Fundamental Truths
(Section Summary)

Robust and generally acceptable answers to the question “what is sustainability” have remained elusive because all the issues it touches are entrenched in systems that are chaotic and complex (Patterson, 2000). The many diverse outcomes that can occur when human logic is moved by many different factors, including controversial subject matter or false information, does not bode well for sustainability advocates to convince the populace at large that our global situation has problems. We can try to understand how these systems operate but, because of significant scientific uncertainty, we can never be sure how they are going to behave as conditions change. Therefore it is important that we go back to the fundamental, non-refutable basis of why there is a sustainability crisis in today’s world. The diversity of theoretical ideas and applications that point to the need for sustainable development are driven by a list of basic truths. These fundamental truths include:

• Everything material on Earth has limitations.
• Many components of our global system are interconnected.
• Change is the norm, not the exception.
• All socio-economic factors are grounded in a healthy environment imperative.
• Diversity within systems (natural or human) will contribute to the system’s stability and resiliency.
• Uncertainty and ignorance are often associated with complex systems.

How do we best use these truths to advance the concept in the mainstream of discussions where people represent different special interest groups or possess different experiences? Conversation on sustainability has to be in touch with the basic scientific truths that form the foundation for a sustainable future – those facts that pull us back to the roots of the problem. We must encourage the above fundamental (basic) truths of sustainable development to become a part of normal public dialogue in an effort to develop global solidarity in support of sustainable actions. Using these areas of strong consensus as a starting point, it becomes much easier to have a dialogue about problems related to environmental and socio-economic sustainability, using these basic truths for guidance, especially when the true concerns of society are often messy and cross the traditional boundaries of economic, social, and environmental interests. .......... read more!

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