Weak Sustainability
Weak sustainability allows this between natural and manufactured capital.
What is substitution
Strong sustainability requires maintaining this kind of capital separately.
What is critical natural capital
Both Solow and strong sustainability focus on fairness between these groups.
Who are present and future generations
This concept describes an ecosystem’s ability to absorb disturbance
What is resilience
Weak sustainability mainly values the environment using this approach
What is monetary valuation
Weak sustainability defines success as non-declining this over time.
What is welfare or consumption
Strong sustainability rejects unlimited versions of this assumption.
What is substitutability
Solow allows this, while strong sustainability limits it.
What is substitution between natural and manufactured capital
Ecological systems often respond to stress in this way, not smoothly
What is non-linearity
Ayres argues markets often fail to account for environmental damage because of this
What are externalities
This indicator is commonly used to operationalize weak sustainability.
What is green GDP or adjusted net savings
Some ecosystem services are considered this under strong sustainability.
What are non-substitutable or irreplaceable
Solow defines sustainability in terms of this, while strong sustainability emphasizes ecosystems
What is well-being or productive capacity
Pushing ecological limits can cause this outcome
What is a regime shift
The authors argue prices do not reflect the true importance of these ecosystem functions
What are life-support functions
This island nation illustrates the dangers of weak sustainability.
What is Nauru
This ethical view supports preserving nature regardless of economic value.
What are rights of nature or intrinsic value arguments
Weak sustainability relies on this institution more than strong sustainability does.
What is the market
This ecological scientist’s work is used to explain resilience in the reading
Who is C.S. Holling
Strong sustainability prefers measuring ecosystems using these instead of money
What are physical or biophysical indicators
Weak sustainability is most closely associated with these economists.
Who are Hartwick and Solow
Strong sustainability aligns more closely with this scientific field.
What is ecology or natural science
Ayres argues Solow-style sustainability fails this test across sciences.
What is consilience
The reading argues ecosystems can suddenly collapse when this is crossed
What is a threshold or tipping point
The paper argues sustainability policy should follow this principle under uncertainty
What is the precautionary principle