ABSTRACT
This chapter takes a broad view of sustainability: how it has evolved, how it is interpreted, why it is problematic and what it might mean for students and tutors. A key idea is that ‘business as usual’ is no longer an option and that we need to develop new narratives about ourselves and our relationship with the natural world. The text is informed by recent policy initiatives including the UN sustainability goals as well as recent thinking about social justice and planetary limits. As such serves as introduction to themes which will be developed in subsequent chapters.
