ABSTRACT
Never before in the history of our countries have we had as much knowledge about our natural environment, as many institutions for sustainability and research, as many environmental standards, organizations, professionals and efforts to protect the environment, as now. Paradoxically, we have never had as many serious environmental problems as at present. Ironically, as worldwide governments accept and preach the discourse of sustainability, few concrete and sustainable developments reflect the necessary changes needed to approach the problem of the destruction of our natural environment. Normally, environmental challenges are simplified and focused around climate change; however, recent scientific information suggests that the problems are significantly more complex and are a serious threat to environmental sustainability. Loss of biodiversity, contamination by persistent organic substances, soil degradation and desertification have exceeded tolerable limits and their restoration or care requires knowledge and resources that may not exist or be available. However, positive examples of effective benefits of systematic and coordinated global actions towards a solution, such as in the depletion of the ozone layer, could benefit other approaches towards environmental stability.
