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Flip to reveal answersDefine economic sustainability.
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All 25 Flashcards — Sustainability
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Question
Define economic sustainability.
Answer
Organising the economy so people’s needs are met over time without the system breaking down.
💡 Hint
Needs over time.
Question
Define sustainability (IB phrasing).
Answer
Meeting current needs without reducing future generations’ ability to meet their needs.
💡 Hint
Needs now + future.
Question
Define sustainability in one line.
Answer
Meeting needs now without reducing future generations’ ability to meet theirs.
💡 Hint
Needs now + future.
Question
Define environmental sustainability.
Answer
Using natural resources and producing waste at rates that stay within ecosystem regeneration and absorption limits.
💡 Hint
Within limits.
Question
Define social sustainability.
Answer
Building societies where people can live healthy, fair, meaningful lives now and in the future.
💡 Hint
Health + fairness + future.
Question
What is a provisioning system?
Answer
How raw materials and energy are turned into goods and services that people use.
💡 Hint
Raw → goods/services.
Question
Name two components of social sustainability.
Answer
Access to healthcare and education (also equality, safety, strong communities, culture).
💡 Hint
Pick any two.
Question
Name one goal of environmental sustainability.
Answer
Do not use resources faster than they are replaced (also reduce pollution, protect biodiversity, allow recovery).
💡 Hint
Any 1 goal.
Question
What is the environmental sustainability “test”?
Answer
Can the ecosystem recover within its natural limits after use/disturbance?
💡 Hint
Recovery.
Question
What are the 3 pillars of sustainability?
Answer
Environmental, social, and economic sustainability (all interconnected).
💡 Hint
3 pillars.
Question
What is social capital?
Answer
Trust, cooperation, and supportive connections between people that increase community resilience.
💡 Hint
Trust + networks.
Question
Strong vs weak sustainability (core difference)?
Answer
Strong: natural capital is irreplaceable; weak: technology can substitute for natural capital.
💡 Hint
Strong = non-substitutable nature.
Question
Why does biodiversity matter for sustainability?
Answer
Biodiversity supports ecosystem functioning and resilience, helping systems recover from disturbance.
💡 Hint
Function + resilience.
Question
Why can markets alone fail in provisioning systems?
Answer
Prices can make essentials unaffordable for vulnerable groups, so support/regulation may be needed.
💡 Hint
Affordability.
Question
Define social capital.
Answer
Trust and supportive connections that help communities function and cope with crises.
💡 Hint
Trust + support.
Question
Define provisioning system.
Answer
How raw materials and energy become goods and services people use.
💡 Hint
Raw → goods.
Question
What simple “test” can students use for environmental sustainability?
Answer
Ask if ecosystems can recover naturally after resource use or disturbance. If not, it is unsustainable.
💡 Hint
Recovery test.
Question
What “hidden role” do households play in sustainability?
Answer
Unpaid care and domestic work supports health and social stability; stressed households weaken system sustainability.
💡 Hint
Unpaid work matters.
Question
Why does social capital matter during crises?
Answer
Communities with high trust/support cope better and recover faster, improving resilience.
💡 Hint
Support = resilience.
Question
What is an example of environmental unsustainability?
Answer
Overfishing can exceed reproduction rates and cause fishery collapse.
💡 Hint
Use overfishing example.
Question
Exam link: how does environmental damage affect social sustainability?
Answer
It can harm health, reduce livelihoods, increase inequality, and weaken community stability.
💡 Hint
Environment → society.
Question
Exam key: economic sustainability is not just what?
Answer
Not just growth; it is meeting basic needs reliably and fairly over time.
💡 Hint
Beyond GDP/growth.
Question
Why are the pillars interconnected?
Answer
Environmental damage can reduce livelihoods and health, increasing inequality and harming economies.
💡 Hint
Chain link.
Question
Top-mark move in essays about sustainability?
Answer
Link environment → society → economy as a chain of dependence; damage in one spreads to others.
💡 Hint
Nested dependencies.
Question
Best exam phrase for environmental sustainability?
Answer
Healthy ecosystems are sustainable because resources are used within limits and materials can be recycled or absorbed naturally.
💡 Hint
Within limits + recovery.
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