1.2. The three pillars of sustainability

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Sustainability is often divided into three basic dimensions: environmental, social and economic sustainability, which are usually represented by three intersecting circles. At the intersection of these is general sustainability.1 Environmental sustainability serves the long-term preservation of natural assets, economic sustainability aims to live in an economically sustainable way, maintaining living standards in the long term, while social sustainability aims at the sustainability of social capital.2 These are essential for a balanced approach to sustainable development. Complete sustainable development can be achieved through the balance between these pillars and the independent growth of each pillar.3 It is also worth mentioning here that some authors highlight additional pillars, such as the cultural,4 institutional,5 or even technological 6pillars, which are supplemented by additional sub-areas in the sustainable development goals developed by the UN.7 Although many authors mention the emergence of the concept of the three pillars as part of the UN’s sustainability target system, there is also a point of view that attributes their first occurrence to the World Defense Strategy published in 1980,8 which then appeared in numerous documents, mainly in connection with social sustainability.9

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In 1987, Brown and his co-authors mention three distinct perspectives of sustainability,10 to which Barbier adds the need for their interaction and compromises.11 Quite a few authors then deal with the pillar system in various approaches. Purvis and his co-authors divide the literature and trends into two large groups: one is the group of authors who, supporting Barbier’s approach, perceive the individual pillars as separate, yet interacting systems,12 while the other trend, following Brown’s concept, imagines the three pillars as three perspectives, which are separate from each other, but also show connections.13
 
1 Barbier, E. B., Burgess, J. C. (2017). ‘The Sustainable Development Goals and the systems approach to sustainability,’ Economics: The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal, 11(1)1-22. DOI: 10.5018/economics-ejournal.ja.2017-28
2 Dillard, J., Dujon, V., King, M. C. (eds.) (2008). Understanding the Social Dimensions of Sustainability. (London:Routledge). 316. DOI: 4324/9780203892978
3 Kosmopoulos, P. (2023). ‘The way forward for sustainable development,’ In: Kosmopoulos, P., Planning and Management of Solar Power from Space. (Amsterdam:Elsevier). 173-189. DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-823390-0.00001-6 ISBN 9780128233900
4 Soini, K., Birkeland, I. (2014). ‘Exploring the scientific discourse on cultural sustainability.’ Geoforum, 51(12) 213-223. DOI: 10.1016/j.geoforum.2013.12.001
5 Spangenberg, J. H., Pfahl, S., Kerstin Deller, K. (2002). ’Towards indicators for institutional sustainability: lessons from an analysis of Agenda 21.’ Ecological indicators, 2(1-2) 61-77. DOI: 10.1016/S1470-160 X(02)00050-X
6 Hill, R. C., Bowen, P. A. (1997). ‘Sustainable construction: principles and a framework for attainment.’ Construction Management & Economics, 15(3) 223-239. DOI: 10.1080/014461997372971
7 Du Pisani (2006) op. cit.
8 International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, United Nations Environment Programme, World Wildlife Fund, World conservation strategy: Living resource conservation for sustainable development (Gland, Switzerland 1980), ISBN 2-88032-101-8 (Pack)
9International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Proceedings. World conservation congress 13–23 October 1996 Montreal. (Gland: IUCN 1997) ISBN 978-2-8317-0394-72-8317-0394-8
10Brown, B. J., Hanson, M.E., Liverman, D., Merideth, R. (1987). ‘Global sustainability: Toward definition,’ Environmental management, 11(6) 13-719. DOI: 10.1007/BF01867238
11 Barbier-Burgess (2017) op. cit.
12 Cocklin, C. R. (1989). ‘Methodological problems in evaluating sustainability,’ Environmental conservation, 16(4), 343-351. DOI: 10.1017/S0376892900009772; Hancock, T. (1993). ‘Health, human development and the community ecosystem: three ecological models.’ Health Promotion International, 8(1) 41–47. DOI: 10.1093/ heapro /8.1.41
13 Lélé, S. M. (1991). ‘Sustainable development: a critical review.’ World Development, 19(6) 607–621. DOI: 10.1016/0305-750 X( 91)90197-P ; Munasinghe, M. (1993). ‘Environmental Economics and Sustainability Development.’ World Bank Environment Paper No. 3., vi, 122. (Washington, D.C.: World Bank) 12371 ISBN no.; Custance, J., Hillier, H. (1998). ‘Statistical issues in development indicators of sustainable development.’ Journal of the Royal Statistical Society 161(3) 281–290.
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