ABSTRACT
We establish sustainable development as an ethical statement, from which we derive three equally important moral imperatives: satisfying human needs, ensuring social justice, and respecting environmental limits. A development path that respects these moral imperatives is sustainable. Consequently, sustainability should be interpreted as a set of constraints on human behaviour, including economic activity. These constraints constitute a sustainable development space within which we can operate safely. Our reasoning is in conflict with the popular three-pillar model of sustainable development, which balances economic, social, and environmental considerations. Rather, we argue that economic growth is neither inherently sustainable nor inherently unsustainable.
