Definitions of sustainability—and criticisms of the definitions—abound. The term sustainability has a multidisciplinary use and meaning. 1.1 Sustainability Definitions. The discussion of sustainable development has frequently proved confusing. The status and function of sustainability in the curriculum • Sustainability as a subject of analysis • Sustainability as a prescription for individual and corporate behavior • Sustainability as a lens of inquiry: a way of looking at, evaluating, and solving problems. The definition of “sustainability” is the study of how natural systems function, remain diverse and produce everything it needs for the ecology to remain in balance. Overlapping and conflicting definitions rapidly proliferated. Sustainable Development •Sustainable development is an apparently simple concept •But one that is surprisingly difficult to articulate •This is demonstrated well by the research of Sara Parkins back in the year 2000 •She found that there were over 200 definitions of sustainability… Sustainable Development: Definitions, Principles, Policies Herman E. Daly School of Public Affairs University of Maryland (hd22@umail.umd.edu) Introduction—I begin by considering two competing definitions of sustainability (utility-based versus throughput-based), and offer reasons for rejecting the former and accepting the latter. 2 a: of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged b: of or relating to a lifestyle involving the use of sustainable methods • Sustainability as a core educational value, one that ought to find its way into courses across the One result was that words such as “sustainability” and “sustainable” became common buzzwords—motherhood-and-apple-pie concepts Definition One. Merriam-Webster On-line Dictionary. Thus ‘sustainable I argue that there are problems with the definitional approach itself and not just with any specific definition. It also acknowledges that human civilisation takes resources to sustain our modern way of life (1) . For the past two years an inter-agency initiative to advance environmental and social sustainability in the United Nations System has been exploring this issue, under the guidance of the Environmental Management Group. Environmental Sustainability: A Definition for Environmental Professionals 3 In “Social Sustainability: towards some definitions,” McKenzie identifies several attempts to define social sustainability and concludes it generally to be, “a positive condition within communities, and a process within communities that can achieve that sustainability of its administrative and operational choices. Various disciplines may apply this term differently. 1 Student Perceptions and Definitions of Sustainability Introduction “Sustainability emerges on our campuses as a set of principles and examples, a work in progress that can be advanced only through participation and engagement in bringing those principles into the rhythm of day-to-day life Definitions of Sustainability from the Literature (Compiled by Annie Pearce and Leslie Walrath) Definition Source Key Issues "We came to see that a new development path was required, one that sustained human progress not just in a few places for a few years, but for the entire planet into the distant future. However, sustainability proved a remarkably difficult concept to define and use precisely. Sustainability: definitions Some definitions: Sustainable development (WCED, 1987) "Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” Elkington (1999): Triple P (planet, people, profit) “Finding a balance between economic prosperity, Sustainability as a Term. In dictionaries, sustainability is typically described by many sources as a capability of a system to endure and maintain itself. 2. 1 : capable of being sustained.