1.3 Sustainability

Question 1

natural resources

Answer 1

• raw materials and sources of energy used and consumed by society

Question 2

natural capital / natural income

Answer 2

stock of natural resources available on Earth that are managed to provide natural income in terms of goods and services

Question 3

regeneration

Answer 3

any process or action that enables a system to renew and recover from damage

Question 4

renewable natural capital

Answer 4

can be generated or replaced as fast as it is being used

Question 5

non-renewable natural capital

Answer 5

is either irreplaceable or can only be replaced on geological time scales (e.g fossil fuels , soil, water in aquifers and minerals)

Question 6

citizen science

Answer 6

a situation where non-scientists collaborate with professional researchers to collect data on the environment

Question 7

doughnut economics model

Answer 7

• model for sustainable development that combines the UN SDGs with the planetary boundaries model
• focuses on the idea that we need to meet the needs of all within the means of the planet

Question 8

ecological footprint

Answer 8

the area of land and water required to support a defined human population at a given standard of living, and absorb all the waste from that population

Question 9

economic inequality

Answer 9

the unequal distribution of income, wealth, consumption, and opportunity in a society

Question 10

economic sustainability

Answer 10

creating the economic structures and systems to support production and consumption of goods and services that will support human needs into the future

Question 11

environmental justice

Answer 11

the right of all people to live in a pollution-free environment and to have equitable access to natural resources

Question 12

environmental sustainability

Answer 12

the use and management of natural resources that allows for replacement of the resources, and recovery and regeneration of ecosystems

Question 13

human development index (HDI)

Answer 13

• measures health, education, and standard of living of a population and is expressed as an index number
• the higher the number, the higher the human development

Question 14

planetary boundaries

Answer 14

• processes that regulate the stability and resilience of the Earth system, within which humanity can continue to develop and live sustainably
• crossing these boundaries increases the risk of creating sudden, extensive or irreversible environmental changes

Question 15

regenerative

Answer 15

any process or action that enables a system to renew and recover from damage

Question 16

social sustainabilty

Answer 16

• creating the structures and systems that support human well-being
• including health, education, equity, community, and other social factors

Question 17

sustainable development

Answer 17

development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own

Question 18

sustainable development goals (SDGs)

Answer 18

a set of objectives created by the United Nations in 2015 to address the global social, environmental, and economic challenges faced by humanity