Sustainability
– I like it! What is it?
By definition sustainability is a systemic property emerging from the interactions between the environment, the society and the economy. It refers generally to the capacity for the biosphere and human civilisation to co-exist.
This article breaks down what sustainability really means and why it’s urgent to act. It introduces five levels of sustainability—economic, social, environmental, peace and partnership.
3+2 levels of sustainability
1. Economical level – re-think growth
The most significant economic shifts related to sustainable development began with industrialism and the rapid surge in growth. Yet, infinite economic growth on a finite planet is an oxymoron. As Paavo Järvensivu notes in Unlimited Money in Scarcity, we currently operate as if money were scarce and natural resources were unlimited, when in fact the opposite is true. Money is merely an instrument of our modern capitalist system, while the natural resources it depends on are extremely finite and increasingly depleted. (Järvensivu, 2022)
At the heart of this issue is the linear economic “take, make, waste -model”. Materials are extracted, turned into products, and ultimately discarded as waste. This approach has brought us to a breaking point, as unchecked growth and consumption threaten environmental destruction and societal collapse. Even the ultra-wealth (0.003% of the global population controlling around 13% of global wealth) cannot escape the consequences of an interconnected, unsustainable system. Their wealth, like everyone else’s, is dependent on the broader health of the global system, showing that we all have a stake in this issue.
However, there’s no need to panic. Growth dynamics are not immutable laws; they can be reimagined and restructured. Alternative models like the circular economy aim to eliminate waste, use renewable resources, and regenerate natural systems. (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2021)
Other thinkers, like Gibson-Graham in Take Back the Economy, propose a broader perspective, viewing the economy not just as a mechanism for growth, but as a means to maintain and enable livelihoods that prioritise well-being (Gibson-Graham, 2013).
2. Social level – meeting the human needs
Social sustainability is about creating societies where human well‑being, equity, and dignity are protected and nurtured. It encompasses access to essentials such as food, water, healthcare, education, and fair livelihoods, while also promoting human rights, social inclusion, and community empowerment. These challenges are deeply interconnected and often referred to as “wicked problems,” requiring holistic, real-world approaches. As Kate Raworth emphasizes in Doughnut Economics, societies must meet basic human needs while respecting ecological limits (kateraworth.com).
Investing in social sustainability through education, healthcare, fair work, equitable policies, and civic engagement strengthens the foundation for environmental stewardship and economic resilience. Empowered and healthy communities are more likely to adopt and sustain systemic changes, supporting both societal and ecological transformation.
3. Environmental level – that ultimately sets the boundaries to everything
Human society has shifted from the relatively stable Holocene epoch to the Anthropocene, an era in which humans are the dominant influence on Earth systems. This has resulted in climate change, biodiversity loss, and widespread environmental degradation. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2022), global temperatures have already risen approximately 1°C above pre-industrial levels, with projections ranging between 2.5°C and 4°C by the end of the century if emissions are not drastically reduced. (IPCC AR6, 2022)
So, it’s pretty evident that the environmental sustainability is the foundation upon which all other forms of sustainability depend. It refers to the responsible use, protection, and regeneration of natural systems so that human and ecological communities can coexist and thrive over the long term. As Rockström et al. explain in their seminal paper on planetary boundaries, human activity is pushing the Earth’s systems beyond safe limits, threatening the stability of the biosphere. (Science, 2009)
Environmental sustainability requires urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, conserve biodiversity, protect soils, forests, and oceans, and transition to renewable energy sources. As Bill McKibben notes in Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?, ignoring these limits jeopardizes both human survival and societal stability. (McKibben, 2019)
4. Peace level – Stability for People and Planet
Without peace, sustainability crumbles. UN SDG 16 promotes peaceful, just, and inclusive societies, recognizing that strong institutions, transparency, and participation are prerequisites for sustainable development. (UN SDG 16)
5. Partnership level – Working Together Across Borders
UN SDG 17 emphasizes partnerships across governments, businesses, civil society, and communities. These collaborations share knowledge, resources, and innovation to scale solutions. (UN SDG 17)
The change can not wait
As UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has emphasized, “we are living in a decade of action. Now, the choice is ours: will we cling to an unsustainable past — or take the action and build s future where people and planet flourish together?
The urgency is undeniable:
Environmental crises are accelerating
Climate change, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem degradation are intensifying, pushing Earth systems beyond safe limits and threatening global stability.
Social inequities are widening
People still lack access to basic needs such as food, water, healthcare, and education, creating social fragility that undermines economic and ecological resilience.
Economic systems remain unsustainable
Traditional growth thinking is structured for a world that no longer exists. Strategies based on outdated assumptions risk collapsing shareholder value, investor wealth, and the viability of the global economy.
The window for action is slipping
The decisions we make this decade will impact to the long-term human survival and prosperity but it seems like we are doing none.
Solutions exist but require systemic action
Things like circular economy, renewable energy and regenerative farming demonstrate that change is possible—but only if we act faster, smarter, and together.
Leadership and responsibility matters
Boards, managers and investors start to recognise their duty to act on knowable risks. Maximising short-term profits and activities that ignore planetary limits actively reduce the window of opportunity to steer toward a sustainable future.
To conclude, sustainability touches every aspect of our world — economic, social, environmental, peace, and partnerships. Planetary boundaries are bouncing, crises are accelerating, old strategies are failing, and the stakes could not be higher.
Solutions exist, but only bold, systemic, and collective action can secure a viable future. The choice is clear: act now, or risk a world where people and the planet cannot thrive.