PrintLesson 6.1 A Framework for Sustainability
Sustainability means using resources in a way that meets our current needs without preventing future generations from meeting theirs. It's about finding a balance between what we take from the environment and what we leave behind, ensuring that our actions today don't harm the planet or deplete its resources for tomorrow.
Example from Daily Life:
Consider the simple act of using a reusable water bottle instead of disposable plastic ones. By choosing a reusable bottle, you reduce plastic waste and the demand for new plastic production, which in turn conserves the natural resources and energy needed to produce them. This small change supports environmental sustainability by minimizing pollution and resource depletion.
UN's "Our Common Future":
The United Nations' Brundtland Commission released a report in 1987 titled "Our Common Future," which provided a widely accepted definition of sustainable development: "Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." This emphasizes the importance of balancing economic growth, social equity, and environmental protection to ensure a sustainable future for all (ref: modified from Wikipedia).
When it comes to using resources, many think of sustainable practices as those that consume resources needed by society, but at a rate no greater than that which will ensure the availability of those resources to futures generations so that they may meet their needs. Usually, it is assumed, if not stated explicitly, that the production of these resources is done without harm to the environment. When I think about mining’s need to be sustainable, I think about an industry whose practices are congruent with society’s values. Let’s try to better understand just what that means to the practicing mining professional.
The three dimensions of sustainability are economy, society, and environment; and are represented in Figure 6.1.1, which illustrates that economy and society are constrained by the environment (planet Earth).
A representation that I like even better is shown in Figure 6.1.2. My preference for this representation lies with the two-way intersections that create the bearable, equitable, and viable regions of the diagram; and then of course, the three-way intersection of these to define the sustainable region of the diagram. The bearable, equitable, and viable regions align well with the sustainability challenges associated with mining and minerals recovery, and we will use this model in our discussion.
For the purposes of this discussion, I’ll use the word project to represent the mining operation. I will generally use both the future and present tenses in this discussion of the regions in the Venn Diagram. IF we are considering a new project, we will most likely be considering future actions, and the future tense is appropriate in such a discussion. Once the project is underway, our actions are occurring in the present, and consequently the present tense is required. Sustainability considerations must guide our present actions on existing projects as well as how we move forward with proposed projects.
I’ll illuminate through examples what we mean by the terms used in the Venn diagram (Figure 6.1.2). Please note that my examples are not exhaustive, but rather are intended to give you a deeper understanding of each term.