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Is there a meaningful definition of sustainability?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 March 2007

Susan Owens
Susan Owens*
Affiliation:
Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, UK
*
* Correspondence address: Newnham College, Cambridge CB3 9DF, UK. E-mail: susan.owens@geog.cam.ac.uk
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Abstract

Although the concept of ‘sustainable development’ has been hailed for its reconciliatory poten- tial, it has failed in practice to resolve enduring conflicts. Exploring the evolution of the concept—from its 19th-century antecedents through Brundtland to contemporary ‘Panglossian’ interpretations—the paper argues that difficulties of implementation are not transient but have deep roots. No conception of sustainable development can be adopted without making fundamental ethical and political choices, but the debate about such choices is nevertheless of great importance. It is argued that we should abandon our search for a singular, consensual definition of sustainability, but try as best we can to make progress in the absence of consensus.

Keywords

Brundtland Reportsustainabilityvalues
Type
Research Article
Information
Plant Genetic Resources , Volume 1 , Issue 1 , April 2003 , pp. 5 - 9
Copyright
Copyright © NIAB 2003

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