Sustainability and sustainable development have been three words regularly, abusively and rhetorically uttered by our politicians during the last few years. The definition of sustainability is not nearly as simple as it might seem, likewise with the definition of sustainable development. This is best illustrated by the fact that there are over 200 different definitions to answer what is sustainable development. The simplest and shortest definition is that sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In logic, therefore, one cannot talk of sustainable development unless there is a pre-existing sustainable environment. But what is sustainability? And then again, what is one to understand by “environment”?
Sustainable is an adjective for something that is able to be sustained, that is, something that is bearable and capable of being continued at a certain level. In the end, sustainability can perhaps be seen as the process(es) by which something is kept at a certain level. Nonetheless, nowadays, because of the environmental and social problems societies around the world are facing, sustainability has been increasingly used in a specific way. Nowadays, sustainability is usually defined as the processes and actions through which humankind avoids the depletion of natural resources, in order to keep an ecological balance that does not allow the quality of life of modern societies to decrease.
To achieve true sustainability we need to balance economic, social and environmental sustainability factors in equal harmony. To live in true environmental sustainability, we need to ensure that we are consuming our natural resources, such as materials, energy fuels, land, water, and so on at a sustainable rate. Some resources are more abundant than others and therefore we need to consider material scarcity, the damage to the environment from extraction of these materials and if the resource can be kept within Circular Economy principles. Economic sustainability requires that a business or country uses its resources efficiently and responsibly so that it can operate in a sustainable manner to consistently produce an operational profit. Social sustainability is the ability of society or any social system, to persistently achieve a good social well-being.
Sustainability is all about caring for the environment. It is also about corporate social responsibility. But then again it encompasses practices such as recycling, reducing energy and minimising waste. Confused? So are the rest of us. It seems that we all have a different understanding of what sustainability means and the term has evolved considerably since it was first coined. So what does sustainability actually mean to our leaders, companies and their customers today? And how far removed is this from its original meaning?
The term sustainability encompasses a variety of topics. It includes supply chain management and working towards a better climate along with ethical business practices, improving safety at work and contributing to society. Years back, consumers regarded sustainability as simply a matter of recycling cans and packets. At the same time, most end-users felt that it had nothing to do with them and that sustainability was the remit of larger companies and nations. The change in people’s perceptions has evolved alongside changes in our working practices. Twenty years ago, everyone worked with a phone and a desk and meetings were held face-to-face while company car policies were based on the cost of petrol per litre. Nowadays teleconferences have become the norm, working from home is common and high-speed telecommunications underpin everything we do. Meanwhile, we have come to understand that vehicle emissions need to be minimised. Sustainability policies have had to evolve to keep up with this pace of change.
There has been a growing recognition that sustainability belongs to everyone. With this has come an understanding that end-users can demand compliance from their suppliers to facilitate their own CSR strategy. Traceability is one of today’s hottest sustainability topics. Consumers and businesses are increasingly interested in the origin of the goods they purchase. I believe, in future, they will continue to favour companies that can prove transparency along with a solid sustainability performance. Corporate sustainability is all about creating value for people and nature. This creates a benefit for the environment and the community as well as our customers, consumers, investors, employees and other stakeholders. Employee health and safety is also crucial while climate change and greenhouse gas emissions are dominating on the environmental side and water scarcity is a growing issue. You cannot really choose one single aspect that is important today since sustainability is too complex a topic. Environmental impact is a critical element and we need to manage materials and natural resources responsibly along with health and social aspects.
Seaports are a driving force behind economic development. If ports operate efficiently and in conditions that support growth, the entire national economy gains. However, ports facing barriers and a scarcity of favourable factors have a negative impact on a country’s economy. In terms of sustainable development, it does not suffice to increase the economic potential of ports; it is also necessary to strive for a balance between social and environmental interests so that the sea may provide for everyone, including future generations. It is important to enable ports to operate in such a way as not to stunt their competitiveness but to allow for development without disrupting the social and economic balance. As a lawyer, I humbly invite experts in the field to investigate whether our existing legal instruments in the field of sustainable development of ports match the specific profile of ports as entities and whether the assumptions for sustainable development work well in practice.
The most important aspect of sustainability today is making sure the concept itself is sustainable. We cannot afford to become desensitised to the need for action or be daunted by the scale of the challenge in moving towards true sustainability with a stronger focus on the moment and sustainable development focussing more on a long-term vision.
Dr Mark Said is an advocate