The concept of sustainability reflects the widespread acknowledgment that present levels of per capita resource consumption in the richer countries cannot possibly be generalized to people living in the rest of the world and cannot be continued into the future. The concern for sustainability has become global, reflecting the serious deterioration in the quality of life in even the most affluent of societies, as the present design of productive systems and consumption patterns threaten the continuity of the existing social organization. Sustainable development is often hailed as the only 'credible' solution, and has accumulated a huge global support base from wealthy nations around the world. In the period around the Earth Summit in 1992, discussion of sustainable development evolved along a trajectory which soon brought it into alignment with market capitalism. When the UN established its Commission in the wake of the Summit, their constitution assumed from the begin

The process of drawing up international treaties, like those of the Earth Summit in Rio, has established new standards for global politics in the area. Although environmentalists remain largely skeptical of the methods proposed by sustainable development, such criticism fails to recognise the finer points of the post-industrial discourse. The strengths of sustainable development lie in it's conservative and realistic manner. The discourse, being open to input from scientific experts and environmental activists, has established a network for discussion and political implementation. Although we have achieved little from an ecological perspective, we must not underestimate the capacity for social and political evolution. Environmentalists must work within the broad framework established by sustainable development and redefine the human relationship with planet Earth.

An important concept in the consideration of such large scale social processes, are the social dynamics behind such a change. Interestingly, although the environmental problems we face today are scientific in nature, what seems to be a scientific debate is actually a debate decided not by facts but political clout. Scientists are routinely ignored by national governments, despite national and international support for the quality of their research and conclusions. It is known, in the study of social evolution, that neither science nor research leads social and political change, but rather both will always be a product of the economic direction at the time.

The international support for sustainable development suggests clear moral support for the discourse as a consensual norm. There can be no doubt that a social and political ideology must be discussed through rational argument, and any sanctions to be implemented should de democratic; the stronger the potential for consensus the better. It is clear that the concept of sustainable development has been the subject of very real and widespread agreement. Regardless of differences of interpretation, the worldwide acknowledgement of sustainable development gives credence to the claim of a global ethic. In this light, the idea and its documentation can be said to have the potential of fulfilling an ideological and mobilising function. William Lafferty writes of sustainable development, "There is a theoretical foundation describing the relationship between man and nature; there are a limi

Some common words found in the essay are:
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