Sustainability simply refers to the long-term viability of an activity, sys-tem, or series of interdependent systems. Over the years, this simple concept has received a wide range of definitions: Development that meets the needs of of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. [BRUNTLAND] Management practices that are designed to ensure that the exploitation of resources is conducted in a manner that protects the resource base for use by future generations. [FONTANA] Sustainability is an economic state where the demands placed upon the environment by people and commerce can be met with-out reducing the capacity of the environment to provide for fu-ture generations. It can also be expressed in the simple terms of an economic golden rule for the restorative economy: leave the world better than you found it, take no more than you need, try not to harm life of the environment, make amends if you do. [HAWKEN] Principles that seek to establish a dynamic balance between economic, environmental and social priorities, and to improve or maintain human and ecosystem well-being together, both now and into the long-term, locally and globally. [NRTEE]
• in detail • see also: Sustainability definitions by Gro Harlem Bruntland XlnkS652