IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/sustdv/v33y2025i4p5983-5997.html

Sustainability Strategies: What’s in a Name?: A Conceptual Restatement of Fundamental Mechanisms Toward Sustainability

Author

Listed:
  • Eric Hartmann

Abstract

Efficiency, consistency, and sufficiency are repeatedly discussed under the umbrella term sustainability strategies. However, their use is rather intuitive yet vague, lacking a conceptual foundation. This is particularly problematic as sustainability challenges necessitate effective and fast implementation of all strategies at hand. A deep conceptual understanding of such strategies is necessary but not yet provided by existing research. Therefore, this paper introduces a framework of sustainability strategies, founded on an explicated working conception of sustainability. On this basis, five intergenerational sustainability strategies targeting environmental impacts are discussed (population reduction, sufficiency, efficiency increase, consistency increase, regeneration expansion). Additionally, the paper introduces five intragenerational sustainability strategies targeting the intragenerational dimension of justice inherent in sustainability (capability empowerment, equalization, eco‐efficiency increase, impact expansion, population reduction). For each strategy, potential contributions, limitations, and examples for practical implementation are briefly sketched. The main contribution of this paper is the introduction of a conceptually grounded framework of sustainability strategies. The framework may motivate further empirical studies regarding the importance of sustainability strategies in diverse contexts, as well as the practical implementation of all feasible strategies to face recent sustainability crises.

