ABSTRACT
The sustainability of the global order depends on the health of the planet, including that of both the people living on it and its ecosystem. Sustainability is a concept that can be applied to society and to the environment. This chapter is concerned with the counterpart to human sustainability is environmental sustainability. It considers the impact of our dependence on nonrenewable resources to fuel the current economic system and also considers environmental sustainability, and its role in global stability. The availability of fossil fuels is not the only concern about the nature of our economic growth and the sustainability of the planet. Human activity affects the planet, including strains on water supplies and arable land. Nation-states have created a variety of international institutions to address environmental degradation, the most important of which date back to the late 1980s. The chapter also considers the role of nongovernmental organizations in addressing sustainability concerns.
