Understanding the Role of Sustainability

The essence of Sustainability: Lichen in balance with its East Greenland environment. Image by Ruth H. Leeney 2009

Introduction

Understanding Sustainability means understanding how to have a successful relationship with the Earth. Studying sustainability doesn’t just change the way we think, it also changes the way we learn.

Natural resources are complex, non-linear, biotic (living) systems. These systems interact with their abiotic (non living) environment. Successful systems have achieved a balance with their environment that we refer to as Sustainability. This value, really a principle value,  is  derived from complex interactions of internal mechanisms within that resource system. The scientific term for internal values of resource systems are known as “emergent properties”.  Natural resource systems also have other emergent properties: interactive relationships; integrity; resilience; adaptation and even feedback loops with other systems, such as geological systems. These properties are all generated by synergistic, non-linear relationships within each complex natural resource system.

We can’t learn about Sustainability or any of the other emergent properties, using traditional scientific reductionism. Sustainability is a value that just can’t exist alone, outside of the system it is a part of. Just like single organisms don’t really exist all alone. For example, a study of Eastern Cottontails, made by removing them from their ecosystem, may produce misleading data. We need to seriously consider “systems study”. In our example, understanding Cottontails would require studying them within the system they are part of.  This would provide data on their needs for food and shelter as well as the impacts of predation from foxes, coyotes, hawks and owls. Sustainable natural resource systems need to be understood by studying them as systems.

Sustainable Systems Study requires change in learning

Response to environmental problems in natural resource systems too often focuses on the problem itself. The actual cause of the problem can easily become orphaned by focusing on the response. This is referred to as “single loop learning”: characteristically focusing traditional response on the problem, using patterned learning. An example of this would be beach erosion: Each winter, wind erodes sand from a pedestrian beach path and blows it into a parking lot. Each spring, the sand is moved back.

A systems approach teaches us that natural resource problems AND their causes, may be part of and possibly have a relationship within, the same system. A systems response to environmental problems should always consider problems AND causes, as parts of the same system. This is referred to as “double loop learning”: including the cause of the problem in the solution to the problem. An example of this would be with the same beach erosion problem: Winter wind blows sand from a beach path into a parking lot. In the spring, the sand is moved back but in this example, sand fencing is installed and beach grass is planted. The fencing channels pedestrian access and provides short term erosion control. The planted grass will re-establish the natural, sustainable system that was impacted by random foot traffic, providing long term sand stabilization.

Sustainable Systems Analysis requires change in thinking

Natural resource problems may be complex. Chemical, biological and geological interactions easily justify collaboration with knowledgeable parties. Work together to identify the problem and the likely causes of the problem.

Cartesian theory dictates there can only be one right answer to a problem. Sustainability teaches us that we need to consider alternative solutions. Sustainable resource systems are responsive and have the capacity to balance. Develop collaborative, alternative solutions.

Natural resource systems are non linear. Use non linear, lateral thinking to collaboratively develop alternative solutions.

Sustainable solutions should address the fourth dimension of time. Massachusetts Indians would make decisions “for 5 generations”. We need to assess the consequences of each alternative before choosing one.

Sustainable solutions should address linkage. Effective solutions should be able to link to next larger scale systems. Such as a small coastal restoration that has to work within the overall, regional coastal process.

Sustainable solutions are developed from a collaborative, preferred alternative.

Follow through and monitor system responses, using baseline data, indicator species and adaptive management strategies.

Summary

Sustainable solutions to complex natural resource problems require an understanding of the interactive components. Sustainable solutions contribute to re-establishing impacted components in their context. At some point, we must step back and allow a balance to be achieved. Energy is introduced and recycled. With restorations, some plants may die while others may flourish. Animal populations may fluctuate. Erosion and deposition may redistribute geomass. Impacted natural resource systems may take several years to re-establish themselves and actually become sustainable. BUT they should become more sustainable each year. That means requiring less external energy, less support and less adaptive management. As complex natural resource systems work to achieve sustainability, they may also be redefining themselves, linking to other systems, or linking to systems of larger scale.

Many complex, Sustainable, resource system subsets are closed loop with no net imports or exports; some components may have no significant interactions. Sustainable systems have the ability to compensate for external or anthropogenic stress. To a degree, albeit an unknown degree. When Sustainable systems collapse, restoration efforts may not be able to restore sustainability, simply because the stress has been removed. The resource may redefine itself in a non linear, unpredictable manner, becoming a different system.  The failure of the Canadian Cod to re establish itself, when fishing was halted for 10 years, would be an example.

Conclusion

Sustainable systems also link complex environmental, economic and social elements, conserving effort, resources and finances. Once we think sustainably, we will be compelled to consider the environmental, social and economical consequences of our decisions on future generations.

Sustainability is the simple concept of complex natural resource systems and communities being able to take care of themselves and each other.