Skip to main content
  • 294 Accesses

Abstract

It is undisputable that the laws of physics cannot be changed, and that a prime law states that matter can neither be created nor destroyed. It is equally true that humanity, currently, only has access to the resources of this planet, although it is assumed here that all resources are available, no matter where on the planet they are located.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    The Law of Conservation of Mass-Energy was discovered by Antione Lavoisier in 1785.

  2. 2.

    https://www.opec.org/opec_web/en/data_graphs/331.htm.

  3. 3.

    https://www.internationaltin.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/ITRI-2016-Report-on-Global-Tin-Resources-and-Reserves.pdf.

  4. 4.

    https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/outcomedocuments/agenda21.

  5. 5.

    22nd April 2016.

  6. 6.

    In other words, emissions caused by human activity.

  7. 7.

    https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld.

  8. 8.

    See, for example, DIRECTIVE (EU) 2019/771 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 20 May 2019 on certain aspects, concerning contracts for the sale of goods, amending Regulation (EU) 2017/2394, and Directive 2009/22/EC, and repealing Directive 1999/44/EC, which was part of the continuing aim of improving the operation of the “Single Market”.

  9. 9.

    Discovered by Lavoisier in 1785.

  10. 10.

    Industrial Tin Research Institute.

  11. 11.

    https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/prd-wret/assets/palladium/production/mineral-pubs/copper/.

  12. 12.

    https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/prd-wret/assets/palladium/production/mineral-pubs/lead/.

  13. 13.

    http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_MM_MiningMetalSustainableWorld_ScopingPaper_2014.pdf.

  14. 14.

    https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/, accessed 4 May 2019.

  15. 15.

    The Jevons paradox occurs when technological progress increases the efficiency with which a resource is used, but the rate of consumption of that resource rises due to increasing demand.

  16. 16.

    This law states that total entropy can never decrease and will only remain stable if the system and its surroundings remain constant. In other words, heat from the energy conversion will increase entropy and thereby cause environmental effects.

  17. 17.

    Jean-Baptiste Lamarck (1744–1829) created the first theory of evolution in which he argued that organisms increased in complexity while also adapting to environmental factors. This became known as punctuated equilibrium in which evolution was not gradual but static and subject to incremental changes. This theory is still considered to be as valid as the better known Darwinian theory.

  18. 18.

    https://www.internationalrivers.org/environmental-impacts-of-dams, accessed 5 June 2019.

  19. 19.

    It is an initial assumption in the elementary economics that is soon abandoned. Although it is just a theoretical assumption, deregulation is justified according to it.

  20. 20.

    For instance, like the European Community or the World Trade Organisation.

  21. 21.

    As an instance, invasion to Iraq in 2003, probably, was not decided by agreement.

  22. 22.

    Beneficial dictatorship to run the city states was favoured by the ancient Greeks.

  23. 23.

    See www.unglobalcompact.org.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Seifi, S. (2021). The Sustainability Discourse. In: The World’s Future Crisis: Extractive Resources Depletion. Approaches to Global Sustainability, Markets, and Governance. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6498-1_2

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics