Introduction: The emergence and development of sustainability

This introduction presents an overview of the concepts discussed in the book. The concept of sustainability, as in use today, emerged in the 1960s in response to concern about environmental degradation. After discussing the term 'sustainability', and exploring how to be sustainable, the chapter provides a brief history of the concept of sustainability. A key set of plans aimed at achieving global sustainable development in the 21st century suggested that a balance must be found between the needs of the environment and those of humankind. The chapter provides some critical reviews on the concept of sustainable development, outlining the remarks made on the subject in the subsequent chapters of the book. The climate conferences have reinforced the ideas that most of the opportunities for sustainability lie in combatting unsustainable practices associated with human production and use of energy. The chapter also discusses the approaches for measuring sustainability such as adhering to ISO standards and commitment to corporate social responsibilities.