Suggested Citation

  • Eric Hartmann, 2025. "Sustainability Strategies: What’s in a Name?: A Conceptual Restatement of Fundamental Mechanisms Toward Sustainability," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(4), pages 5983-5997, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:33:y:2025:i:4:p:5983-5997
    DOI: 10.1002/sd.3443
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.3443
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/sd.3443?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Piero Morseletto, 2020. "Restorative and regenerative: Exploring the concepts in the circular economy," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 24(4), pages 763-773, August.
    2. Marian R. Chertow, 2000. "The IPAT Equation and Its Variants," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 4(4), pages 13-29, October.
    3. Julius Brinken & Sebastian Trojahn & Fabian Behrendt, 2022. "Sufficiency, Consistency, and Efficiency as a Base for Systemizing Sustainability Measures in Food Supply Chains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-18, May.
    4. Dorninger, Christian & Hornborg, Alf & Abson, David J. & von Wehrden, Henrik & Schaffartzik, Anke & Giljum, Stefan & Engler, John-Oliver & Feller, Robert L. & Hubacek, Klaus & Wieland, Hanspeter, 2021. "Global patterns of ecologically unequal exchange: Implications for sustainability in the 21st century," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    5. Duncan McLaren, 2020. "Quantifying the potential scale of mitigation deterrence from greenhouse gas removal techniques," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 162(4), pages 2411-2428, October.
    6. Bill Hopwood & Mary Mellor & Geoff O'Brien, 2005. "Sustainable development: mapping different approaches," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 13(1), pages 38-52.
    7. York, Richard & Rosa, Eugene A. & Dietz, Thomas, 2003. "STIRPAT, IPAT and ImPACT: analytic tools for unpacking the driving forces of environmental impacts," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(3), pages 351-365, October.
    8. Rudolf, Marco & Schmidt, Mario, 2025. "Efficiency, sufficiency and consistency in sustainable development: Reassessing strategies for reaching overarching goals," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 227(C).
    9. repec:sae:envval:v:24:y:2015:i:3:p:367-389 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Harald Heinrichs, 2022. "Sustainable Statehood: Reflections on Critical (Pre-)Conditions, Requirements and Design Options," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-14, August.
    11. Joern Fischer & Steffen Farny & David J. Abson & Vânia Zuin Zeidler & Maria Salisch & Stefan Schaltegger & Berta Martín-López & Vicky M. Temperton & Klaus Kümmerer, 2024. "Mainstreaming regenerative dynamics for sustainability," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 7(8), pages 964-972, August.
    12. Maristella Bergaglio, 2017. "The contemporary illusion: population growth and sustainability," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 19(5), pages 2023-2038, October.
    13. Frances Stewart, 2019. "The Human Development Approach: An Overview," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(2), pages 135-153, April.
    14. Will McDowall & Yong Geng & Beijia Huang & Eva Barteková & Raimund Bleischwitz & Serdar Türkeli & René Kemp & Teresa Doménech, 2017. "Circular Economy Policies in China and Europe," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 21(3), pages 651-661, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Claudia García-García & Catalina B. García-García & Román Salmerón, 2021. "Confronting collinearity in environmental regression models: evidence from world data," Statistical Methods & Applications, Springer;Società Italiana di Statistica, vol. 30(3), pages 895-926, September.
    2. Casey, Gregory & Galor, Oded, 2017. "Is faster economic growth compatible with reductions in carbon emissions? The role of diminished population growth," MPRA Paper 76164, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Hwang, In Chang, 2013. "Stochastic Kaya model and its applications," MPRA Paper 55099, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Lizhuang Liang & Feng Chen & Lei Shi & Shukui Niu, 2018. "NDVI-derived forest area change and its driving factors in China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(10), pages 1-19, October.
    5. Xiaoxia Shi & Haiyun Liu & Joshua Sunday Riti, 2019. "The role of energy mix and financial development in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions’ reduction: evidence from ten leading CO2 emitting countries," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 36(3), pages 695-729, October.
    6. Magee, Christopher L. & Devezas, Tessaleno C., 2017. "A simple extension of dematerialization theory: Incorporation of technical progress and the rebound effect," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 196-205.
    7. Yanan Wang & Wei Chen & Minjuan Zhao & Bowen Wang, 2019. "Analysis of the influencing factors on CO2 emissions at different urbanization levels: regional difference in China based on panel estimation," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 96(2), pages 627-645, March.
    8. Ye-Ning Wang & Qiang Zhou & Hao-Wei Wang, 2020. "Assessing Ecological Carrying Capacity in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Based on a Three-Dimensional Ecological Footprint Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-18, November.
    9. Don Clifton, 2012. "Sustainable Business: Are We Heading in the Right Direction?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 4(4), pages 1-18, April.
    10. Yu Sang Chang & Sung Jun Jo & Yoo-Taek Lee & Yoonji Lee, 2021. "Population Density or Populations Size. Which Factor Determines Urban Traffic Congestion?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-21, April.
    11. Fei Wang & Changjian Wang & Jing Chen & Zeng Li & Ling Li, 2020. "Examining the determinants of energy-related carbon emissions in Central Asia: country-level LMDI and EKC analysis during different phases," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(8), pages 7743-7769, December.
    12. Gregory Casey & Oded Galor, 2016. "Is economic growth compatible with reductions in carbon emissions? Investigating the impacts of diminished population growth," Working Papers 2016-8, Brown University, Department of Economics.
    13. Jaewon Lim & DooHwan Won, 2019. "Impact of CARB’s Tailpipe Emission Standard Policy on CO 2 Reduction among the U.S. States," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-15, February.
    14. Bortoluzzi, Mirian & Furlan, Marcelo & dos Reis Neto, José Francisco, 2022. "Assessing the impact of hydropower projects in Brazil through data envelopment analysis and machine learning," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 200(C), pages 1316-1326.
    15. Vélez-Henao, Johan-Andrés & Font Vivanco, David & Hernández-Riveros, Jesús-Antonio, 2019. "Technological change and the rebound effect in the STIRPAT model: A critical view," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 1372-1381.
    16. Gregory Casey & Oded Galor, 2016. "Population Growth and Carbon Emissions," NBER Working Papers 22885, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    17. Wang, Shaojian & Zeng, Jingyuan & Liu, Xiaoping, 2019. "Examining the multiple impacts of technological progress on CO2 emissions in China: A panel quantile regression approach," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 140-150.
    18. Marvin Henry & Julian Kirchherr & Rob Raven & Marko Hekkert, 2024. "Bottom‐up dynamics in circular innovation systems: The perspective of circular start‐ups," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 28(2), pages 320-338, April.
    19. Zhang, Chuanguo & Nian, Jiang, 2013. "Panel estimation for transport sector CO2 emissions and its affecting factors: A regional analysis in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 918-926.
    20. Michaela Vourvoulia & Athanasios Kampas, 2024. "Are democratic regime and the magnitude of the informal economy robust determinants of human impacts on the environment? An extreme bounds analysis," Economics and Politics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(1), pages 611-629, March.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:33:y:2025:i:4:p:5983-5997. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1099-1719 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.