sustainability living within one’s own ecological means生活在自己的生态可持续性的含义.pdf

Sustainability 2009, 1, 1412-1430; doi:10.3390/su1041412 OPEN ACCESS sustainability ISSN 2071-1050 /journal/sustainability Article Sustainability: Living within One’s Own Ecological Means Lee Liu Department of Geography and Interdisciplinary Studies, University of Central Missouri, Wood 8, Warrensburg, MO 64093, USA; E-Mail: laliu@; Tel.: +1-660-543-8789; Fax: +1-660-543-8148. Received: 26 October 2009 / Accepted: 16 December 2009 / Published: 21 December 2009 Abstract: This paper provides a critical review of sustainability, including its definitions, dimensions, measurements, and practices, as well as approaches to achieve sustainability. It raises questions about conventional definitions and argues for taking into account the geographic dimension of sustainability for better understanding of the regional differences in sustainability and transition to sustainability. The paper proposes that sustainability should be defined as ―living within one’s own ecological means.‖ This definition pays attention to regional disparities in biocapacity and ecological footprint. It realizes that not all people’s present and future needs may be met in all regions of the world. Keywords: sustainability definition; sustainability transition; sustainability science; ecological footprint; Environmental Kuznets Curve; geography; weak sustainability; strong sustainability 1. Introduction An enormous increase in publications on