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52-462: The Drukpa nuns are best known for their social activism and humanitarian work. They also occupy leadership roles in their nunneries, performing basic trades and management skills. The Kung Fu Nuns began to grow in rank when the Gyalwang Drukpa sought ways to expand opportunities for them after becoming frustrated with women's lack of access to educational opportunities and equal treatment in

104-546: A sustainability transition or sustainability transformation . Some barriers arise from nature and its complexity while others are extrinsic to the concept of sustainability. For example, they can result from the dominant institutional frameworks in countries. Global issues of sustainability are difficult to tackle as they need global solutions. Existing global organizations such as the UN and WTO are seen as inefficient in enforcing current global regulations. One reason for this

156-589: A 43% increase since 2011. Seeing an opportunity to assist women in India who felt increasingly threatened in public, the nuns hosted nearly 100 women from their early teens to young adulthood to teach them effective self-defense skills at Hemis Monastery in Ladakh. The nuns hosted the second self-defence workshop with Live to Love India in July 2018. The Kung Fu Nuns gained international attention in 2016 when they completed

208-616: A 5000-kilometer round trip bicycle journey – called a yatra ("pilgrimage") – through the Himalayas from Kathmandu, Nepal to Ladakh . In each village, they stopped to lead prayer, discuss the importance of environmental sustainability, and promote women’s empowerment in the wake of a 15% increase in human trafficking cases following the April 2015 Nepal earthquake . The nuns – and the Gyalwang Drukpa – received special permission from

260-403: A conservation and replanting of timber that there can be a continuous, ongoing and sustainable use". The shift in use of "sustainability" from preservation of forests (for future wood production) to broader preservation of environmental resources (to sustain the world for future generations) traces to a 1972 book by Ernst Basler, based on a series of lectures at M.I.T. The idea itself goes back

312-541: A high degree of social sustainability would lead to livable communities with a good quality of life (being fair, diverse, connected and democratic). Indigenous communities might have a focus on particular aspects of sustainability, for example spiritual aspects, community-based governance and an emphasis on place and locality. Some experts have proposed further dimensions. These could cover institutional, cultural, political, and technical dimensions. Hemis Monastery Too Many Requests If you report this error to

364-428: A long period of time. Definitions of this term are disputed and have varied with literature, context, and time. Sustainability usually has three dimensions (or pillars): environmental, economic, and social. Many definitions emphasize the environmental dimension. This can include addressing key environmental problems , including climate change and biodiversity loss . The idea of sustainability can guide decisions at

416-489: A new development path was required, one that sustained human progress not just in a few pieces for a few years, but for the entire planet into the distant future. Thus 'sustainable development' becomes a goal not just for the 'developing' nations, but for industrial ones as well. The Rio Declaration from 1992 is seen as "the foundational instrument in the move towards sustainability". It includes specific references to ecosystem integrity. The plan associated with carrying out

468-426: A single specific definition of sustainability may never be possible. But the concept is still useful. There have been attempts to define it, for example: Some definitions focus on the environmental dimension. The Oxford Dictionary of English defines sustainability as: "the property of being environmentally sustainable; the degree to which a process or enterprise is able to be maintained or continued while avoiding

520-402: A very long time: Communities have always worried about the capacity of their environment to sustain them in the long term. Many ancient cultures, traditional societies , and indigenous peoples have restricted the use of natural resources. The terms sustainability and sustainable development are closely related. In fact, they are often used to mean the same thing. Both terms are linked with

572-450: Is bad for the environment. Others focus more on the trade-offs between environmental conservation and achieving welfare goals for basic needs (food, water, health, and shelter). Economic development can indeed reduce hunger or energy poverty . This is especially the case in the least developed countries . That is why Sustainable Development Goal 8 calls for economic growth to drive social progress and well-being. Its first target

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624-520: Is for: "at least 7 per cent GDP growth per annum in the least developed countries". However, the challenge is to expand economic activities while reducing their environmental impact. In other words, humanity will have to find ways how societal progress (potentially by economic development) can be reached without excess strain on the environment. The Brundtland report says poverty causes environmental problems. Poverty also results from them. So addressing environmental problems requires understanding

676-412: Is known through scientific study to applications in pursuit of what people want for the future." The 1983 UN Commission on Environment and Development ( Brundtland Commission ) had a big influence on the use of the term sustainability today. The commission's 1987 Brundtland Report provided a definition of sustainable development . The report, Our Common Future , defines it as development that "meets

728-411: Is not a new phenomenon. But it has been only a local or regional concern for most of human history. Awareness of global environmental issues increased in the 20th century. The harmful effects and global spread of pesticides like DDT came under scrutiny in the 1960s. In the 1970s it emerged that chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were depleting the ozone layer . This led to the de facto ban of CFCs with

