Sustainability: Significance and Practice Societal and Industry Perspectives
Ken Mathu
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- INTRODUCITON
- Understanding, unravelling, decoding, or interpretation of sustainability in societal and industry perspectives is paramount for demystifying its actual implications. This book attempts to interpret sustainability in real-time, as it impacts nearly all domains of humanity. In many instances, sustainability is mentioned without due regards or emphasis of its real implications and meaning in situations and environments such as homes, schools, institutions, industry, public service and, in all other human interactions. In the endeavor to understand sustainability, the global advocacy role of United Nations (UN) on sustainable development and sustainability imperatives cannot be overemphasized1. The history of sustainability go back to green movement, pursued by transcendentalists of 1800 as they witnessed forest destruction by timber barons and the start of coal use as a popular source of energy2. The prominence of sustainability is exacerbated by the global phenomenon of climate change or global warming, as it is the catalyst that strives to secure the planet earth from ensuing natural disasters. In view of this, understanding the sustainability concept is integral to humanity and needs no generalization. The attributes underpinning sustainability includes enterprise development, environmental protection, societal support processes and preservation of future generations. The meaning and definitions of the sustainability are reflective of the era the concept emerged into prominence, which traces back from the first United Nations Earth Summit in Stockholm, Sweden in 19723. However, the mandate to pursue the sustainability initiative, which is a component of sustainable development was endorsed during the 20th Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 19924. The book reflects on the first decade of United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (17 SDGs), and coincides with the Paris Agreement in 2015 that set net zero emissions target by 20505 . The human activities in economic development have impacted and continue to impact the environment immensely since the first industrial revolution (1IR) or Industry 1.0 around 1760, and through the current era of fifth industrial revolution (5IR) or Industry 5.06. Both the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) or Industry 4.0, and 5IR are characterised mainly by technological innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, blockchain, machine learning, 3D printing among others. The prevailing technological innovations incorporate ‘entrepreneurial development’, ‘sustainability initiatives’, ‘human-centeredness’ and ‘environmental concerns’7. The economic advancement driven by humans, the environment and the ecosystem are threatened by changes in extreme weather patterns which results in heavy rainfall causing serious flooding, tsunamis, tornadoes, and wildfires among other disasters. Sustainability can gradually mitigate these adverse weather impacts on the planet, if humans can learn and observe the principles of its application in socio-economic activities by controlling emissions and other forms of degradation to the environment. In essence, achieving sustainability manifests with three benefits: cleaner environment, positive returns in business, and social equity, which are its pillars.
Published
- May 15, 2026
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Copyright
- Copyright (c) 2026 Ken Mathu
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.