SUSTAINABLE and SUSTAINABILITY are words which we surely are hearing a lot lately! Anywhere and everywhere from sustainable tourism, sustainable development and sustainable farming all the way to sustainable fashion and even something called sustainable development goals. But what does the concept of sustainability actually mean?

Are these buzzwords just a fancy tool to boost the image of a business, or is it a critical concept which can affect real change if applied right? In this blog post we will explore the essence of sustainability by looking at some definitions, the core principles of sustainability, the different components of sustainability and why all this matters. Welcome to Conserve and Protect Africa’s crash course on sustainability!

Before we can get into the principles of sustainability as we know it today, let’s first look at the root of where this all comes from. I think we all realise that at its core it relates to sustaining something, whether it be an activity, tourism, business etc. But when looking at the term sustaining, it only relates to keeping something going over a period of time. Although this forms the basis of sustainability, it does not give any indication of how and where this action of sustaining is done (bad practices can also be sustained).

Let’s look at an example of this. Throughout Africa many tourism lodges are present in national parks and game reserves. These operators have a goal to sustain a certain number of guests visiting their establishments yearly. However, in their pursuit of sustaining these numbers, some might exploit their work force or cause environmental damage to the surrounding reserve. Although they manage to sustain their business and meet their targets, they are not acting in an ethical or right way. Thus, we start to see some glimpses of what sustainability entails.

The definition of sustainability

The ability to meet the needs of today, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. – United Nations

From this definition and our example from before, we can see that sustainability in essence relates to good and ethical practices and methods, and it is inherently good. Although something which is harmful can be sustained over a period of time by continuing to do it, it cannot be classified as sustainable under the concept of sustainability. Let us then dive further into the definition of sustainability by having a look at some key concepts from the definition.

1. Future State Concept

In the definition we see that two different periods of time are at play here, namely the present and the future. This relates to the concept that actions are done in the present, the results of which will only be fully seen in the future. Although glimpses of outcomes or results are seen in the short term, often times the full results are only seen well into the future. This thus requires a certain level of trust in current actions, believing that through good ethical practices today, better results will be seen in coming weeks, months or years. In a world and society where instant gratification has become the norm in many situations, this is unfortunately sometimes difficult to put into practice. This is especially true when external pressures such as financial, social or political aspects come into play and quick results are needed. This brings us to our second point, namely that sustainability is a mindset shift.

2. A mindset shift

In order to fully embrace sustainability, a new way of thinking is essential. This involves turning current thinking practices on its head. Instead of doing something and just hoping for the best or thinking that future problems will be dealt with when they arise, sustainable thinking entails proper planning and mitigation before any actions or processes take place. It also requires a more conscious way of thinking in relation to the pillars of sustainability as discussed below, incorporating all three of these pillars in every step of planning and decision making.

3. A Development tool

A common myth is that sustainability hinders development or is ‘anti-development’. This cannot be further from the truth. Sustainability is one of the best long term development tools which we have, as it enables present and future development in a way which is advantageous to both people and the environment. This is evident through the United Nations and their 17 sustainable development goals, which was created to provide a framework for development to take place in a way where the outcomes of these goals are met.

The need for sustainability

You may be wondering why the theory of sustainability is needed, and how relevant it is today. A quick answer to this question is: Extremely relevant. Implementing a sustainability mindset is more relevant today than ever before.

Sustainability at its core sprouts from the fact that many resources (natural, labour and financial) are finite and should be managed responsibly. Although many resources are renewable, there is usually a time element to these in which they can renew themselves and thus they can also be classified as finite to a degree. An example of this is the forestry industry, with timber being classified as renewable but needing time to regrow. The overuse of these forests usually lead to ecological damage or deforestation when not done right.

Natural systems are generally sensitive to change. Over thousands of years these systems have reached an ecological balance, and irresponsible human activities impact this balance. Unfortunately, many current and past mistakes in resource use have led to severe environmental degradation in many areas of nature. This increases the need for sustainable practices.

In the theory of conservation, humans are a part of natural systems. Conservation encourages responsible use, with a specific focus on sustainable practices. Thus, if we want to conserve nature, we must learn to use it sustainably and this is where these sustainability concepts come into play.

The three pillars of sustainability

Known by various names, sustainability consists of three components or pillars namely environmental, social and economic. Each of these play an integral part in achieving long term sustainability. Having a sole focus on only one of these components does not equal true sustainability and can possibly lead to detrimental outcomes in the other components. It is critical that a holistic approach is implemented throughout.

When looking at our example from earlier in this blog post about the tourist lodges, we can see how these components work together. If the lodge owners only focus on preserving the environment and does not get guests to visit or create work opportunities for communities, this is not sustainable as money and local knowledge is critical in running the lodge and reserve. If the lodge only focusses on keeping the employees happy and not caring about guests, the social aspect is met but the economic and environmental aspect of the lodge will suffer. If the lodge only focusses on increasing revenue, the environmental and social aspects will suffer through bad labour practices and environmental damage. Sustainability is thus found where these three factors intersect, in a space where true sustainable decisions and actions take place.

What does this mean for me or my organization

Going forward, the global drive towards sustainability will only continue to grow. It is essential that everyone begins to implement sustainable practices wherever they are, in order to stay on par with global trends. Consumers and clients are also starting to demand more sustainable practices as the global movement grows.

There is no one size fits all approach to sustainability as each individual, organization or company differs. However, having a positive and conscious mindset and approach towards sustainability will allow each entity to identify possible areas where sustainable practices can be improved or implemented. Just as the effects of unsustainable practices are often not seen overnight, the impact of sustainable practices will also take time. However, steps that start small and controlled usually turn into major change over time.

Be filled with nature!

Willem🐛