:bibcode/2008EIARv..28..286G&rft.aulast=Gasparatos&rft.aufirst=Alexandros&rft.au=El-Haram,+Mohamed&rft.au=Horner,+Malcolm&rft_id=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2007.09.002&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Sustainability+studies" class="Z3988">
9. ^ a b c d e Watts, Jonathan (2018-10-08). "We have 12 years to limit climate change catastrophe, warns UN". the Guardian. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
10. ^ Robertson, Margaret (2021). Sustainability Principles and Practice (3rd ed.). Routledge. p. 4\. ISBN 978-0367365219.
11. ^ a b c "What are the Three Pillars of Sustainable Development?". greenly.earth. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
12. ^ a b c Soken-Huberty, Emmaline (2020-02-13). "What Does Social Justice Mean?". Human Rights Careers. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
13. ^ "Sustainable Materials: The Seventh Perspective of a Bioregional Lifestyle". CascadiaNow!. 2016-09-21. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
14. ^ "A Presentation on Environmental Stewardship" (PDF). National Environmental Policy Act.
15. ^ "Learn About Environmental Justice". United States Environmental Protection Agency. 13 February 2015.
16. ^ Coleman Flowers, Catherine (2020). Waste: One Woman's Fight Against America's Dirty Secret. The New Press.
17. ^ Robinson, Mary (2018). Climate Justice. Bloomsbury Publishing.
18. ^ Ajeng, Aaronn Avit; Abdullah, Rosazlin; Ling, Tau Chuan; Ismail, Salmah; Lau, Beng Fye; Ong, Hwai Chyuan; Chew, Kit Wayne; Show, Pau Loke; Chang, Jo-Shu (2020-11-01). "Bioformulation of biochar as a potential inoculant carrier for sustainable agriculture". Environmental Technology & Innovation. 20: 101168. Bibcode:2020EnvTI..2001168A. doi:10.1016/j.eti.2020.101168.
19. ^ a b "What is a Sustainability Studies Major and is it Right for Me? | Career Advice & Interview Tips | WayUp Guide". Career Advice & Interview Tips | WayUp Guide. 2017-07-31. Retrieved 2018-12-03.

* v
* t
* e

Sustainability

* Outline
* Index

Principles|

* Anthropocene
* Environmentalism
* Global governance
* Human impact on the environment
* Planetary boundaries
* Development

Consumption|

* Anthropization
* Anti-consumerism
* Circular economy
* Durable good
* Earth Overshoot Day
* Ecological footprint
* Ethical
* Green consumption
* Micro-sustainability
* Over-consumption
* Product stewardship
* Simple living
* Social return on investment
* Steady-state economy
* Sustainability
* Advertising
* Brand
* Marketing myopia
* Sustainable
* Consumer behaviour
* Market
* Systemic change resistance
* Tragedy of the commons

World population|

* Demographic transition
* Family planning
* Control
* Sustainable population

Technology|

* Appropriate
* Environmental technology
* Natural building
* Sustainable architecture
* Sustainable design
* Sustainable industries
* Sustainable packaging

Biodiversity|

* Biosecurity
* Biosphere
* Conservation biology
* Endangered species
* Holocene extinction
* Invasive species

Energy|

* Carbon footprint
* Renewable energy
* Sustainable energy

Food|

* Civic agriculture
* Climate-smart agriculture
* Community-supported agriculture
* Cultured meat
* Sustainable agriculture
* Sustainable diet
* Sustainable fishery

Water|

* Air well (condenser)
* Bioretention
* Bioswale
* Blue roof
* Catchwater
* Constructed wetland
* Detention basin
* Dew pond
* Footprint
* Hydroelectricity
* Hydropower
* Infiltration basin
* Irrigation tank
* Marine energy
* Micro hydro
* Ocean thermal energy conversion
* Pico hydro
* Rain garden
* Rainwater harvesting
* Rainwater tank
* Reclaimed water
* Retention basin
* Run-of-the-river hydroelectricity
* Scarcity
* Security
* Small hydro
* Sustainable drainage system
* Tidal power
* Tidal stream generator
* Tree box filter
* Water conservation
* Water heat recycling
* Water recycling shower
* Water-sensitive urban design

Accountability|

* Corporate environmental responsibility
* Corporate social responsibility
* Environmental accounting
* Environmental full-cost accounting
* Environmental planning
* Sustainability
* Accounting
* Measurement
* Metrics and indices
* Reporting
* Standards and certification
* Sustainable yield

Applications|

* Advertising
* Art
* Business
* City
* Climate finance
* Community
* Disinvestment
* Eco-capitalism
* Eco-cities
* Eco-investing
* Eco-socialism
* Ecovillage
* Environmental finance
* Green economy
* Construction
* Fashion
* Finance
* Gardening
* Geopark
* Green
* Development
* Infrastructure
* Marketing
* Green roof
* Greening
* Impact investing
* Landscape
* Livelihood
* Living
* Market
* Organic movement
* Organizations
* Procurement
* Refurbishment
* Socially responsible business
* Socially responsible marketing
* Sanitation
* Sourcing
* Space
* Sustainability organization
* Tourism
* Transport
* Urban drainage systems
* Urban infrastructure

Sustainable management|

* Environmental
* Fisheries
* Forest
* Humanistic capitalism
* Landscape
* Materials
* Natural resource
* Planetary
* Recycling
* Waste

Agreements and
conferences|

* UN Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm 1972)
* Brundtlandt Commission Report (1983)
* Our Common Future (1987)
* Earth Summit (1992)
* Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (1992)
* Agenda 21 (1992)
* Convention on Biological Diversity (1992)
* Lisbon Principles (1997)
* Earth Charter (2000)
* UN Millennium Declaration (2000)
* Earth Summit 2002 (Rio+10, Johannesburg)
* UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20, 2012)
* Sustainable Development Goals (2015)

* Category
* Lists
* Science
* Studies
* Degrees

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