780-657: Is polluting fresh water in the Himalayan villages. The nuns visit villages on other occasions to speak about the importance of recycling and reducing dependence on plastic. In 2017, the Kung Fu Nuns hosted their first-ever self-defense training, which they organized for Himalayan women after an increase in sex attacks in India . According to the Indian National Crime Records Bureau , more than 34,000 rapes were reported in India in 2015,

832-418: Is the lack of suitable sanctioning mechanisms . Governments are not the only sources of action for sustainability. For example, business groups have tried to integrate ecological concerns with economic activity, seeking sustainable business . Religious leaders have stressed the need for caring for nature and environmental stability. Individuals can also live more sustainably . Some people have criticized

884-730: The Montreal Protocol in 1987. In the early 20th century, Arrhenius discussed the effect of greenhouse gases on the climate (see also: history of climate change science ). Climate change due to human activity became an academic and political topic several decades later. This led to the establishment of the IPCC in 1988 and the UNFCCC in 1992. In 1972, the UN Conference on the Human Environment took place. It

936-531: The natural resources and ecosystem services needed for economies and society. The concept of sustainable development has come to focus on economic development , social development and environmental protection for future generations. Scholars usually distinguish three different areas of sustainability. These are the environmental, the social, and the economic. Several terms are in use for this concept. Authors may speak of three pillars, dimensions, components, aspects, perspectives, factors, or goals. All mean

988-516: The "integrity of the earth's life-support systems" was essential for sustainability. The authors said that "the SDGs fail to recognize that planetary, people and prosperity concerns are all part of one earth system, and that the protection of planetary integrity should not be a means to an end, but an end in itself". The aspect of environmental protection is not an explicit priority for the SDGs. This causes problems as it could encourage countries to give

1040-441: The "three dimensions of sustainability" concept. One distinction is that sustainability is a general concept, while sustainable development can be a policy or organizing principle. Scholars say sustainability is a broader concept because sustainable development focuses mainly on human well-being. Sustainable development has two linked goals. It aims to meet human development goals. It also aims to enable natural systems to provide

1092-400: The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with their 169 targets as balancing "the three dimensions of sustainable development, the economic, social and environmental". Scholars have discussed how to rank the three dimensions of sustainability. Many publications state that the environmental dimension is the most important. ( Planetary integrity or ecological integrity are other terms for

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1144-458: The 1960s and 1970s. This led to discussions on sustainability and sustainable development. This process began in the 1970s with concern for environmental issues. These included natural ecosystems or natural resources and the human environment. It later extended to all systems that support life on Earth, including human society. Reducing these negative impacts on the environment would improve environmental sustainability. Environmental pollution

1196-577: The Brundtland Report, the environment and development are inseparable and go together in the search for sustainability. It described sustainable development as a global concept linking environmental and social issues. It added sustainable development is important for both developing countries and industrialized countries : The 'environment' is where we all live; and 'development' is what we all do in attempting to improve our lot within that abode. The two are inseparable. [...] We came to see that

1248-815: The English language. In 2010, they rebuilt their road up Druk Amitabha Mountain for the second time, serving not only the nunnery but the Live to Love-built eye clinic and the nearby village of Ramkot. After the 2015 earthquake, the nunnery was as devastated as the rest of Kathmandu Valley. The sisters repaired solar panels, laid new tiles in the front yard, and rebuilt their broken compound wall while still traveling to remote sites to help villagers recover. The order now has about 800 sisters, ranging in age from 8-80, in four nunneries: The Drukpa nuns are community activists, promoting gender equality, environmental sustainability , and intercultural tolerance in their home villages in

1300-601: The Himalayas, where women’s access to educational and economic opportunities are some of the lowest in the world. Prompted by the Gyalwang Drukpa’s belief that community service is a key part of religious faith and practice, the nuns have played an active role in regional relief efforts, promoting awareness about human trafficking, and working to preach and practice environmentally sustainable lifestyles. They also operate health care clinics – offering free eye care camps to villagers – and rescue stray and wounded animals throughout

1352-724: The Indian government to travel through Kashmir , which was experiencing heightened border tensions at the time. In these villages, the nuns preached the value of non-violence, interfaith tolerance, and peace. In 2018, the Kung Fu Nuns completed a second bicycle yatra since the inceease in human trafficking after the earthquake, and their fifth in total. The route took them 3000 miles from Nepal through South India to Delhi and finally Darjeeling . The Drukpa nuns were invited to London in 2012 for Kung Fu demonstrations as part of that year's pre-Olympic celebrations. A small team performed kata and stickwork for appreciative audiences. In 2017,

