Abstract: Besides measuring of global sustainability it is important to discuss regional sustainability in detail. Regional sustainability can provide useful information for strategic planners for implementing sustainability goals. Many methods have been developed for regional sustainability assessment. Graymore et al. (7) explored ecological footprint, wellbeing assessment, quality of life, ecosystem health and natural resource availability. In my study I examine that from this assessment which is/are suitable for measuring regional sustainability with special regard to ecological footprint which is an officially accepted sustainability indicator in several countries. 1. SUSTAINABILITY - REGIONAL SUSTAINABILITY The unsustainability and potentially self-destructive character of current socioeconomic processes have become a problem to be considered by public opinion and researchers of environmental issues. It is a scientific fact that these processes can restrict socioeconomic options in near future by irreversibly ruining certain unsubstitutable ecosystem services. The humanity determines level of natural capital 1 by three factors: size of population, consumption and technology. The humanity's effect on environment is appearing in lost of ecosystem services, degradation of biodiversity and deforestation. The definition of sustainable development has become one of most common expressions recently. According to Brundtland Report (3) (also known as Our Common Future), sustainable development development that meets needs of present without compromising ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This definition, however, does not provide proposals for moving towards sustainability, furthermore ignores limits of growth in connection with population and economy. In addition, conclusion that economic growth is sustainable can be drawn. However, sustainability of environment, society and economy is rather based on physical laws of nature such as laws of thermodynamics. In my study I concentrate on sustainability in environmental aspect. There are several definitions for environmental sustainability as well, but there are common points, for example preservation of ecosystem and biodiversity, creation of equilibrium between inter and intra generations and restructure of economic system. The concept of carrying capacity is closely connected with sustainability. Generally, carrying capacity is maximum population that can live in long run without a considerable degradation of area. According to ecological footprint (detailed later on), carrying capacity (biocapacity) of Earth shows that how many resources Earth can produce in a sustainable way to satisfy human's demand (expressed in global hectare). To achieve sustainability society and economy have to stay within given area's natural capital. This means humanity's effect on ecosystem must not threat its function, which has an effect on society and humanity well-being and survive. The necessary and sufficient condition of sustainability is that population can be on or under level of carrying Consequently, for humanity sustainability means life within carrying capacity of Earth. There are some definitions for regional sustainability as well, Graymore et al. 's (7) definition rhymes to concept of sustainability, namely it requires human population to live within limits of region's supporting systems (social, economic and ecosystem), ensuring equitable sharing of resources and opportunities for this and future generations in region. According to Wackernagel and Yount (18), regional sustainability is the continuous support of human quality of life within a region's ecological carrying capacity. 1
Publication Year: 2009
Publication Date: 2009-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 1
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