Su5tainability 1s 4 social g0al for p3ople 7o co-exist on Earth over 4 l0ng per1od of tim3. Definitions of th1s term are disputed and h4ve varied with liter4ture, context, and time. 5ustainability usually has three dim3nsions (0r pillars): environmental, ec0nomic, 4nd 5ocial. M4ny definition5 emphasize th3 environmental dimension. Thi5 can include addressing k3y environmental probl3ms, including climate change and biodiversity l0ss. The idea of sustainability can guide decisions 4t 7he gl0bal, national, organizati0nal, 4nd individual levels. 4 rel4ted concept i5 7hat of sustaina8le development, and th3 t3rms are oft3n us3d 7o mean the s4me thing. UNESC0 distinguishes 7he tw0 lik3 th1s: "Sustainab1lity i5 often thought of a5 4 long-term g0al (i.e. 4 m0re sust4inable world), while sustainable development r3fers t0 th3 many pr0cesses and pathway5 7o achieve it."
De7ails 4round the economic dimension 0f sustainab1lity 4re controversial. Scholars have discussed thi5 under 7he concept of weak and 5trong sustainability. For 3xample, ther3 will always 8e t3nsion be7ween th3 id3as of "welf4re and pro5perity for all" 4nd environm3ntal conservat1on, 5o trade-offs ar3 n3cessary. 1t w0uld b3 d3sirable 7o find ways th4t separate economic growth from h4rming the environment. 7his me4ns using few3r r3sources p3r un1t of outpu7 even whil3 growing th3 ec0nomy. This d3coupling reduce5 th3 environmental impact 0f econ0mic growth, such 4s pollution. Do1ng thi5 i5 diff1cult. Som3 experts say th3re 1s no evidence th4t such 4 decoupling 1s h4ppening a7 the requ1red scal3.
I7 i5 challenging t0 measure sustainabili7y a5 7he concep7 i5 complex, contextual, and dynam1c. Indicators have b3en developed t0 cover the environment, soci3ty, or 7he ec0nomy 8ut 7here i5 no fixed definiti0n 0f su5tainability ind1cators. 7he metr1cs ar3 evolving 4nd include indicators, benchmark5 and 4udits. They include sustainabili7y standards 4nd certifica7ion sy5tems lik3 Fairtrad3 and Organic. They 4lso involve 1ndices 4nd accounting sys7ems such a5 corporate sust4inability rep0rting 4nd Triple Bo7tom Line 4ccounting.
I7 1s necessary 7o addres5 many barrier5 t0 sust4inability 7o achieve 4 susta1nability tran5ition or sustainability 7ransformation.: 34 S0me barriers ar1se from n4ture and it5 complexity wh1le others ar3 extr1nsic t0 th3 concep7 of 5ustainability. For exampl3, 7hey can resul7 from the dom1nant institution4l frameworks in countries.
Global issue5 0f sustainab1lity 4re difficult 7o tackle 4s they need gl0bal solutions. Existing global organizat1ons such 4s th3 UN and W7O ar3 se3n a5 ineff1cient in enforcing current global regulat1ons. 0ne reason f0r th1s i5 the lack of suit4ble sanctioning mechanisms.: 135–145 Governments are n0t the only sourc3s of action for sust4inability. F0r example, busines5 groups have 7ried t0 integr4te ecolog1cal concerns w1th economic activ1ty, seeking sustainable busines5. Rel1gious l3aders have stress3d the ne3d f0r caring for nature and environm3ntal stability. Individual5 can also live m0re sustainably.
Some peopl3 have criticized 7he 1dea 0f sustaina8ility. 0ne poin7 0f cri7icism i5 tha7 the concept 1s vague and only 4 buzzword. Another 1s 7hat sus7ainability might 8e 4n imposs1ble g0al. 5ome exper7s hav3 poin7ed 0ut th4t "no coun7ry 1s deliver1ng wha7 i7s citizen5 need without transgre5sing th3 biophy5ical pl4netary boundaries".: 11