1404-632: The Kung Fu Nuns were invited to speak and perform at the Reuters Trust Conference, where they demonstrated their work and spoke about their efforts to achieve gender equality in their home region. The Kung Fu Nuns received the Asia Society ' s Asia Game Changer Award in New York City on 24 October 2019. Environmental sustainability Sustainability is a social goal for people to co-exist on Earth over

1456-499: The Rio Declaration also discusses sustainability in this way. The plan, Agenda 21 , talks about economic, social, and environmental dimensions: Countries could develop systems for monitoring and evaluation of progress towards achieving sustainable development by adopting indicators that measure changes across economic, social and environmental dimensions. Agenda 2030 from 2015 also viewed sustainability in this way. It sees

1508-439: The SDGs. It should also show how to address the trade-offs between ecological footprint and economic development. The social dimension of sustainability is not well defined. One definition states that a society is sustainable in social terms if people do not face structural obstacles in key areas. These key areas are health, influence, competence, impartiality and meaning-making . Some scholars place social issues at

1560-761: The UN launched eight Millennium Development Goals . The aim was for the global community to achieve them by 2015. Goal 7 was to "ensure environmental sustainability". But this goal did not mention the concepts of social or economic sustainability. Specific problems often dominate public discussion of the environmental dimension of sustainability: In the 21st century these problems have included climate change , biodiversity and pollution. Other global problems are loss of ecosystem services , land degradation , environmental impacts of animal agriculture and air and water pollution , including marine plastic pollution and ocean acidification . Many people worry about human impacts on

1612-482: The art and help build the nuns’ self-confidence. They train regularly and most have achieved black belts. Jigme Yanching Kamu, a nun since she was ten, told CNN's Great Big Story in the summer of 2019, that 'Kung Fu trains us to focus our minds for meditation.' All the nuns have the same first name, Jigme, which is Tibetan for "fearless one." The nuns are taught to drive, lead prayer, and many trades skills – including plumbing, typing, cycling, solar panel installation and

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1664-478: The economic dimension of sustainability are controversial. Scholars have discussed this under the concept of weak and strong sustainability . For example, there will always be tension between the ideas of "welfare and prosperity for all" and environmental conservation , so trade-offs are necessary. It would be desirable to find ways that separate economic growth from harming the environment . This means using fewer resources per unit of output even while growing

1716-453: The economy but there is no fixed definition of sustainability indicators . The metrics are evolving and include indicators , benchmarks and audits. They include sustainability standards and certification systems like Fairtrade and Organic . They also involve indices and accounting systems such as corporate sustainability reporting and Triple Bottom Line accounting . It is necessary to address many barriers to sustainability to achieve

1768-399: The economy. This decoupling reduces the environmental impact of economic growth, such as pollution . Doing this is difficult. Some experts say there is no evidence that such a decoupling is happening at the required scale. It is challenging to measure sustainability as the concept is complex, contextual, and dynamic. Indicators have been developed to cover the environment, society, or

1820-590: The environment . These include impacts on the atmosphere, land, and water resources . Human activities now have an impact on Earth's geology and ecosystems . This led Paul Crutzen to call the current geological epoch the Anthropocene . The economic dimension of sustainability is controversial. This is because the term development within sustainable development can be interpreted in different ways. Some may take it to mean only economic development and growth . This can promote an economic system that

1872-540: The environment includes society, and society includes economic conditions. Thus it stresses a hierarchy. Another model shows the three dimensions in a similar way: In this SDG wedding cake model , the economy is a smaller subset of the societal system. And the societal system in turn is a smaller subset of the biosphere system. In 2022 an assessment examined the political impacts of the Sustainable Development Goals. The assessment found that

1924-495: The environment less weight in their developmental plans. The authors state that "sustainability on a planetary scale is only achievable under an overarching Planetary Integrity Goal that recognizes the biophysical limits of the planet". Other frameworks bypass the compartmentalization of sustainability into separate dimensions completely. The environmental dimension is central to the overall concept of sustainability. People became more and more aware of environmental pollution in

1976-426: The environmental dimension.) Protecting ecological integrity is the core of sustainability according to many experts. If this is the case then its environmental dimension sets limits to economic and social development. The diagram with three nested ellipses is one way of showing the three dimensions of sustainability together with a hierarchy: It gives the environmental dimension a special status. In this diagram,

2028-539: The factors behind world poverty and inequality. The report demands a new development path for sustained human progress. It highlights that this is a goal for both developing and industrialized nations. UNEP and UNDP launched the Poverty-Environment Initiative in 2005 which has three goals. These are reducing extreme poverty, greenhouse gas emissions, and net natural asset loss. This guide to structural reform will enable countries to achieve

2080-412: The global, national, organizational, and individual levels. A related concept is that of sustainable development , and the terms are often used to mean the same thing. UNESCO distinguishes the two like this: " Sustainability is often thought of as a long-term goal (i.e. a more sustainable world), while sustainable development refers to the many processes and pathways to achieve it." Details around

2132-492: The idea of sustainability. One point of criticism is that the concept is vague and only a buzzword . Another is that sustainability might be an impossible goal. Some experts have pointed out that "no country is delivering what its citizens need without transgressing the biophysical planetary boundaries". Sustainability is regarded as a " normative concept ". This means it is based on what people value or find desirable: "The quest for sustainability involves connecting what

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2184-546: The importance of the Himalayan Glacier and its rivers. Waterkeeper Alliance trains individuals and groups to collect and communicate these water quality metrics that are then used by the organization to press for watershed protection. The sisters form a significant part of the spiritual entourage of the Gyalwang Drukpa, who leads annual “Eco Pad Yatras” – holy pilgrimages that also allow the nuns and other walkers to clean up toxic waste and dangerous plastic litter that

2236-561: The intersection of economics, the environment, and the social. There are many broad strategies for more sustainable social systems. They include improved education and the political empowerment of women . This is especially the case in developing countries. They include greater regard for social justice . This involves equity between rich and poor both within and between countries. And it includes intergenerational equity . Providing more social safety nets to vulnerable populations would contribute to social sustainability. A society with

2288-481: The long term. The concept of sustainability, or Nachhaltigkeit in German, goes back to Hans Carl von Carlowitz (1645–1714), and applied to forestry . The term for this now would be sustainable forest management . He used this term to mean the long-term responsible use of a natural resource. In his 1713 work Silvicultura oeconomica, he wrote that "the highest art/science/industriousness [...] will consist in such

2340-478: The long-term depletion of natural resources". The term sustainability is derived from the Latin word sustinere . "To sustain" can mean to maintain, support, uphold, or endure. So sustainability is the ability to continue over a long period of time. In the past, sustainability referred to environmental sustainability. It meant using natural resources so that people in the future could continue to rely on them in

2392-442: The needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". The report helped bring sustainability into the mainstream of policy discussions. It also popularized the concept of sustainable development . Some other key concepts to illustrate the meaning of sustainability include: In everyday usage, sustainability often focuses on the environmental dimension. Scholars say that

2444-478: The nuns collaborate on relief and conservation projects, the nuns delivered 3000 tons of rice and 500 tons of milk to affected villagers and built 10,000 temporary shelters across the region. The Kung Fu Nuns have assisted Waterkeeper Alliance in its work to ensure access to clean fresh water in the Himalayas. Over 200 nuns serve as volunteer water quality monitors, part of a larger network of Waterkeeper organizations and affiliates that seek to spread awareness about

2496-493: The region. After the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake , the nuns trekked from Amitabha Monastery in Kathmandu to nearby villages to remove rubble, salvage villagers’ possessions, and clear pathways. They also delivered food and medical aid to affected villagers. Many of these villages were inaccessible to traditional relief organizations and government aid. According to the humanitarian nonprofit Live to Love International, with which

2548-483: The region. “If the girl has no opportunity, then even the parents think that the girl is useless,” the Gyalwang Drukpa told Global Citizen in 2017, reacting to a human trafficking epidemic that has swept the Himalayan region. "[They say,] ‘I have a baby girl, so I have to sell it.’" Contravening centuries of the Buddhist tradition, the Gyalwang Drukpa hired a Vietnamese kung fu master and ten nuns in 2008 to teach them

2600-411: The same thing in this context. The three dimensions paradigm has few theoretical foundations. The popular three intersecting circles, or Venn diagram , representing sustainability first appeared in a 1987 article by the economist Edward Barbier . Scholars rarely question the distinction itself. The idea of sustainability with three dimensions is a dominant interpretation in the literature. In

2652-425: The very center of discussions. They suggest that all the domains of sustainability are social. These include ecological , economic, political, and cultural sustainability. These domains all depend on the relationship between the social and the natural. The ecological domain is defined as human embeddedness in the environment. From this perspective, social sustainability encompasses all human activities. It goes beyond

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2704-446: Was the first UN conference on environmental issues. It stated it was important to protect and improve the human environment. It emphasized the need to protect wildlife and natural habitats: The natural resources of the earth, including the air, water, land, flora and fauna and [...] natural ecosystems must be safeguarded for the benefit of present and future generations through careful planning or management, as appropriate. In 2000,

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